When first investigating their fertility, a lot of women tend to assume that the process only involves a couple of blood tests and checking their hormone levels. While important, these tests are somewhat insufficient in helping you with matters of fertility. It is important to combine them with imaging tests, specifically specialised ultrasound tests that provide a deeper look into our reproductive system.
So know this – when you do make a visit to some fertility clinic in London, there is a good chance that you’ll be taking one of these imaging tests as well. Keeping that in mind, let’s go over what exactly these scans show, when they are used, and how you can best prepare for them.
Why are ultrasound scans often required for fertility testing?
As you’re probably aware, fertility is one of the most complex aspects of a woman’s body. There are many factors at work here, and all of them need to line up just right for a pregnancy to occur naturally. Your ovaries must first release a healthy egg, which depends on many factors, such as hormonal balance and lifestyle. The fallopian tubes must allow sperm and egg to meet without any obstruction. The uterus needs to prepare itself to support the subsequent implantation. Even a slight disruption in this chain can make conception quite difficult.
This is where ultrasounds come into play. Instead of relying on just your blood and hormone checks – which can only provide indirect clues to any fertility problem – these tests help doctors see how your reproductive organs are actually functioning. It can reveal whether the ovaries are producing follicles, whether your uterus has a healthy lining, and whether there are any structural issues that could interfere with implantation.
Another reason why these scans are important is that they allow fertility specialists to determine your ovulation window. This can help you undergo treatments like egg retrieval and IVF with much greater ease and precision.
Do you need to prepare for an ultrasound?
Fortunately, getting ready for a fertility-related ultrasound tends to be simple, needing very little on your part. Not only that, but your clinic will likely give any small instructions ahead of time. Regardless, let’s go over a few general things that you should know.
If you’re having an abdominal ultrasound, the doctor will likely ask you to visit the clinic with a full bladder. This is because a fuller bladder helps push the uterus into a clearer position, allowing the ultrasound probe to capture better images of your system. This isn’t required for a transvaginal ultrasound, however, and you’ll likely be asked to empty your bladder before the scan begins instead. But apart from this, there’s not much else for you to do at this stage.
What are the different types of ultrasounds?
Depending on your symptoms, medical history, and goals of your fertility evaluation, your doctor may recommend one or several types of ultrasound scans to get a clear idea of your reproductive health. The most common of the bunch is the transvaginal ultrasound. In it, a probe is gently inserted into the vagina to produce detailed images of your uterus and ovaries. This scan can generally share the thickness of your uterine lining, the presence of ovarian cysts, and the number of developing follicles during your cycle.
The next scan you’ll likely come across is the abdominal ultrasound, which is performed by moving a probe over your lower abdomen. While not as detailed as the transvaginal scan, this test still shares a nice overview of your uterus, ovaries, and the surrounding pelvic structures.
Some advanced clinics also use 3D ultrasound today, which creates a 3D view of the uterus. This helps the doctors examine the shape of your uterine cavity and identify structural issues, such as fibroids or other congenital abnormalities, that can affect implantation.
There are also two specialised scans that can evaluate your uterus and fallopian tubes in even more detail. A sonohysterogram involves placing a small amount of fluid inside the uterus during the scan, which helps check the uterine lining and cavity much more clearly. A hysterosalpingo-contrast sonography (HyCoSy), on the other hand, is used to assess whether your fallopian tubes are healthy. In this one, a contrast solution is placed into the uterus and tracked to see if it can freely flow through the tube. If you pass this test, it’s basically an indicator that your fallopian tubes are open and functioning well.
When should you schedule a fertility ultrasound?
Generally, an initial scan is performed between days 2 and 5. Here, the doctors can count the number of follicles in your ovaries and get a general estimate of your ovarian reserve. Afterwards, you may be asked to go through another ultrasound to track the follicle growth and to confirm whether ovulation is approaching, though this is typically reserved for fertility treatments.
The question of when also brings up the question of where you plan to receive these tests. While NHS services are incredibly valuable, they often involve long waiting times and strict eligibility criteria for ultrasounds. You’ll need to jump through a few hoops before you finally get your scan here, which can be agonising for a lot of people. If that’s the case, you can always sign up for a scan at a private clinic. You can usually book one within days and can receive the results just as quickly. For women and couples who want some answers right away, it’s nothing short of a lifesaver.
What to expect after a fertility ultrasound?
To get the big worry out of the way, ultrasound scans are extremely safe, which is part of the reason why they are so widely recommended in fertility testing. But there are still some things to note here.
If you’ve had a transvaginal scan, you may notice some mild spotting or slight discomfort in the area for a short while. This is within expectations and nothing to worry about. You can go about your day as normal once the appointment is finished.
As for the results, you’ll receive the findings immediately, or you’ll need to attend a follow-up consultation to understand them more carefully. The latter route is usually taken for fertility treatments or if some medical emergency is involved. The results themselves can reveal a lot, from your follicle development to structural issues like fibroids or ovarian cysts. If something problematic does come up, however, fret not, as fertility treatments have come a long way in recent times, with a solution for nearly all expected issues.
Take care of your reproductive health
Though these scans may seem like nothing more than a small step in your fertility journey, they hold a lot of importance. After all, these scans paint the full picture of your reproductive health and provide the most valuable insights into how your system is functioning. Combined with all the other tests, this is where your journey to taking better care of your reproductive system truly begins. So if you’re worried about an ultrasound or planning to book one, leave all the worries behind and just take the next step with confidence.