Fertility Clock Blog, Fertility Headlines

What is the Process for Fertility Testing?

Nine out of ten couples with a female partner under the age of 35 who are actively trying to get pregnant succeed within one year. The chance of a pregnancy is about 25% per month. For couples who fail to achieve pregnancy after one year (and for women over the age of 35 after 6 months) fertility testing is recommended to identify any obstacles that could prevent pregnancy.

A full medical history and physical examination can reveal problems related to pelvic surgery, cancer treatment, or menstrual disturbances that cause infertility.

Fertility testing is done to rule out specific problems in four areas:

Sperm Testing

For approximately one out of four couples, the quality or quantity of the male partner’s sperm is the underlying cause of infertility. Semenalysis can reveal issues with the sperm count, the motility of sperm (its ability to swim), and the morphology (shape) of the sperm.

Ovulation

For women with a history of irregular menses who do not ovulate regularly, underlying medical conditions may be the cause of low fertility. Common problems include thyroid imbalances, high levels of a hormone called prolactin, or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Blood tests and ultrasound exams are used to diagnose these conditions.

Uterus and Fallopian Tubes

Fallopian tubes that are closed can interfere with fertility by making it impossible for an embryo to reach the uterus. Causes of blockage may include previous pelvic surgery or complications from STDs. The uterus may also contain fibroids or polyps that limit the chances of pregnancy. An exam called a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) is used to detect structural problems with the fallopian tubes and uterus. It involves the injection of a contrast dye into the cervix to make the patient’s internal reproductive organs visible in x-rays.

Eggs

The quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs plays a vital role in fertility. Egg quality cannot be determined with fertility testing, but it is strongly correlated with age. The quantity of eggs can be estimated using blood tests such as the FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and AMH (anti-mullerian hormone). AFC (antral follicle count) is an ultrasound test that can also assist in estimating the number of eggs available.

by: Dr. John Jain

Fertility Clock Blog

What is Egg Freezing

What Is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is a breakthrough technology that allows women to freeze and store their eggs until a pregnancy is desired. At that time, the eggs are thawed, fertilized and transferred to the uterus as embryos.

Who May Benefit
Many women today are postponing childbearing because they are focused on a career, are returning to school, or because they simply haven’t met the right person. For these women, egg freezing is revolutionary, not just in its technology, but in the life choices it allows them to make.

Over 50,000 reproductive-aged women are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments typically lead to infertility by destroying the eggs. While options vary depending on age, type of cancer and cancer-treatment plan, egg freezing can provide these women the opportunity to preserve their fertility.

And finally, egg freezing can be useful for individuals with religious or moral objections to storing frozen embryos that remain following a routine IVF cycle.

How Egg Freezing Works
It takes approximately four to six weeks to complete the egg freezing cycle, which follows the same protocol as IVF. This includes birth control pills and self-administered hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries. Eggs are retrieved and are frozen immediately following retrieval. When embryo transfer is desired, the eggs are thawed, injected with a single sperm to achieve fertilization, and transferred to the uterus as embryos.

Storage
We recommend that at least ten eggs be stored for each pregnancy attempt. For women under thirty-eight years of age, we normally harvest ten to twenty eggs per cycle. Based on our success with embryo freezing, we believe that long-term storage of frozen eggs is possible.

Success Rates
Our most recent frozen egg pregnancy rates are among the highest in the country – approximately 50% with the vitrification method. This figure is well above the national average for frozen embryos. Furthermore, we anticipate continued success and improvement in these rates with our dedication to ongoing research in the field.

Safety
To date, approximately 1500 babies have been born worldwide from frozen eggs. Among these births, the rate of birth defects and chromosomal defects has been no higher than that which we see in the general population.

Cost
The cost of egg freezing is approximately $10,000 – $15,000 plus annual storage fees.

by Dr. John Jain

My Future Baby Blog

How common is miscarriage?

A high percentage of fertile women who have unprotected sex will experience loss of a pregnancy at some point. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, 25% of recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage.

The total number of miscarriages (including cases where the woman is unaware of the pregnancy) is estimated at about 50%. Pregnancy losses occurring within the first 8 weeks are most common. Few women experience miscarriage after the 12th week.

What You Should Know about Recurrent Miscarriage

A single miscarriage is not usually a cause for concern from a medical standpoint. However, consecutive miscarriages are rare, occurring in less than 5% of women.  If you experience two or more miscarriages of in a row, you may wish to seek assistance from a reproductive specialist.

In some situations, there is an identifiable, medically treatable factor contributing to the loss of pregnancies. Many pregnancies simply end because of random chromosomal abnormalities in the egg or the developing embryo.

Recurrent miscarriage or early pregnancy loss can be physically taxing and emotionally devastating. Not knowing why this problem is happening can be especially distressing. Patients may experience feelings of self blame, failure, or desperation. It is important for patients to seek emotional support during this time. Professional mental health support may also be beneficial for patients coping with recurrent loss.

