Determining Infertility Through Endometrial Biopsy

When a woman is having difficulties conceiving, her doctor may order an endometrial biopsy and infertility tests. It may have been shock enough to hear that you will have to be treated for fertility problems without knowing you must submit to what can be a very uncomfortable procedure. Knowledge is power, as the saying goes, and preparing yourself for an endometrial biopsy and infertility by doing some research may give you greater confidence.

Why do endometrial biopsy and infertility go together?

An endometrial biopsy is an exploratory surgery to help your doctors understand the cause of your infertility. It will not by any means fix the problem, but it puts your medical team on the right track toward finding the definitive solution.

What is an endometrial biopsy and what can you expect?

Performed at a gynecologist's office, the doctor places a plastic catheter into the vagina and through the cervix to collect a sample of the uterus wall. The sample is then tested to see the levels of progesterone in your body. Like most gynecological procedures, an endometrial biopsy may not be entirely comfortable. Many doctors will tell you there are no nerve endings on the cervix, but some women are more sensitive than others and will be able to feel the procedure acutely. If you have already had children, you may feel nothing as the catheter passes through the cervical open. Otherwise, you may feel cramping and in the extreme cases, your body may respond my going into a mild shock. You may want to talk to your doctor before the procedure about how you will react. He may suggest taking ibuprofen a few hours before the biopsy or you may decide that a local anesthetic applied in a spray form is best. It bears repeating that taking the time to research the procedure will help prepare you. Check infertility message boards to see if anyone has posted about their experiences with the procedure. Hearing someone else's honest account of their experiences with endometrial biopsy and infertility may be more helpful than your doctor's generalizations.

What's next?

If a hormone imbalance is detected, your doctor may recommend hormonal therapy. The type of hormone and the strength of your prescription will be determined by your caregiver. You must make a decided effort to take the drug daily and at the correct times in order for the therapy to work. If after six months there is no effect, your doctor may stop therapy and consider other options such as in vitro fertilization.

Think of this surgery procedure of endometrial biopsy and infertility as just the first step on your journey to motherhood. An endometrial biopsy and fertility tests are the most accurate way to gauge what is happening to your body hormonally and although it may be uncomfortable, it guarantees that you will receive the exact right method of treatment for your body.

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