Most of us expect our lives to follow a predictable path — get an education, land a good job, find a mate, then start a family by getting pregnant and giving birth to a perfect child. Unfortunately, for 10% of the reproductive-aged population, those expectations will not be realized. More than 6 million couples in the U.S. are diagnosed with infertility and the underlying medical conditions that cause it. Treatment options are available.
Infertility represents a complex physical, spiritual and emotional crisis that affects all areas of a person’s well-being. The causes of infertility are almost equally shared by conditions affecting women and men. Often, there are combined factors affecting both the male and female partner that contribute to a couple’s inability to create and sustain a healthy pregnancy. The clinical staff at Fertility & Endocrine Associates partners with each couple to identify these factors, provide education and consultation, and develop a customized plan for treatment.
In addition to fertility treatments, we offer help for other related problems: couples who struggle with recurrent pregnancy loss, non-fertility related hormonal and gynecologic problems, as well as sperm cryopreservation to preserve fertility for men who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation for cancer treatment or men who choose to delay childbearing.
Comprehensive Fertility Workup
Our fertility experts will review the health histories and provide basic screenings for both partners. For the woman, we’ll check all hormone values and prescribe treatment to correct any abnormalities. We’ll also doa complete pelvic exam with a transvaginal ultrasound. Our doctors may use a saline enhanced sonogram (sonohysterograms) to evaluate the woman’s uterine cavity and rule out abnormal masses that could interfere with pregnancy. We also may order a hysterosalpingogram, which is a simple, outpatient procedure performed at a hospital to determine if the fallopian tubes are open. For the male partner, we’ll perform a comprehensive semen analysis. If we detect abnormal sperm parameters, we’ll refer him for a urological consultation.
Treatment Options to Enhance Fertility
Ovulation induction
This is a common treatment for women who either don’t ovulate on their own, or have unexplained infertility. In ovulation induction, the ovaries are stimulated using medications like clomiphene or letrozole to produce one or more eggs. Throughout treatment, our fertility experts monitor the patient’s estrogen levels and follicle development. When the follicles are ready to release mature eggs, patients may choose to engage in either timed intercourse or intrauterine inseminations that coordinate with the release of the eggs, to increase their chances of becoming pregnant.
In vitro fertilization (IVF)
In vitro fertilization was first successfully used in 1978. IVF utilizes fertility medication to stimulate ovulation to produce multiple eggs. The eggs are retrieved from the woman and are combined with sperm in the laboratory to enhance the possibility of fertilization. The resulting fertilized eggs are cultured into embryos and are then transferred to the woman’s uterus where, hopefully, a pregnancy will develop.
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Recurrent pregnancy loss, or miscarriage, is defined by two or more failed pregnancies. Most losses happen early on in the pregnancy. A lot of different things can cause recurrent pregnancy loss, such as hormonal abnormalities, chromosomal abnormalities, clotting abnormalities and anatomical abnormalities related to the uterus. Even if no cause can be found, our experts can recommend treatment options that may increase the chance to have a healthy, successful pregnancy despite a history of losses.
INVOCELL: An Alternative IVF Treatment
Fertility & Endocrine Associates is excited to offer INVOCELL, a new FDA-approved, intravaginal culture system that offers a more natural alternative to traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Non-fertility Treatment Options
Endometriosis
Endometriosis is an often painful disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus (the endometrium) grows outside your uterus. In addition to pain, endometriosis can cause infertility. Our doctors will customize a treatment plan for endometriosis based on a patients’ goals — whether she wants to relieve pain or improve fertility. Pain can usually be controlled with hormonal medication. Treatments for endometriosis related to infertility vary, depending on how severe it is.
