
Ultrasound Monitoring is of two types:
- Transvaginal Ultrasound (TVS)
- Transabdominal Ultrasound (TAS)
What is TVS?
Transvaginal Sonography (TVS), also known as endovaginal ultrasound refers to an internal examination of the female reproductive system. It includes a detailed study of the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, cervix, and vagina. It is done to check the internal organs of women, identify any abnormalities, and help the doctor to diagnose those abnormalities in cases of infertile patients.
Why is TVS done in infertility patients?
There are many reasons where your doctor may recommend TVS. Some of them are-
- Infertility work up as baseline scan to know about any pathology in the uterus, ovaries, tubes
- To look at the number of eggs (Antral Follicular count ) on day 2 to assess the ovarian reserve in infertility patients based on which various decisions are made
- To monitor the growth of follicles during the menstrual cycle in natural monitoring and also in stimulated cycles in IUI and IVF.
- To monitor the endometrial lining thickness and pattern during treatment along with USG Doppler to know the vascularity of endometrium.
- To check for any findings of OHSS, a complication of ART treatments and assess the amount of fluid in POD and ovarian size
- To diagnose early pregnancy and the heartbeat of the fetus
What is TAS?
Transabdominal sonography (TAS) is ultrasonography done by using sound waves to visualize internal organs through the abdominal wall. It can be used to reflect the areas including gallbladder, uterus, stomach, pancreas, liver, etc.
Why is TAS done in infertility patients?
TAS may be done for the following reasons:
- Wherever IUI is done guided by USG
- When there is a mock -et to check the passage of uterus for the final placement of embryos at the time for embryo transfer
- Wherever any injection like endokinin are given to increase the thickness of endometrial lining guided by USG
- The embryo transfers are done indeed TAS scan with a bladder full.
The procedure of TVS-
There is no fasting required before performing TVS and the woman is required to just empty her bladder before the scan.
During the sonography, the sonographer covers the ultrasound probe with the condom to avoid cross-infection between patients and then inserts it into the vagina with all precautions. It does not cause pain and the majority of women are comfortable with the tvs scan until there is a local infection already present which might cause some discomfort. The sound waves then start bouncing off the internal organs and hence gives us the images which can be clicked for the references.
The procedure of TAS-
The woman undergoing TAS is asked to fill the bladder by drinking at least 1-2 litres of water. Once The bladder is filled then USG is done to have a clear outlook of the internal organs. If the bladder is not full internal structures are not visible and there are a lot of difficulties in getting a proper image of organs.
What is Doppler Ultrasound?
Doppler Ultrasound is used to monitor the blood flow in the vessels of the endometrium and around ovaries which helps the clinician to assess the difficulties in ovum pick up or decisions regarding embryo transfer.
Urvara Fertility Centre provides the facility of TAS monitoring as well as TVS monitoring. It also provides the facility of coloured Doppler Ultrasound. The answer to all of your infertility related issues and reproductive system abnormalities are accessible under one roof at Urvara Fertility Centre. Dr. Richa of Urvara Fertility Centre is a leading IVF doctor in Lucknow. Having worked at the reputed Max Hospital, Delhi previously, she comes with extensive experience of 11 years. She is now available to her patients in the city of Lucknow itself.
FAQs
What is infertility?
Infertility is the inability of a couple to conceive even after a year of trying to get pregnant through unprotected and well-timed sexual intercourse in which the woman is under the age of 35. If the woman is above 35, it is diagnosed after six months of trying to get pregnant. Infertility can be due to male or female factors or even both. It can also be due to unexplained reasons.
Does age affect fertility and chances of conception?
Yes, age does affect a woman’s ability to have children. More and more women now prefer to wait until their 30s to conceive. A woman’s fertility starts to reduce from her 30s and more after the age of 35. As much as one-third of couples who face fertility problems are those where the woman’s age is above 35.
How does age affect a woman’s ability to have children?
Here are a few ways of how a woman’s ability conceive reduces due to her age:
- The ability of ovaries to release eggs ready for fertilization reduces with age
- The quality of eggs released reduces with an increase in the age of women
- An increase in age can lead to more health problems which may interfere with a woman’s fertility
- The risk of miscarriages increases as a woman ages
- Children born to older women tend to have more abnormalities
How long should women try to get pregnant before visiting a doctor?
Women who are healthy and below the age of 30 need not worry about infertility unless they have been trying to get pregnant for a year or so. If such is the case, they should talk to their doctor for a fertility evaluation. They should also ask their partners to do the same.
Women in their 30s trying to get pregnant should talk to their doctor after trying for 6 months as a woman’s chances of having a baby decline rapidly after the age of 30.
Is infertility only a woman’s problem?
No, infertility can affect both men and women. About one-third of cases of infertility are due to female factors and another one third are due to male factors. The remaining cases are either due to a mixture of both male and female factors or due to unknown reasons.
Can male infertility be treated?
In most cases, male infertility can be treated. Your doctor may suggest you use assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF, ICSI, TESA and Micro-TESE. Although ART cannot cure or treat the causes of infertility, it can help couples achieve pregnancy even when the male’s sperm count is low or zero.
What are the risk factors for infertility?
There are several external factors, lifestyle choices, and environmental causes that can lead to infertility. Although some risk factors can be gender-specific, some common risk factors are:
- Age
- Smoking
- Alcohol Consumption
- Substance Abuse
- Obesity and Underweight
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Diabetes
- Tubal Disease
- Stress
- Genetic Causes
What are the ways to treat infertility?
There are many ways to treat infertility for both men and women. With advancing medical technologies, you and your partner along with your doctor can decide depending on the options available.
What causes infertility in women?
The most common reason for infertility in women is problems with ovulation. No ovulation or improper ovulation can prevent eggs from fertilizing or there may be no eggs at all. Irregular periods or no periods are a sign of no or improper ovulation. Some other causes of infertility include:
- Endometriosis
- PCOD/PCOS
- Uterine Fibroids
- Blocked Fallopian Tubes
- Physical problems with the uterus
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Several Miscarriages
- Unexplained Reasons
What causes infertility in men?
Infertility in men can be due to the following:
- Low or no sperm production
- Low motility of sperms- sperms inability to move fast or reach the egg to fertilize it
- Abnormal shape/structure of sperms that prevent it from fertilizing the egg
- Erectile Dysfunction or Retrograde Ejaculation
Sometimes, men may be born with these problems, and the other times, they may develop these problems due to an illness or injury.