The woman

• Charting basal body temperature (BBT) at home to identify ovulation phases, often for a few menstrual cycles before considering medical testing. Use a simple Fahrenheit temperature chart(What is a PDF document?) or Celsius temperature chart(What is a PDF document?) to track your temperature for a few months. Many doctors recommend that women use a home ovulation test kit to test luteinizing hormone (LH) levels in urine to confirm that ovulation occurs within 12 to 36 hours of your temperature increase.
• Pap test to assess the health of the cervix.
• Rubella test to check for rubella immunity. A woman without immunity requires a rubella immunization to protect her fetus from possible infection.

Both the man and the woman

• Medical history and physical examination
• Chlamydia test, since untreated chlamydia can cause female infertility and can infect a newborn at birth
• HIV, syphilis, and tests for hepatitis B and hepatitis C, since these infections can be passed on to a fetus or newborn, with serious consequences

The man

• Semen analysis, to check the amount and quality of semen and sperm and for signs of infection. Abnormal test results are usually confirmed with another semen analysis, then followed with testosterone and FSH tests.

The man or the woman

Hormone tests, to check for a woman's ability to ovulate or a man's ability to produce sperm. These may include:

• Luteinizing hormone (LH). Abnormal LH levels can be a sign of female ovulation problems or male testosterone production problems.
• Progesterone. Low progesterone levels can be a sign of ovulation problems.
• Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), sometimes followed by a more specific clomiphene challenge test of the egg supply. High FSH levels may be a sign of low egg supply, or ovarian reserve; low FSH levels can prevent ovulation or, in men, sperm production.
• Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). Abnormal thyroid function can affect the menstrual cycle and ovulation.
• Prolactin. High prolactin can be a sign of a pituitary problem, which can affect ovulation.
• Testosterone. Low testosterone in men can cause sperm production problems, while high levels in women can cause irregular menstrual periods.

No test provides absolute proof that the ovaries are releasing eggs. However, basal body temperature charting, LH, and progesterone testing can provide strong evidence of ovulation.