Browsing all posts in advice
Male Infertility
The main way to evaluate a man’s fertility potential is to perform a semen analysis. Semen analysis samples are typically produced on site at your fertility doctor’s office. There are several factors that are examined in the semen analysis. The first is sperm count which is a measure of sperm concentration in the sample. The average sperm count is about 60 million/millliliter, however the count is not considered abnormal unless it is less than 15 million/milliliter.
Women of Reproductive Age Have Misconceptions About Fertility
According to a new survey of fertility awareness, women of reproductive age have many misconceptions about their ability to conceive and how age affects fertility. The survey asked 1000 reproductive age women to answer basic questions about fertility. More than half of the women failed the 10 question survey which tested a womans knowledge of how long it takes to get pregnant and how fertility declines with age.
Read Full PostElective Single Embryo Transfer
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has revolutionized the treatment of infertility and given millions of couples who had difficulty conceiving the chance to start a family. However, it has also introduced a significant increase in the number of “multiple pregnancies”, including twins and “higher order multiple” (HOM) pregnancies, consisting of three or more implanted embryos. There is overwhelming evidence that multiple pregnancies represent a major threat to the health of the mother and the fetuses.
Vitamin D in Health and Reproduction
An epidemic of vitamin D deficiency has been emerging over the last decade among all racial groups in the United States. In fact, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency nearly doubled from 1994 to 2004. Among women of reproductive age, more than 40 percent are insufficient in vitamin D.
IVF: If at first you don’t succeed, should you try again…
Natural Cycle IVF: Today and Tomorrow
Natural Cycle IVF: Its History at USC Fertility
Planning to Get Pregnant? Here are the Top 5 Things You Should Do
1. Talk to your obstetrician about when is the best time of month (the fertile window) to conceive. If you don’t have regular periods, talk to your doctor.
2. Discuss with your obstetrician any medical diseases, medications, or medical history that may impact your pregnancy.
3. Optimize your lifestyle by stopping smoking, limiting alcohol consumption to the time before your fertile window, and minimizing caffeine intake.
4. Take prenatal vitamins.
5. If you aren’t pregnant in 12 months (or 6 months if you are over 35), seek consultation with a fertility specialist.
A Report from the 2010 SGI 57th Annual Scientific Meeting
I have just returned from Orlando, Florida. No, not from Disney World but from the 57th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation (SGI). This is the regular convention of academicians doing research in women's health, and since all the doctors at USC Fertility are full-time faculty members of the University of Southern California, it ranks as one of our most important yearly events.
The conference attracts about a thousand researchers (MDs and Ph.D.s) from all over the world, and is oriented toward basic reproductive science. This means that most of the research is quite removed from the "real world" of medicine. As is the case with most medical gatherings, the best (and most useful) information is often obtained from conversations in the hallways, and at the "poster session" where research results are posted on 3-foot by 5-foot "posters" and the authors stand next to them to answer questions.
Our group presented the results of our measurements of Anti-Muellerian Hormone (AMH) and outcome of IVF in women over 40. We found that AMH levels were related to age and FSH levels, but not to pregnancy outcome. In fact, live births were found in women with very low AMH levels. We concluded that AMH measurements have limited value in predicting pregnancy success with IVF. These results seem to contradict recent reports suggesting that AMH levels could predict whether or not women could conceive with IVF. We have had many patients ask if this test is worthwhile, and we have been skeptical. Now we have data that supports our skepticism.
We also reported our experience with nausea during pregnancy after fertility treatment. (A big THANK YOU to all the patients who patiently filled out our surveys.) I had been convinced after 25 years of practice that nausea of pregnancy starts earlier in women whose ovaries were stimulated as part of fertility treatment (as opposed to recipients of egg donation or women who receive frozen embryo transfers, whose ovaries are not stimulated). However, our data do not seem to bear this out (or at least not yet).
Interestingly, our report was the first to address nausea during pregnancy after ovarian stimulation. We feel strongly that there is still much that we need to learn about pregnancy after fertility treatment, and with our patients' help, we hope to continue to expand the knowledge base in this very important area.
While I was in Florida, my automatic computer update brought me research results that had nothing to do with the SGI meeting but that rather had just appeared in "Fertility and Sterility," the main scientific journal of fertility specialists (for which I serve as the deputy editor). A study conducted in the Netherlands found an association between a pre-conceptual Mediterranean diet and higher pregnancy rates with IVF. The study was quoted by Reuters: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62I2RA20100319. Patients are frequently asking about diet and other things they can do to maximize the chances of success. Whereas this type of "association" study should not be construed as implying a cause-and-effect relationship, it certainly appears that a healthy diet is at least not a bad idea!
