Learn the basics about infertility treatments

If you are considering infertility treatment, start the process if you've been trying to get pregnant for a year without results (or six months if you're 35 or older). "If you have a history of endometriosis or uterine fibroids or have had infertility problems in the past, go in as soon as you want to get pregnant," says Valerie Ratts, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and an infertility specialist at Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis. Here's a step-by-step guide to the infertility testing process.

Step 1: Initial evaluation

Your doctor first examines you and outlines the tests you will undergo. Then your blood is tested to determine if the hormones that affect ovulation are at normal levels. Your husband may undergo a semen analysis to examine the motility, shape and count of his sperm.

If there's no problem in these areas, your doctor may do a tubal patency test to see whether your Fallopian tubes are blocked: Your cervix is filled with fluid and then x-rayed. If the fluid can travel from your uterus through the Fallopian tubes and spill out the end of the tubes, then they are clear.

Step 2: Additional tests

Your next series of tests may include a couple of options:

Transvaginal ultrasound ultrasound checks the ovaries for cysts and ensures that the uterine lining is thick enough to receive an embryo. A small instrument called a transducer is gently inserted into your vagina and will produce a picture of your organs on a video screen.

Laparoscopy may be performed if your doctor sees a problem during the ultrasound. After general anesthesia is administered, several small incisions are made in your abdomen. A telescope-type instrument called a laparoscope is inserted so your doctor can more closely examine your ovaries, uterus and Fallopian tubes.