“I am scheduled for an Echovist HyCoSy test as part of my fertility diagnostic process. I have serious concerns about the pain I will experience during the procedure given the scar tissue on my cervix from a laser cone. (A regular pap test is painful; a colposcopy is almost unbearable.) I am wondering whether it… Read more »
How does an AMH test help me?
AMH is the best test that we have for understanding your ovarian reserve. There are other tests available (FSH levels, and ultrasound) but they are not as accurate. AMH is the hormone that is made by the cells surrounding each of your resting eggs. This means that the more eggs that you have, the higher… Read more »
Is there hope with my own eggs using the estrogen priming protocol or is it truly time to consider donor eggs?
There is no universal “best” protocol. However, there may be a best one for you. You can run a natural start cycle, which simply means that you come in at the beginning of your menstrual cycle, say on day 3, and if there are no cysts, you start taking stimulating medication. This simple approach is… Read more »
My partner and I are just beginning our fertility journey. How do we create the best care plan for us?
A Care Plan is probably the most important thing you can have in your fertility journey. Of course, we all hope that we won’t have a “journey”. We hope that we’ll achieve pregnancy quickly, on our own, like so many friends and neighbours and co-workers seem to do. When it isn’t easy – when… Read more »
My tests showed my prolactin levels were over 100 twice now. Why do I need an MRI?
A high prolactin (PRL) is a common finding in a fertility practice. Prolactin is also called luteotropic hormone. If you google this topic, you will find that high PRL is associated with galactorrhea (discharge from the nipples) and vision changes. But most subfertile women with high PRL won’t have these findings. Some women with high… Read more »
I’m supposed to have a full bladder for my ultrasound/procedure. But how full is too full? And what if I’m retroverted?
First, let’s quickly review why we ask for a full bladder. When you’re lying on your back, your uterus either tilts up towards your belly button (anteverted), or back towards your spine (retroverted). Most women are anteverted. Between your uterus and your abdomen is the bladder. So, when you have a full bladder, it tends… Read more »
The emotional side of male subfertility/infertility
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 »
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 »
What does embryo grading really mean for my chances of having a baby?
First, let me make it clear that embryo grading doesn’t look at genetics. If you want to know more about pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS), visit www.chromosome-screening.org. Embryo grading means we look at embryos under a microscope and estimate whether they have the potential to continue to grow into a healthy, ongoing pregnancy. Grading is done… Read more »
What impact does aging have on male fertility?
Getting older has its advantages. But many men over 45 worry about the impact their age will have on the quality of their sperm, and the health of children they may be responsible for. Sometimes, these are valid concerns. But there are things you can do about it. 1. Get a sperm test with DNA… Read more »