# Are there different tests for secondary infertility as opposed to primary if???



## irisheyes (Feb 2, 2005)

Hi guys just wondering are the tests different for secondary than primary infertility?  I read on another place that you can be treated for secondary if if you have had a miscarriage i.e that it wasnt a pg which resulted in a live birth but where you were once pg. Bit confused!!! I noticed some people are on clomid to "boost" ovulation and I am waiting to hear about this - any help appreciated!!


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## Harps (Nov 27, 2005)

Hi
I'm not aware that there are any different tests for secondary infertility.  Although, if it is a recent pregnancy they may be able to discount some issues around your ability to actually get pregnant.  However, tubes can get blocked and things can change.  When we went to see the GP she told my dh that it was unlikely to be his problem as he had already fathered our first child, well she was wrong, 2 years later and his sperm have seriously disintegrated!!  

The basic tests are the same, bloods for you, sperm count for him and take it from there.  If your problem is ovulation then clomid might help, but you need to try and find a reason first.  I think secondary is often the same as primary in terms of likely reasons.  

Hope this helps
Harps
x


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## irisheyes (Feb 2, 2005)

Thanx for that- dh also has daughter from previous relationship although that was 15 years ago. We have had all the tests done and his sperm count is high and motility average, but because of the high sperm count the motility range was fine. Clomid is my last option which i am waiting to hear about as the gp noticed my levels were up and down. i noticed this 4 years ago and am annoyed that no-one suggested it then.However since i was ovulating on all tests they were reluctant to prescribe then.have had bloods done for miscarriage but because i didnt test at the time i was late on some occasions it remains inconclusive. Thanx


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## Anne_7 (Mar 20, 2005)

Hi just want to bump this up as I think it is an important question.  What about immune testing or testing for NK cells etc.  What if you had your child/ren many years ago  is it possible that you could now have some immune problem?  Going to see consultant Monday so I will be asking him too.

Some feed back would be great.

Thanks Anne X


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## Mrs Chaos (Feb 12, 2004)

Hi
I'd be interested to know the outcome of this question too.
I have a ds from previous relationship, who is now 14 years. Dh has a dd, from previous relationship who is 17 years. He and his ex had 9 m/c before they were successful, but it was issues with his ex, rather than him. Blood groups (O-/0+) and immune issues.
Dh and I had an early m/c 8 years ago and no pg since.
Our first Cons told us that immune issues would not be a factor, how he knew that without testing god knows...
He *assured* us that as we had both had a successful pg before, that there would be no problems with my cm killing off his sperm, etc, and that we're quite simply "unexplained secondary IF".
My cycle did go a little haywire, but 3 cycles of clomid seemed to sort me out and all of my b/w was fine, LH/FSH and PROG. HSG was fine, tubes patent, no uterine probs and generally nothing was stopping us from getting pg.
Dh s/a was good, so we were in limbo.
We were advised by our second Cons that issues _could_ develop, over time, (age) and especially with new partners, but financially we couldn't afford the expensive tests and came to the difficult decision to give up.
Had an issue been identified, we would have pursued tx, but given that people with issues/history etc have no assurances that tx will work, we felt it was pointless given that they had found no underlying reason... if that makes sense.
We'll always wonder "what if..." but it's a case of getting on with life for us.
Please keep us posted on this, as I think it could help many of us, especially when it comes to what to ask your Cons...as we all go a little  and forget something important...and on the drive home we're usually  wishing you'd remembered.
Take care all, lotsa love
Gayn
X


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## sweetpeapodder (Feb 6, 2005)

Hi - I had my dd in 1998 and started trying again in 2001.  I had a m/c in 2003 and 2004 and until now, they were my only pgs.  We had I think the usual tests for IF, but nothing was found until I had my 2nd m/c after which I had recurrant m/c testing and 6 months worth of cycle monitoring with bloods and found that i was not ovulating, so I was prescribed clomid via my GP.

One thing to mention is that I had an emergency c-section too - both my m/c were diagnosed as possible ectopics.  The first seemed to resolve itself and the second I ended up with a lap after methrotrexate failed.  When I had the lap, they found nothing in the tube but did remove adhesions and scar tissue from the caesarian, so maybe that had contributed to our difficulties ?

As I understood it, you can develop immune issues over time.  You are also (probably) a bit older and some age issues can develop (I am now 8 yrs older).  I too had the advice that if you had had a child together, there should be no problem - I was very lucky that my 2nd m/c led to further testing.

I would push for tests much harder now than I did a few years ago when I felt reassured by my GP that there was "nothing wrong" and even felt a bit of a fraud for suggesting i thought there was


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## Mrs Chaos (Feb 12, 2004)

hi
Sweetpeapodder... I am most interested in your lap revealing adhesions.
I asked my (first) Cons, if my c-section, (an ELSCS) could have left me with adhesions, as he did the dye (hsg) separately from a lap, choosing to do a lap "if" tubes were blocked. He *ASSURED* us NO!
Our second Cons said they do a lap & dye together, but given that we'd got to start tests again and that it would mean private tx..and money etc etc, and given it was 7 years since we'd been ttc, we couldn't proceed. I ALWAYS wondered if it could have been our problem...now I will never know.
I'm pleased you got your probs sorted out hun 
A lesson for us all girls...no matter what dx we're facing....
ASK ASK ASK and ASK again
love to all
Gayn
X


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