* Question: Is there a test to take for infertility?

First, a medical examination will be conducted to determine the presence of infertility. It usually starts with a physical examination as well as sexual and medical histories for both you and your partner.

After completing the medical examinations, your fertility specialist will run a few tests. Generally, the semen specimen tests undergone by men evaluate his sperm based on the volume per ejaculation, movement (or motility) and shape. Some doctors will also give hormone and other tests.

For a woman, the physician will try to discover whether she is ovulating properly every month. To determine this, she can either record her temperature every morning and her cervical mucous texture, or she can use a home ovulation test kit. Checking ovulation may also require some other tests. These tests may include blood tests for hormone levels and ultrasound tests on the ovaries.

* Question: What kinds of medicines do doctors use for treating women’s infertility?

When a woman is having problems with ovulation, the medication Clomiphene Citrate is often prescribed. This drug is commonly used for women experiencing disorders such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or others causing complications with ovulation.

The human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) is the medicine usually prescribed for women who do not ovulate because of pituitary gland problems. It acts directly on the ovaries to encourage ovulation.

In addition to hMG, women experiencing infertility problems may be prescribed medications such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). You will most likely receive these medications in the form of an injection.

Metformin is generally used to treat women with high levels of male hormones which interfere with ovulation. Metformin may be combined with FSH.

Another common fertility drug Bromocriptine is often prescribed for women having ovulation problems caused by high levels of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production.

* Question: Do most insurance plans cover treatments I need for infertility?

While you will find insurance plans that do cover infertility treatments, such coverage is usually dependent on where you live and your insurance coverage. At the time of this writing, already 12 states have enacted laws mandating that insurance providers cover some form of infertility diagnosis and treatments, either in full or in part. The states that have passed such laws include:

- California

- Texas

- New York

- Massachusetts

- Illinois

- Ohio

- Ohio

- Texas

- Illinois

- Ohio

- Montana

- Montana

Laws passed in each of these states may differ in their requirements as well as in the kinds of treatments that must be covered. If you would like additional information regarding insurance coverage for diagnosing and treating infertility, look up the website of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and click on the State Infertility Insurance Laws link.