Frequent Questions about Fertility Check-up

Q. Who is eligible for Fertility Check-up?

Those who are eligible for the Fertility Check-up are as follows.

  • Student: Able to identify hormonal status of young students through early screening for a healthy life in the future
  • Singles: Check the condition of hormones and reproductive organs for preserve fertility for a healthy life
  • Engaged couples: Check the health of hormones and reproductive organs related to pregnancy before marriage for a healthy child in the future
Q. What items are included in the Male Fertility Check-ups?
What is semen analysis?
  • The semen analysis measures the amount and quality of semen after ejaculation. It evaluates spermatozoa, which are motile cells under liquid state and under a microscope.
  • Semen is a white fluid containing sperm and some secreted substances from the tube. It is thick at first and liquefies after 10-30 minutes.
  • Sperm is a reproductive cell that have head and tail, and each have a copy of the chromosome (the entire male gene). The sperm has motility and normally moves in the semen. This characteristic makes it possible to meet and fertilize the oocyte(egg) in the female body. Each semen sample has a variety of fructose, coagulation material, lubricant, and enzymes that can help millions of sperm to fertilize.
What is a hormone test?

The pituitary gland secretes hormones that promote spermatogenesis and secretion of male hormones, which can test the function of the testicles. The decrease in male hormones also decreases the amount of semen, libido, and erectile function. Through hormone testing, you can find and treat causes of infertility and sexual dysfunction.

What is a serological test?

Infection-related serological test checks the serum of a person to check for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and syphilis infection. If positive, additional examination is needed.

What is Liver function test?

A liver function test is a combination of tests that can detect, evaluate, and monitor liver disease or liver damage. Various enzymes that are produced or excreted in the liver and are affected by liver damage, such as proteins, are measured in various items.

What is urinalysis?

A urine test is a combination of a chemical test and a microscopic test that detect normal or abnormal metabolites, cells, cell slices and bacteria in the urine. Urine is made in the kidneys located on both sides of the vertebrae below the rib cage. The kidneys remove waste from the blood, regulate the amount of water in the body, and preserve proteins, electrolytes, and other substances that the body can reuse. Anything that is no longer needed is excreted in the urine and excreted from the kidneys through the bladder and past the urethra. Urine is generally yellow and relatively clear, but the urine color, quantity, concentration, and substance are slightly different because the composition of the urine is different each time you urinate.

What is Sexually Transmitted Infection(STI test)?

STI can be infected through sexual contact through vagina, anus, oral cavity, or through mother for newborn infants. It can be also be infected in public areas(sauna,spa,etc).

What is hepatitis screening? (Liver Function Tests)

Hepatitis is the most common liver disease. There are hepatitis viruses from type A to type G. The viruses we usually contact are type A, type B, type C.

What is scrotum ultrasonography? (Scrotal Ultrasonography)

Scrotal ultrasonography is used to detect structural abnormalities that cause male infertility in the scrotum and to determine the appropriate treatment. The scrotum is composed of testis, epididymis, and testicular blood vessels, and male infertility can be induced by structural diseases of the scrotum.
Q. What items are included in the Female Fertility Check-ups?
What is ultrasound?

When you come to the hospital, you will have several vaginal ultrasound or rectal ultrasonography. It's the same ultrasound, but the purpose differs for every scanning.

What is ovarian reserve (hormone) test?

AMH stands for Anti-Mullerian Hormone and is a hormone secreted from the ovaries of women. Unlike sperm, which continue to be produced through the division of reproductive cells even after puberty, the oocyte(egg) is limited to a certain number since birth. Immediately after birth, there are between 1 and 2 million oocytes. By puberty, the number of oocytes is reduced to between 30 and 500,000. As the aging progresses, the number of oocytes continues to decrease. The AMH test can be used to determine the numbers, if you want to know how many ovaries remain in the ovary and whether they are decreasing faster than the average number of ovaries in my age group. If the AMH value is high, it means that there are many follicles available for ovulation in the future

What is thyroid function test?

Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is secreted from the pituitary gland and stimulates the thyroid gland to produce and release thyroid hormone. Hypothalamus - Pituitary - thyroid gland is one axis. So when the TRH is secreted from the hypothalamus, it stimulates the pituitary gland which then secretes TSH which stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete the thyroid hormone. If the thyroid hormone is increased more than necessary, TSH decreases, preventing excessive production of thyroid hormone. In contrast, lack of thyroid hormone stimulates the production of thyroid hormone by increasing thyroid stimulating hormone. Thyroid hormones play an important role in maintaining body temperature and body metabolism.

What is a serological test?

Infection-related serological test checks the serum of a person to check for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and syphilis infection. If positive, additional examination is needed.

What is hepatitis screening?

Hepatitis is the most common liver disease. There are hepatitis viruses from type A to type G. The viruses we usually contact are type A, type B, type C.

What is Liver function test? (Liver Function Tests)

A liver function test is a combination of tests that can detect, evaluate, and monitor liver disease or liver damage. Various enzymes that are produced or excreted in the liver and are affected by liver damage, such as proteins, are measured in various items.

What is urinalysis?

A urine test is a combination of a chemical test and a microscopic test that detect normal or abnormal metabolites, cells, cell slices and bacteria in the urine. Urine is made in the kidneys located on both sides of the vertebrae below the rib cage. The kidneys remove waste from the blood, regulate the amount of water in the body, and preserve proteins, electrolytes, and other substances that the body can reuse. Anything that is no longer needed is excreted in the urine and excreted from the kidneys through the bladder and past the urethra. Urine is generally yellow and relatively clear, but the urine color, quantity, concentration, and substance are slightly different because the composition of the urine is different each time you urinate.

