Knowing if there is a genetic cause for your infertility can help you make sure your next steps are the best ones for your particular situation.

Depending on your test results, genetic testing can help you:

• Choose the infertility treatment with the best chance of working for you.
• Choose options to ensure that your children don't inherit the same condition.
• Renew hope that continued efforts may be successful.
• Decide whether it is time to consider alternative options such as egg or sperm donation, surrogacy, or adoption.

Genes + Knowledge = Your Next Steps

It is important to remember that genes are only part of the picture of your overall fertility. Hormonal, physical, and environmental factors may also play a role in your ability to conceive.

The key to using the results of your genetic test is to understand what they tell you, and what they don't. Because fertility generally decreases each year as you age – especially after age 33 for women – efficiency in your care makes a difference.

Genetic testing can help you avoid treatments that may not work for you, and put your energy and resources into strategies that are most likely to succeed.