What a workup includes
A fertility workup is a set of tests chosen for your situation. Not every patient needs every test. A common starting set includes:
- Detailed medical and reproductive history
- Ovarian-reserve testing (AMH, antral follicle count)
- Baseline hormones
- Pelvic ultrasound
- Semen analysis for the sperm-providing partner or donor plan
- Uterine and fallopian-tube evaluation, when indicated (for example, HSG)
- Genetic screening when appropriate
About the HSG
A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is a short outpatient imaging test that evaluates the uterine cavity and whether the fallopian tubes are open. A small amount of contrast is placed through the cervix under x-ray. Findings guide whether IVF, IUI, surgery, or further imaging is the right next step. Most patients tolerate the test with a mild pain reliever taken beforehand.
What the results mean
Results are one part of the picture. Your physician interprets them alongside your history and goals to build an initial plan. In many cases the workup itself points to a treatment path; sometimes it identifies a specific issue that surgery or another specialty can address before fertility treatment.
Timing
Most testing is scheduled within one menstrual cycle. Some tests (for example a hysterosalpingogram) are timed to specific cycle days. Your care team helps you sequence the visits so results are ready when treatment planning begins.
When to seek evaluation
General guidance suggests evaluation after twelve months of trying to conceive for patients under 35 and after six months for patients 35 and older. Anyone with irregular cycles, a known reproductive diagnosis, prior chemotherapy or pelvic surgery, or specific concerns can be evaluated sooner — waiting is not always the right answer.