As a reproductive endocrinologist, I often see subfertility affecting men too. It’s often in ways that they may not be able to voice to anyone, even their partners. Perhaps even to themselves. In the context of fertility, erectile concerns can often be interpreted as ambivalence about having children. Some men may refuse to have intercourse,… Read more »
Q&A Blog
What are the recent developments in implantation? (Part Two: Embryo grading)
This post is part one of a series where we will discuss how embryos, the uterus and overall health impact implantation. We judge embryo quality in three ways: the number of embryos present, embryo grading, and PGS. In this post, we’ll talk about embryo grading. Stretched over the first 96 hours of development, we… Read more »
I have morning sickness. How do I know what’s normal and when it’s serious?
Everyone gets morning sickness. It’s just part of pregnancy. It’s normal, right? Well, not necessarily. The majority of pregnant women will experience some nausea or vomiting at some point in their pregnancy. For some women, it’s mild and doesn’t last very long. The causes of morning sickness is generally assumed to be caused by hormonal… Read more »
Are there any activities I should do the day of my IUI?
The short answer is – there aren’t. Many corners of the internet encourage people to continue lying on their back, perhaps with a pillow under their bum after intercourse. The speculation is that this allows more sperm access to the womb and increases the chances of pregnancy. Does it work? I don’t know. But, if… Read more »
Are my fertility issues my fault?
Throughout human history, we human beings have had a tendency to blame sick people for their condition. From heart attacks to irritable bowel disease, HIV to Ebola, these conditions share this in common: a tendency for society, and even the ill individuals themselves, to blame the afflicted. Disease and illness are looked at as a… Read more »
What are the recent developments in implantation? (Part One: Embryo quality)
This post is part one of a series where we will discuss how embryos, the uterus and overall health impact implantation. For many years in fertility care, we were only able to guess why some people weren’t able to achieve pregnancy. When running IVF, we would grade embryos, a technique that is presumed to… Read more »
What are some resources for emotional care if you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS?
Soulcysters – I know, we’ve mentioned them previously. They’re that good! Soulcysters has a message board, there are videos, blogs from other women, you can browse books on PCOS, read the latest medical and nutrition research, and maybe even share your story. Join twitter! It’s free to create an account and you don’t have to… Read more »
What does Canada’s Assisted Human Reproduction Act say about buying donor sperm and eggs?
In 2004, the Canadian government passed The Assisted Human Reproduction Act (AHRA). The legislation also established Assisted Human Reproduction Canada (AHRC), a Federal agency, which was to be responsible for licensing, inspecting, and enforcing activities controlled under the Act. The legislation itself addresses several areas of human genetic and reproductive technologies. The Act prohibits many… Read more »
When is it time to use donor eggs?
If you’re over the age of 37, and your AMH is less than 2 pmol/L, your ovarian reserve will likely not support a reasonable attempt at IVF. IVF demands a relatively high number of eggs to be made available to the lab. The ideal number is between twelve and twenty. If numbers are going to… Read more »
What role does stress really play in fertility?
In social situations, when people find out I’m a fertility doctor, they often ask me how much I think stress impacts fertility. They often tell me of their friend who went on holiday, or of their sister-in-law who adopted and then conceived the very next month. Implicit in the story, of course, is if the… Read more »