Fertility MOT

Frequently asked questions about Fertility MOT

My cycle is irregular - will this affect me having a Fertility MOT?

Many women have irregular cycles, however, this does not mean that they have fertility problems or that they are unable to have a Fertility MOT. Prior to booking, we will discuss your cycle with you and discuss the optimum time for you to have your blood tests and consultation.

I am a single woman - can I have a Fertility MOT without a partner?

Yes. Fertility MOT is designed to provide women with peace of mind, whatever their situation. We will be happy to see a woman without a male partner and will reduce the overall cost of the investigations accordingly.

I hate needles and am worried about the number of blood tests - how many are there?

If you are particularly scared of needles, we can limit the blood testing to only one test. Ideally, we would take 2 separate blood samples.

I live quite far from your centres. Can the blood tests/infection screening be done by my GP or local health centre?

We can organise for all the bottles to be sent out to you by post and they can be returned similarly. If the tests are not done by us you may incur an additional charge by whoever takes the blood. We do our best to ensure that samples reach our lab, however we cannot guarantee that they will arrive. If samples are lost then we will send further bottles at no additional charge.

We cannot offer a postal service for semen analysis.

What happens if I fall pregnant in between booking with you and attending my appointments?

If you have not had any tests we will refund your booking fee in full. If you have had some tests, you will receive a refund minus any costs we have incurred with our laboratory.

I don't want anyone to know that I am having a Fertility MOT - will you treat me confidentially?

Of course. All consultations are done in absolute confidence. We can also arrange for all communications with you to be done by email or text message, according to your particular circumstances. We would normally send your GP a copy of your results, but are not obliged to do this if you require complete discretion.

 

I can't afford to have fertility treatment, what can I do if you find that I do need IVF?

Our team will be able to advise you on what is available to you should you need any follow up treatment and will be able to steer you through NHS vs private options. However, while our service provides you with all the investigations necessary, should you require follow on fertility treatment, we aim to provide peace of mind that there are no underlying factors affecting your fertility, in order to give you the best chance of going on to have a child naturally.

Am I too old to have a Fertility MOT?

We see women of many ages, although we may adapt the tests we undertake accordingly, depending on your age at the time of your Fertility MOT.

What is a HyCoSy?

Hysterosalpingo - contrast sonography (HyCoSy) is a transvaginal ultrasound technique in which a contrast medium called Sonovue* is injected into the uterine cavity. It is a non-invasive procedure and provides information about the patency of the fallopian tubes. There is no (X-Ray) radiation risk. HyCoSy will also detect other changes within the womb such as polyps or fibroids. The results of the HyCoSy will be given you at the time of your consultation.

A HyCoSy needs to be carried out before day 12 of a regular cycle. If your cycle is irregular then we will let you know the best time. The procedure takes approximately 15 minutes.

Is a HyCoSy painful?

Many women describe a period type pain when the procedure is performed. We advise that you take some pain relief (e.g. ibuprofen) about an hour before the HyCoSy.

Is a HyCoSy safe?

By far the biggest downside to any test checking fallopian tubes is discomfort, and that is why we advise taking pain relief before the procedure. We know that infection is also a risk and that’s why we test you for Chlamydia beforehand, however as with all medical procedures, there can be a very small chance of infection.

*Note: Sonovue is a medication containing lots of tiny little bubbles that can be seen by ultrasound. Sonovue does not have a licence for testing fallopian tubes, but is licensed and widely used for injection into the blood stream as part of ultrasound examination of the liver and other organs.