If you're currently seeing your gynecologist or obstetrician for help with infertility issues but are not having success with getting pregnant, then you may be interested in going to a Houston fertility clinic. Couples who have been struggling with infertility problems find that selecting a Houston reproductive endocrinologist helps increase their probability of getting pregnant. The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination indicates that a reproductive endocrinology is a medical specialty that combines gynecology, obstetrics and endocrinology. The reproductive endocrinologist is medical doctor who specializes in treating people that have infertility problems or reproductive disorders.

You may be nervous about your first visit to a Houston reproductive endocrinologist. Couples are worried about all sorts of things when visiting a Houston fertility clinic for the first time. They wonder what tests they'll have to take, what procedures they'll need to endure and what it will cost. The good news is knowing what to expect on your initial Houston fertility clinic visit, will ease your worries and fears.

First of all, your Houston reproductive endocrinologist is on your side. It's the reproductive endocrinologist's job to determine the cause of your infertility and decide on appropriate methods to treat these causes. When planning for your initial visit with a Houston fertility clinic, you'll want to obtain your test records and medical history from your gynecologist. If possible, have your medical records sent directly to the reproductive endocrinologist's office. If you have other medical conditions, such as thyroid disease or diabetes, send those medical records along as well. If you have been keeping results of ovulation predictor kits, menstrual cycles and basal body temperature readings, have them handy also. It's also a good idea to know your family history, such as history of miscarriages, fibroids, endometriosis and sterility. Your reproductive endocrinologist specialist will want to know about these conditions and if anyone in your family history had them.

Keep in mind that the first visit to a Houston fertility clinic is typically an information-gathering session. At the end of the initial session, you'll have a plan to move forward -- whether it is additional tests or a treatment plan. The reproductive endocrinologist needs to diagnose the cause of your infertility, which sometimes can take the results of three to four tests. Tests that your Houston fertility clinic specialist will likely perform include ultrasound exams and hysterosalpingogram (x-ray procedure utilizing dye). You'll also likely be asked to take a post-coital test, which is similar to a pap smear. Blood tests, such as follicle stimulating hormone (referred to as FSH), testosterone, progesterone, estradol, and luteinizing hormones, will need to be conducted in order to rule out other causes of infertility, such as thyroid problems, premature ovarian failure or polycystic ovarian disease. An endometrial biopsy may be performed to check whether the woman is ovulating and assess the quality of the lining of the uterus. Finally, a laparoscopy may be performed, which is a procedure using a fiber optic telescope to look for endometriosis and evaluate the ovaries.

After all the suggested tests are completed and the results are in, the reproductive endocrinologist will determine the cause of your infertility, be it ovulation problems, sperm factors, tubal abnormalities or some other cause. Once the tests are completed and diagnosis made, the specialist will propose a treatment plan, which may consist of oral fertility drugs, injectable fertility drugs, artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization.