Starting your fertility journey can feel scary and intimidating, yet also hopeful. Knowing what to expect can help ease anxiety and make you feel more comfortable before beginning this process.
With more than 45 years of experience, Dr. Laurence Jacobs has guided thousands of families through their fertility consultations. Here’s what to expect when you schedule yours:
First Steps:
You and your partner (if applicable) should plan to attend the first consultation together; it usually lasts about an hour.
What We’ll Review:
- Medical records and history, menstrual cycle, past surgeries or complications
- Lifestyle factors and any medical issues (for you or your partner)
After that, we’ll outline the infertility workup to determine why pregnancy isn’t happening. This includes:
- Hormone blood tests
- Diagnostic ultrasounds
- X-rays
- Semen analysis
5 Key Fertility Factors We Evaluate (you may have more than one)
1. Male Factor
- Semen analysis
- Sperm function test, including strict morphology, to identify if there is any difficulty in being able to fertilize an egg
2️. Ovarian Reserve (Egg Supply)
- On cycle days 2-4, you will come into the office so we can check your hormone levels, including AMH, which helps assess your egg supply.
- We’ll also do an antral follicle count transvaginal ultrasound to measure how many egg sacs (follicles) are present. The sonographer will count the antral follicles on both ovaries, looking for them to be 2-10 mm in diameter. The more follicles the better!
3️. Ovulation Evaluation
- Ovulation predictor kits, which look for a rise in a hormone called LH that tells us when you’re about to ovulate
- Ultrasound to check egg sac (follicle) size
- Follow-up progesterone test about a week later to confirm ovulation and assess if you have produced enough progesterone to be able to build up the lining of the uterus to get it ready for a pregnancy
4️. Uterine and Tubal Factors
- HSG, an X-ray using contrast dye, to view the uterus and fallopian tubes or a saline sonogram to check for fibroids, adhesions or polyps
- We also flush the fallopian tubes (part of the HSG) to make sure the fluid goes through the tubes so we know if the tubes look healthy and are functioning properly.
5. Pelvic Factors
- Check for adhesions from endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease or past surgeries
- Assessment for fibroids that could impact fertility
Next Steps:
After your workup (typically completed in a few weeks), we’ll schedule a follow-up appointment to review results, discuss medications and consider options like IUI or IVF if necessary. We’ll also recommend lifestyle changes to help support your fertility.
Ready to schedule?
Call us at 630-428-2229 or fill out this request form to get started.
About Dr. Laurence Jacobs
Dr. Laurence Jacobs is a Mayo Clinic fellowship-trained Reproductive Endocrinologist with over 45 years of experience helping thousands of families build their dreams through personalized fertility care.
Board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Jacobs brings deep expertise in IVF, PCOS, male and female infertility and second opinions for complex cases. After decades in leadership and practice, he is proud to provide consultations at Charles E. Miller, MD & Associates | CCRM Fertility’s Naperville office. Known for his compassionate approach and trusted by both patients and peers, Dr. Jacobs has been recognized nationally as a Top Infertility Doctor and consistently honored for his patient-centered care.