Your first Consultation
During your first consultation appointment at the CRG, your doctor will take a full medical history or 'anamnesis' in order to have a complete medical picture of you and your partner. There will also be a
physical examination, which with the woman will include a gynaeclological examination.
Anamnesis
An anamnesis consists of a series of questions, whereby the doctor attempts to gather as much relevant information as possible regarding your medical history, physical condition, and current health status. In order to facilitate the process, you will be asked to complete a detailed questionaire beforehand. You can download this questionnairre by clicking on the link on this page.
If there are any points of issue, or if you have ever had previous related treatment, your medical file will be requested and consulted.
Many of the questions that the doctor will ask you, will be of an intimate nature. They are all aimed at identifying the reasons why you and your partner are having difficulties in conceiving. Below are are a few examples of the type of questions you can expect:
- your age;
- whether either of you have a child from a previous relationship;
- how long you and your partner have been trying unsuccessfully for a baby;
- whether you have regular penetrative sex with ejaculation;
- how frequently that you have intercourse and at which stage of your cycle;
- whether you experience any problems whilst having sex;
- which sorts of contraception you have ever used and your experiences with them;
- whether you have ever had any operations;
- what and how much you eat and drink (including alcohol) and other habits. Smoking for example is one cause of reductions in fertility;
- your family's medical history. This is to detect any possible hereditary conditions.
Questions specifically aimed at women will be associated with:
- your menstrual cycle, the duration and regularity thereof, plus any changes which may have occurred;
- your periods: how many days they last, the extent of blood loss, whether or not they are painful and where the pain is situated etc...
Painful periods do not always indicate a problem. Light pain in the pelvic floor (often coupled with breast pain and mood swings) indicates that ovulation is taking place. The same goes for pain in the lower abdomen in the middle of your cycle (moment of ovulation) or during the period itself. |
- which form of contraception you use, for how long and which symptoms you do not associate with it; in the case of a coil, the doctor will check during your consultation if it has been successfully removed;
- whether you have had any abdominal surgery, including D&C's.
Any operation within the abdomen or uterus can cause adhesions.
Physical examination, including gynaecological
Further to your consultation, a physical examination will also be performed by the doctor, unless this has already been performed by the doctor which referred you to the CRG.
- the examination will include, weight, blood pressure, breast examination etc...;
- the gynaecological examination will include:
- examination of the uterus to determine shape, form, size, consistency and mobility thereof (see gynaecological abnormalities);
- the removal of a mucous sample from the cervix for testing against infection or antibodies to sperm (see immunological analysis);
- a cervical smear or 'pap test' which can detect the early stages of cervical cancer;
- in certain cases, the length of the cervix will be measured by means of a fine tube, in anticipation of future inseminations or embryo transfers.
Sometimes other methods are required in order to provide a clear image of certain areas of the body. We address ultrasound, hysterosalpingraphy, hysteroscopy, and laparoscopy in the section
medical image forming investigations.