Sterile

[MWB]

How do you find out if you're sterile, not fertile? (Woman) What sort of test? And does finding out take a long time, like DNA tests?

[Ethel]

DNA has nothing whatsoever to do with fertility.

Fertility tests start with simple blood tests that show whether her hormones are right.

After that is a HSG test - where dye is injected into the womb, tubes and so on so any abnormalities can be easily seen on an x-ray.

Then perhaps a hysterectopy is carried out - a tiny camera inserted into the womb so the doctor can have a good look.

A post - coital test is a smear test carried out at the time of ovulation and shortly after intercourse. This shows how compatible her partner's sperm is with her cervical mucous.

A biopsy may be done of the womb lining shortly before the period is due to start - a simple scrape. This shows if the womb is capable of supporting a fertlised egg.

So you can see it is not easy to determine why a woman is not getting pregnant, and there are a whole lot of tests to be carried out which can take a long time.