Pregnancy after Miscarriage

Fortunately, most women trying to conceive do go on to carry a healthy pregnancy to term after a miscarriage. This includes 60-70% of women who have experienced recurring pregnancy loss with no identifiable cause. Following a healthy lifestyle including good nutrition, diet, weight control, prenatal supplementation, exercise, rest, and general self care is the best course of action for women who wish to increase their chances of a normal pregnancy in the future.

by: Dr. John Jain

My Future Baby Blog

Egg Donation Risks

Egg donation plays a key role in fertility treatment for patients who are not suitable candidates for IVF using their own eggs. There are many factors for egg donors to consider from both a physical and emotional standpoint before participating. Here are some facts that can help donors make an informed decision.

Is Donating Risky?

The overall risk of egg donation is low since the fertility techniques used are well established. Also, donors are usually young, healthy women with no history of serious medical problems. Donors are carefully screened for any conditions that could interfere with the procedure. However, there is still some risk of adverse reactions to the hormones used in this process.

In a typical ovulation cycle, several egg follicles begin to develop. One egg becomes dominant and matures so that it is ready for fertilization. The other follicles die off. An egg donor receives a series of hormone injections to stimulate multiple egg follicles to mature at one time. This means only the eggs that would normally be lost during a menstrual period are used in a follicle stimulation cycle for egg donation. This does not reduce the number of eggs available for future menstrual cycles.

The hormone injections used for follicle stimulation can have a wide range of side effects including:

  • Bloating
  • Mood Swings
  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Hot flashes

A side effect that occurs more often in egg donors is called Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).  This causes swelling as fluid leaks out of the ovaries and collects in the abdomen. The condition can cause pain and bloating. In rare cases, individuals may need to be hospitalized for treatment.

Additional Egg Donation Risks to Consider
  • If the donor’s body is non-responsive or responds abnormally to hormone injections the treatment could be discontinued.
  • The actual egg retrieval process is a minor surgical procedure. It carries a slight risk of complications such as infection and bleeding.
  • If the donor is sexually active, she may become pregnant during her treatment cycle if effective contraception is not used.
  • Some donors have feelings of regret over not knowing a child who is genetically related to them. Mental health screening is done for all donors to minimize this risk.

 

by: Dr. John Jain

Fertility Clock Headlines

What young people don’t know about fertility…

embryo

 

We’ve reported before at ConceiveOnline.com about the need for more awareness about fertility issues, and the perception that because some older celebrities can conceive well into their 40s, and even their 50s, that these late-in-life pregnancies are relatively easy to achieve — which is simply not the case for the great majority of women.

Unfortunately, another piece of research is out showing that many of us could use a real-world lesson in fertility. A new study of 246 college students shows that too many young adults may be vastly overestimating how long a woman is likely to be able to conceive, among other misconceptions. The students took a survey that asked them whether they planned to have kids, how much they believed they knew about fertility issues, and where they’d learned this information.

The researchers found that 32 percent of women and 36 percent of men overestimated the age at which women were most fertile. Even more worrisome, “women and men vastly overestimated the age at which women experience a slight decline in their fertility” – 83 percent of women and 91% of men got that wrong. And they also got it wrong when it comes to the age a woman typically experiences a more dramatic decrease in her ability to conceive, and they overestimated the chances that a couple undergoing IVF would become parents after one cycle of treatment.

Because fertility is not taught in schools or elsewhere in any real way, it’s not surprising that so many of these students would get this information wrong (it’s hard to imagine many other adults would know all this information, either). In fact, even as someone TTC, you may not get all the answers right! Here are some of the survey questions, with the correct answers below – are you ready to test yourself?

 

1. At what age are women most fertile?
2. At what age is there a slight decrease in women’s ability to become pregnant?
3. At what age is there a marked decrease in women’s ability to become pregnant?
4. How many couples in the USA are involuntarily childless?
5. Couples that undergo treatment with IVF—what is their chance, on average, of getting a child?

 

How well did you do?

 

ANSWERS:

1. [20-24]

2. [25-29]

3. [35-39]

4. [10-19%]

5. [30-39%]

 

Author:
Lorie A. Parch
Fertility Clock Headlines, Fertility Headlines

Do you have rheumatoid arthritis or lupus?


Conceive Online

If so, you may be among the many women with these autoimmune disorders who have fewer children than you wanted. A new study on younger women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or system lupus erythematosus (SLE) found that more than half of the women surveyed with these conditions have fewer kids than they desired, according to research published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

The researchers talked to over nearly 600 women with RA and 114 with lupus and asked them if, at the time of the onset of their symptoms, they had fewer children than they’d planned, the same amount they planned, or if they weren’t interested in having kids. While more than 60% were no longer interested in have children at the time of their diagnosis, 55% of those with RA and 64% of those with SLE wanted more children than they ended up having.

Women with both conditions are at greater risk for infertility and miscarriage. The women with RA who had fewer children than they wanted had a 1.5-fold increased risk for infertility compared to women with the condition who had the number of kids they planned for.

The link between RA and fertility is far from clear, however. Megan Clowse, the lead author of the study, told WebMD.com that “this study highlights the need to understand why women with rheumatoid arthritis appear to have more problems with infertility. “This has not been studied at all.”

The link between lupus and miscarriage is better known, however. The Lupus Foundation of America notes that antiphospholipid antibodies, which occur with lupus, interfere with the function of blood vessels and can leave to miscarriage, among other serious complications. Lupus is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, and kidneys, says the Foundation.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that leads to joint and tissue inflammation.

Author: 
Lorie A. Parch