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Fertility testing for patients with a uterus typically begins with blood tests (hormone levels including AMH, FSH, and estradiol) and a transvaginal ultrasound to assess the ovaries and uterus. A transvaginal ultrasound uses a small probe inserted into the vagina; most patients find it manageable, though it may be mildly uncomfortable. It provides more detailed imaging of the pelvic structures than an abdominal ultrasound. Depending on your history and initial results, additional testing may be recommended. A uterine assessment, such as a saline infusion sonogram (SIS) or hysteroscopy, evaluates the uterine cavity in more detail. Male-partner testing begins with a semen analysis, which is non-invasive. Your care team will explain each test before it is ordered, including what it measures and why it is part of your evaluation.

The evidence on endometriosis and fertility is nuanced, and surgery is not the right answer for every patient with the condition. When endometriosis is causing structural problems, such as ovarian cysts (endometriomas), significant scarring, blocked fallopian tubes, or distortion of the uterine cavity, surgical treatment may improve the conditions needed for natural conception or for IVF. Excision, which removes endometriosis tissue entirely rather than burning the surface, is generally preferred over ablation in fertility-focused care. Whether surgery is appropriate before IVF depends on the extent and location of disease, your ovarian reserve, your age, and other factors that a full evaluation identifies. It is a clinical decision, not a general recommendation. If you have endometriosis and have not had a thorough evaluation by a reproductive surgeon, that is where the conversation should start.

Fertility test results carry more meaning when you understand what each one measures. Some reference points: AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone): Reflects ovarian reserve, the quantity of eggs remaining. Lower values indicate reduced reserve; higher values may suggest conditions like PCOS. The clinical significance of any given AMH level depends on your age and the context of other findings. FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone, day 2–3): Elevated FSH on day 2 or 3 of your cycle may indicate that the pituitary gland is working harder to stimulate the ovaries, which can signal declining reserve. Like AMH, it is most meaningful alongside other markers. Antral follicle count (AFC): The number of small follicles visible on ultrasound at the start of a cycle. A higher count is generally associated with a better response to stimulation; a low count may affect how a stimulation protocol is designed. Semen analysis: Results are reported across several parameters: sperm count (concentration), motility (percentage moving), and morphology (percentage with normal shape). No single parameter tells the whole story; your clinician will interpret them together. These numbers provide useful context, but they are not the whole picture. Your care team will interpret your results in relation to your history, symptoms, age, and goals.

Fertility information online ranges from rigorously accurate to misleading, and distinguishing between them is not always obvious. A few practical filters: Check whether the source cites peer-reviewed evidence or links to authoritative patient education organizations such as MedlinePlus, the CDC, or professional medical societies. Be cautious of sites that present outcome statistics without age or diagnostic context, make absolute claims about what treatments "always" or "never" do, or combine education with product promotion. On social media, patient communities can provide valuable emotional support and shared experience, but clinical decisions based on anecdote rather than a clinician's assessment of your specific situation carry real risk. What worked or did not work for someone else may not translate to your case. The guides and resources on this page are designed to be evidence-grounded and written with the involvement of the Kofinas clinical team. They are a starting point, not a substitute for a consultation.

The IVF Process Timeline guide provides a step-by-step overview of what happens during an IVF cycle, from the start of stimulation medication through the pregnancy test. It is designed for patients who are considering IVF and want to understand the process before committing, and for those who are actively in the planning stage and want to know what each phase involves and how long it takes. The guide covers stimulation and monitoring, egg retrieval, fertilization and embryo development in the laboratory, transfer preparation, and what to expect in the two-week wait. It is written to set realistic expectations, not to minimize the complexity of the process.

Patient stories are shared with the permission of the individuals involved and reflect their personal experience of care at Kofinas. They are selected to represent a range of paths and outcomes, including those that involved difficulty, not just those that ended in pregnancy. Stories are intended to help you feel less alone in your experience and to illustrate what the process of care looks like from a patient's perspective. They are not clinical evidence of typical outcomes, and they should not be used to set expectations about your own situation. Success rates vary significantly by age, diagnosis, and individual factors that a clinical consultation will address specifically.