I am always glad to come back from a meeting and see my patients again, and to return to the reality of practical medicine. But conventions like the SGI 57th Annual Scientific Meeting help me remember that as physician-scientists, we must focus not just on good patient care, but also on making a contribution to the field. Only in this way will infertility treatment improve and only in this way will be get closer to the eventual goal of eliminating infertility as a disease.
The Health Risks of High-Order Multiple Births Caused by Fertility Treatment
Donor eggs, donor sperm: Is Honesty Always the Best Policy?
How Will I Know? Self-diagnosing a Fertility Problem and Choosing a Specialist and/or Clinic
When is Surgery the Only Option for Fertility Treatment?
Back to Basics: The Difference Between IUI and IVF
Older Moms and Autistic Kids
Gender Selection
There are many reasons why a couple would desire to select the gender of their future offspring.
IVF Success in Older Women
In the United States, there is a growing trend for delaying childbirth. This development has led to an increased number of older women experiencing infertility as they attempt conception.
Me and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine
Between October 16 and 21, 2009, I had the pleasure to attend the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia...
Read Full PostDr. Michael Kamrava and the Octuplets
Well, it has finally happened. The infamous octomom fertility specialist, Dr. Michael Kamrava, has been formally charged with negligence by the California Medical Board...
Read Full Post5 Things You Should Know About Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is one of the most common causes of irregular menstrual periods. Here are five important things you should know about it.
Testing for Downs’ Syndrome and Other Abnormalities in Early Pregnancy
Abnormalities in early pregnancy are a common fear among parents-to-be. Here are a few suggestions for how you can test for them...
3 Ways to Be Proactive About Preventing Birth Defects
Birth defects are abnormalities present at the time of a baby’s birth. They occur in approximately 3% of pregnancies...
Staying Healthy in Pregnancy: Exercise
If exercise is part of your daily or weekly routine, you may continue to do so as long as it is comfortable...
How to Avoid Morning Sickness
About three quarters of pregnant women have nausea (and sometimes vomiting) during their first trimester...
Dieting to Stay Healthy in Pregnancy
Simple steps to staying healthy during your pregnancy by adjusting your diet...
5 Things You Need to Know About Exercise-Induced Amenorrhea
When you stop having monthly periods, it is known as amenorrhea. Here are five important exercise-related facts involving the condition...
Cesarean Section By Choice: The Cons
Traditionally, the decision to deliver a baby by cesarean section (C-section) was made by a woman’s obstetrician...
How to Choose Your Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility Doctor
Diagnosing and treating infertility can be a complex process...
Read Full PostCesarean Section By Choice: The Pros
Traditionally, the decision to deliver a baby by cesarean section (C-section) was made by a woman’s obstetrician...
Smart Shopping for Lubricants When Trying to Conceive
Up to one half of sexually active couples use some kind of vaginal lubricant during intercourse. But which is right for you?
DIY: How to improve your chances of getting pregnant
At USC Fertility, we provide our patients with information that will help them to give birth to healthy babies. If you’re looking to get pregnant, here are a few tips that can increase your chances of success…
Advanced Maternal Age: Is the Problem in the Eggs or the Uterus?
In the mid-1980s, a group of scientists first discovered that there was a natural decrease in fertility as a woman aged...
6 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a frightening and common disease. But there are ways that we can work to protect ourselves from the threat...
Read Full PostSperm Should Be Waiting For The Egg
Myths about the best timing and frequency of sex when trying to get pregnant can lead to unnecessary stress...
5 Things You Need to Know About Freezing Eggs
Are you considering egg-freezing? Here are a few things you should know...
The Fertility Diet: Fact or Fiction?
Infertility is a common problem, affecting as many as 1 in 6 couples trying to conceive. Recently there has been talk of an "infertility diet"... is it worth the hype?
Read Full PostWhy ZIFT May Work When Standard IVF Fails
In IVF, when the pregnancy test is negative, it seems almost impossible. How could it possibly fail? What happened to all those embryos that were put back into the uterus? Where did they go?
Read Full Post3 Ways to Test For Ovulation At Home
Did you know that there is more than one way you can test for ovulation at home? Let me show you how...
Read Full Post4 Ways to Decrease Menstrual Flow
Many of our USC Fertility patients ask me if there are ways to decrease their menstrual flow. Here are some tips to help get you started...
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