Follicle Tracking
At our clinic we offer a comprehensive, affordable and immediate ultrasound scanning service in a friendly and private environment.Ultrasound is used to:
• Exclude abnormalities of the womb
• Exclude abnormalities of the ovaries
• Investigate fertility problems
• Monitor the response to various medication
• Uterine artery Doppler to assess resistive index
The initial scan to screen for fertility problems can exclude:
• Ovarian cysts, particularly resulting from endometriosis (womb lining outside of the
uterus)
• Abnormally small or inactive ovaries
• Uterine fibroids (benign fibrous growths within the muscle)
• Adenomyosis (a form of endometriosis where deposits of endometrium, the womb lining,
are found within the muscle layer of the uterus)
• Hydrosalpinges (Abnormal fallopian tubes)
Serial scans can be performed to ensure that:
• Ovulation is occurring (release of the egg)
• The endometrium is developing normally.
Long distance infertility treatment:
It is already stressful for couples in the process of having IVF treatment. Having this
performed in centres that are a long distance away, even abroad, can add to this stress.
We are here to reduce the stress of travelling far distances to receive scans.
We offer a comprehensive service including ultrasound scans for follicle tracking and assessment of the endometrium – SIX days a week!
How is ultrasound used for follicular scanning to monitor ovulation?
Ovulation scans can determine accurately when the egg matures; and when you ovulate. This is often the basic procedure for most infertility treatment since the treatment revolves around ovulation. Serial scans are done to visualise the growing follicle, which looks like a black bubble on the screen. Most women can see the follicle clearly for themselves – and know by the scans when the egg has ruptured. Other useful information, which can be determined by these scans, is the thickness of the uterine lining – the endometrium. The ripening follicle produces increasing quantities of oestrogen, which cause the endometrium to thicken and look bright on the ultrasound scan.
Limitations:
It is important to stress that these scans only assess one aspect of female fertility. They do not check whether your fallopian tubes are blocked or exclude endometriosis. The fallopian tubes carry the released egg from the ovary to the womb and must be patent for conception to occur.
Endometriosis (the presence of endometrial “womb lining” deposits outside the uterus) is an important cause of infertility that is best identified by laparoscopy where a small telescopic camera is used to directly visualise the pelvis from inside the abdomen. Ultrasound can confirm its’ presence when there are endometriotic cysts present but their absence does not exclude the diagnosis. Ultrasound scans do provide valuable information, however, and may lead to the early recognition of a problem or, of to the early recognition of a problem or, of equal importance provide valuable reassurance.
