Infertility Topics
WORKING TOWARDS MALE INFERTIITY
With these ratios, one would think male and female fertility awareness would be equally well known,but unfortunately this isn’t the case. Even though we as a society still have a long way to go inappropriately acknowledging and supporting female infertility, we are even farther from doing the samefor male infertility. Drop those extra pounds. Sperm production is at its best when you are a normal, healthy weight. Carrying extra weight increasesfat cells which produce estrogen, causing a hormonal imbalance that can disrupt normal spermproduction. Don’t reach for the quick fix either; weight loss supplements often affect sperm production. Avoid tobacco,...
What if I don’t respond to hormones for ovarian stimulation?
A response to ovarian stimulation depends on a number of different factors, the mostimportant include available eggs, appropriate hormone levels, proper administration ofany medications and lifestyle/environmental factors.How does my ovarian reserve affect ovarian stimulation?In order to respond to ovarian stimulation, a woman must have eggs available torespond; this is sometimes referred to as ovarian reserve. If a woman has diminishedovarian reserve (identified by high blood levels of follicle stimulation hormone (FSH),low blood levels of anti Müllerian hormone (AMH) or a low antral follicle count onultrasound), she may not have as robust (or any) response to stimulation. For thesepatients, an alternate stimulation protocol...
Do I need PGT ?
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is a technique in which one or more cells aretaken from an egg or embryo (fertilized egg) for testing to provide information about thegenetic make-up of the rest of the cells in that embryo. It is done in a lab, using in vitrofertilization (IVF). To learn more about IVF, please see the ASRM fact sheet titled Invitro fertilization (IVF). Genetically healthy embryos are transferred to the uterus, wherethey may attach to its lining and produce a pregnancy.Why should we do Preimplantation Genetic Testing(PGT)?Patients with many inherited familial diseases can have their embryos tested todetermine its genetic...
Male fertility evaluation
How is male infertility evaluated?Semen analysis to test male infertility:Semen analysis is probably the first test you will be asked to perform. Semen is the fluidthat is released when a man has an orgasm. Semen carries the sperm in fluids thatshould nourish and protect it. You will typically be asked to provide a semen sample bymasturbating into a sterile glass jar. If masturbation is not culturally acceptable, yourdoctor can provide you with a special condom in which to collect semen duringintercourse.The semen analysis provides a lot of information about the quantity and quality of bothsemen and the sperm it contains....
Fertility tests for women
The following tests may be recommended as part ofyour initial infertility evaluation:How is Ovulation Detection and Assessment done?Urinary Luteinizing Hormone (LH)Over-the-counter ovulation predictor kits detect the presence of LH in urine and candetect a rise in this hormone that occurs one to two days before ovulation. In contrast toblood progesterone levels, urinary LH tests can predict ovulation before it occurs.Urinary LH testing helps define the times of greatest fertility: the day of the LH surgeand the following two days. However, these tests can be expensive and should only beused by women with menstrual cycles that are consistently 25-35 days in...
What Causes Infertility?
What is infertility?Infertility is the inability to conceive after 12 months of unprotected intercourse. Thismeans that a couple is not able to become pregnant after a year of trying. However, forwomen aged 35 and older, the inability to conceive after 6 months is generallyconsidered infertility.No one can be blamed for infertility any more than anyone is to blame for diabetes orleukemia. In rough terms, about one-third of infertility cases can be attributed to malefactors and about one-third to factors that affect women. For the remaining one-third ofinfertile couples, infertility is caused by a combination of problems in both partners or,...