Starting in 2015, Ontario’s expert panel has proposed covering 1 cycle of IVF treatment per patient, as well as several other measures to improve access to fertility services. This is very good news for fertility patients, as IVF can often provide pregnancy rates 20x or higher than IUI or other treatments can. No, IVF is… Read more »
Q&A Blog
“Why did my semen analysis numbers suddenly drop this month?”
Sperm counts actually do change dramatically from month to month, and most of the time we don’t know why. You can ask your reproductive endocrinologist if there are significant white blood cells—this can be associated with a subclinical prostate infection, easily treated with antibiotics and can account for sudden drops. More commonly, however, we assess… Read more »
“My sperm morphology results say 75% are abnormal. Help!”
25% normal morphology is low. But depending on how your clinic processes samples, morphology can often come out low-normal or low. Something to try: Ask to have the test repeated, along with a DNA fragmentation assay. Consider taking antioxidant vitamins. Speak to a urologist – they’re the final word in sperm. In the end, 25%… Read more »
“What’s my ovarian reserve and what do all those tests mean – FSH, AFC, AMH?”
Your number of eggs is your ovarian reserve. That’s a measure of quantity, not quality, and of course quality matters too. But when you have a good ovarian reserve, you most likely will have some good quality eggs in there. The basics You were born with millions of immature eggs. Most of the immature eggs are snuggled… Read more »
“I have vaginismus, but I want to get pregnant…without a clinic. Now what?”
Vaginismus is a frustrating condition that, fortunately, can respond very well to treatments. In the meanwhile, if you can tolerate it, home inseminations are an option. Here’s how it works: Your male partner should collect his sperm in a sterile container. You should wait 10-30 minutes at room temperature for the seminal fluid to liquify…. Read more »
“How serious are those scary statistics about a woman’s fertility as she ages?”
Age does predict egg quality with greater accuracy than any other factor. That’s why IVF success rates are usually sub-categorized by the woman’s age. The oldest patient I helped achieve pregnancy through a fresh IVF cycle with her own eggs was 45 when she delivered; a colleague of mine diagnosed a (very surprised) 51 year old with “stomach… Read more »
“My septum was removed, but I still can’t get pregnant. Now what?”
The best non-surgical test for assessing your uterine cavity is a 3D sonohysterogram. If you’re post-operative and well healed, it may be worth exploring. Sometimes, a septum is large enough that it needs to be resected a second time.
“What’s the general process of fertility treatment like?”
Your fertility journey begins with your care plan. Of course, we all hope that we won’t have a “journey”, that we’ll achieve pregnancy quickly, on our own, like so many friends and neighbours and co-workers seem to do. But when it isn’t easy – when you find yourself on websites, or at your doctor’s office,… Read more »
“How do you measure egg quality?”
We look for five factors: Your age. Nearly all women under 35 will have good eggs. The vast majority will have good eggs until they’re 38. Over age 38, everyone is different. The average age beyond which women will not have a healthy ongoing pregnancy is 42. Your ovarian reserve. We measure that by AMH, antral follicle count,… Read more »
“Does premenstrual spotting mean my eggs are low quality?”
“Premenstrual spotting”, also known as luteal phase spotting, may be as a result of lower-than-normal progesterone levels. And yes, egg quality and progesterone can be related. However, egg quality isn’t the only explanation for spotting. There are many other possible reasons for spotting in the luteal phase, including: intrauterine polyps, fibroids, a thin uterine lining,… Read more »