Laparoscopy

Just as there are some basic initial tests for men; most women also typically endure the same first tests. Actually, the very first thing most women do after they encounter trouble conceiving is begin to track ovulation - either through ovulation prediction at-home tests or charting basal body temperature. If a woman finds that she is not regularly ovulating then she can talk to her doctor armed with that information that can help him devise a treatment plan. However, most physicians will also ask that the female undergo some additional testing to rule out other issues or to help pinpoint the primary barrier to fertility. A number of blood tests are typically administered including measures of FSH, estradiol, progesterone… [more]

I have undergone two laparoscopies for diagnosing my infertility as well to clean out endometriosis and scar tissue. They are not fun. Here are the things I wish I had known before having the procedure performed:

1. Be careful about what you eat after the surgery.

I made the mistake of eating Chinese food after the surgery, and I spent the next several hours vomiting it back up. Different people react differently to anesthesia. Some people can eat like a horse afterward and be just fine, but other people, like me, really need to eat very gentle foods like soup after having surgery. Err on the side of caution. When you have just had an incision in your navel… [more]

While we were waiting for the adoption agency to match us with an expecting mother, we moved to a different state. We had already been waiting to adopt for 7 months, so my husband suggested that we get a second opinion on my infertility.

I struggled with whether it was ethical to pursue fertility treatments while waiting to adopt. My friends assured me that it was not a requirement to refrain for sexual intercourse while waiting to adopt, so it was okay if I got pregnant while waiting. I also figured that I could still go through with the adoption and raise two children who were close together in age.

My in-laws referred me to Dr. F, a fertility specialist with… [more]