Fertility Service

Referral to our fertility service is via your GP.

The service takes place in both the main outpatient department and the Women's Health Unit, which is located at the back of the Hospital, accessible via the main hospital. Your appointment letter will tell you where to go.

Please speak to your GP if you’ve been unable to achieve a pregnancy after 6 months or more of having regular unprotected sexual intercourse.

Our service includes

Female fertility tests:

• Blood tests to look at hormone profile

• Pelvic ultrasound

• Tubal patency check

Male fertility tests:     

• Semen analysis

Ovulation induction (OI):

• Ovulation induction (OI) refers to the use of fertility drugs to induce ovulation in a woman who does not ovulate herself or boost ovulation in a woman who is ovulating, this is known as ‘superovulation’.

• Fertility drugs used include tablets such as Clomid, Letrozole, or injections of the hormones Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) or Luteinizing Hormone (LH).

Follicle Tracking:

When a woman is ovulating normally, an egg is released from the ovary during each menstrual cycle.

• Eggs develop inside fluid-filled sacs, called follicles.

• Just prior to ovulation, follicles reach a size of around 20mm and are visible on a transvaginal ultrasound scan.

• Ultrasound scanning can be used quite effectively to monitor follicle growth, predict ovulation and advise timed sexual intercourse.

Useful resources

National Infertility Support & Information Group

Gonasi Administration Tutorial/Teach-Beacon CARE Fertility, Dublin