What is a blood test?

A blood test evaluates the amount and characteristics of three types of cells in the blood, RBC, WBC, platelets, and is used to screen for and monitor various diseases. In general, you can look for anemia (hemoglobin reduction), polycythemia, infection, leukemia, immune dysfunction (leukopenia), and clotting abnormalities (thrombocytopenia or thrombocytosis).

What is Pap Smear(cervical cancer) test?

Cervical cancer is a malignant tumor that occurs in the uterus, and can be divided into cervical cancer and endometrial cancer depending on the site of development. Cervical cancer is common in Korean women and endometrial cancer (uterine cancer) is common in Western women.
Q. When should I visit?
The Fertility Check-up is conducted on weekday afternoons.
For women, you can visit anytime regardless of your menstruation cycle. Screening is conducted Mon~Fri from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.
For men, abstinence is recommended for 3~4 days before semen analysis for an accurate check-up. Screening is conducted every Tue and Fri from 1:30pm to 4:30pm.

- The result consultation via phone, post, visit takes place about 1 week after the exams.
Q. What is the Fertility Check-up process?
[Women]
  • When you arrive at the information desk, let the staff know that you are visiting for Fertility Check-up.(create patient number)
  • Once the patient number is generated, go to the counseling room to fill out basic questionnaire and to measure your blood pressure, height, and weight. After the questionnaire is completed, we will conduct consultation with the physician.
  • After consultation, make payment at payment counter before starting your urine, hormone, blood tests.
  • Go to Ultrasonography room for GY ultrasound and Radiology room for chest x-ray.
  • You can go home after the tests are finished. Please come back after 2 weeks for result consultation.
[Men]
  • When you arrive at the information desk, let the staff know that you are visiting for Fertility Check-up.(create patient number)
  • Stop by the payment counter to check-in for Fertility Check-up. (create patient number)
  • Once the patient number is generated, go to the counseling room to fill out basic questionnaire and to measure your blood pressure, height, and weight.
  • After the questionnaire is completed, we will conduct consultation with the physician.
  • After consultation, make payment at payment counter before visiting the andrology lab for semen collection.
  • Lastly, visit our lab to urine, hormone and blood testing.

You can return home after the tests are conducted. Please visit the Center 1 week later for your result consultation.

Q. How can I find the hospital?
  • Address(street name): 2F, Seoul Square, 416 Hangang-daero, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
  • Address(lot number): 2F, Seoul Square(former Daewoo building), 541 Namdaemon-ro 5-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea

By subway(Line 1, Line4, Airport Railway), you can find the connecting corridor to Seoul Square building by using exit 9 at Seoul Station. For other public transportation, get off at the Seoul Station Bus Transit Center

By car, please use the side entrance on the left side of Seoul Square building. Our valet desk (2nd floor) provides free valet parking services for our patients.
Q.How do you manage your health after Fertility Check-up?

You can receive the results of the Fertility Check-up 1~2 weeks after testing. Depending on the results, additional screening and consultation may be required. You will receive information on lifestyle habits and supplements to improve ovarian function and sperm motility for you to prepare for a healthier and safer pregnancy.
Q. How can I make an appointment?

You can make an appointment via phone or email.

Q. How long does it take?

The Fertility Check-up is conducted during afternoon hours which do not require any waiting time to provide utmost convenience to our patients.
The Fertility Check-up takes approx 1 hour in total. Arrival to writing basic questionnaire (10~15min), initial consultation (10 min), basic lab test including urine, blood, EKG (20 min), semen collection (10~10 min).

Q. What items are asked in the questionnaire?

The Fertility Check-up for single men and women requests information on gynecological/urological medical history and vaccination records. Your marriage and exposure to sexual intercourse affects the testing methods so you must provide accurate information.
Q. When should I decide the type of program?

We have Fertility Check-up (A), (B) for women and Fertility Check-up (A), (B) and (C) for men. You can select the program of your choice beforehand, or the doctor can recommend an appropriate program for you after consultation. For more information, consult your doctor.

Q. What if I find severe problems in Fertility Check-up test results?

Through Female Fertility Check-up, you can detect gynecological diseases (such as myoma, swallowing, and cancer), ovarian dysfunction, hypothyroidism, and antibodies. You can prepare for a healthy future through laparoscopic, hysteroscopic surgery, oocyte banking, supplements, immunizations, etc.
Q. Can people with illness get the Fertility Check-up?

If you already know about your illness, we recommend you to take a special fertility examination. It is a full-fledged pre-emptive screening test to check for abnormalities in ovulation due to irregular menstruation or excessive stress, and the risk of miscarriage in the future. We have two specialized progams; PCOS check up and Recurrent Miscarriage Checkup.

Q. Are the tests conducted in an open area?

The CHA Fertility Center Seoul Station has both individual rooms for uterine ultrasound and semen collection, and a large waiting area. All tests/exams are performed individually and privately. In total we have 4 ultrasound rooms and 3 semen collection rooms. We try our best to protect our patient’s privacy.

Q. How is the result consultation conducted?

Result consultation is done via phone, post, or visit. Results can be consulted in a variety of ways but the most recommended method is to visit the center allowing our patients to hear their results directly from their doctor.