Tag Archives: trying to conceive

Addressing Male Infertility: The Expertise of IVF Doctors

10/13/2023 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Infertility issues aren’t exclusive to women; many men face challenges when trying to conceive. Luckily, the medical world has made leaps and bounds in treatments available, and IVF doctors are at the forefront of these advancements. Let’s dive into how these experts can help address male infertility.

Understanding Male Infertility

Before delving into solutions, it’s crucial to understand the basics. Male infertility can be due to various reasons:

Low sperm count: When there aren’t enough sperm to fertilize the egg.
Poor sperm motility: When sperm can’t swim effectively towards the egg.
Abnormal sperm shape: Imperfections in shape can hinder fertilization.
Blockages: Prevent sperm from getting out.

The Role of IVF Doctors

Decoding the Problem

The first step in tackling any problem is to understand its root. An IVF doctor Melbourne will be skilled in:

– Diagnosis: Using advanced tools to pinpoint the exact cause of infertility.

– Advice: Offering suggestions tailored to the patient’s specific needs.

Crafting a Treatment Plan

Once they’ve understood the issue, they’ll move forward with a plan:

1. Medication: Some issues can be fixed with drugs that enhance sperm production or motility.

2. Surgery: In cases where there’s a blockage or another physical issue, a minor procedure might be the solution.

3. Lifestyle Changes: Sometimes, the problem might be a result of habits like smoking or excessive drinking. In such instances, guidance on making healthier life choices can make a difference.

How IVF Comes into Play

If the more straightforward approaches don’t yield results, IVF can be the game-changer. Here’s how:

Sperm Extraction: Directly extracting sperm from the testicles, especially when there’s a blockage.
ICSI: A single healthy sperm is injected directly into the egg. This is especially useful when the sperm’s motility is an issue.
Egg Donation: In rare cases where the sperm’s quality isn’t optimal, using a donor egg can increase chances of fertilization.

Steps in IVF Treatment for Male Infertility

1. Consultation: Meeting the doctor to discuss medical history and undergo basic tests.

2. Diagnosis: Pinpointing the exact reason for infertility.

3. Treatment Strategy: Deciding on the best approach (like ICSI).

4. Sperm Retrieval: Extracting sperm either through ejaculation or direct extraction.

5. Fertilization: Combining the sperm with the egg.

6. Embryo Transfer: Placing the embryo into the uterus.

The Success Rate

IVF has been a beacon of hope for many couples. While it’s not a guaranteed solution, it significantly raises the chances of conception for many with male infertility issues. Remember:

Each case is unique. What works for one might not work for another.
IVF success rates also depend on factors like age, overall health, and more.
Continuous advancements are being made in the field, improving success rates every day.

Lifestyle Changes to Boost Fertility

Balanced Diet: Consuming a nutrient-rich diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can improve sperm health.
Exercise Regularly: Moderate exercise can boost testosterone levels and improve sperm quality. However, excessive training might have the opposite effect, so find a balance.
Limit Alcohol and Tobacco: Both can reduce sperm production and quality. Reducing or quitting can improve fertility.
Manage Stress: Chronic stress might interfere with hormones needed to produce sperm. Finding relaxation techniques, whether it’s through meditation, reading, or hobbies, can be beneficial.
Avoid Overheating: Prolonged exposure to high temperatures, like in saunas or hot tubs, might reduce sperm count. It’s best to limit such exposures.

Emotional Support and Counseling

Infertility isn’t just a physical challenge; it takes a toll emotionally too. Recognizing and addressing this aspect is crucial:

Open Communication: If you’re in a relationship, discuss your feelings and fears. Being on the same page with your partner can ease the journey.
Professional Counseling: Therapists or counselors specialized in infertility issues can offer coping strategies.
Support Groups: Talking to others who are going through the same challenges can be therapeutic. It reminds you that you’re not alone.
Educate Yourself: Understanding the issue can make it less intimidating. Attend workshops or seminars if available.
Set Boundaries: It’s okay to tell well-meaning friends or family that you’d rather not discuss your fertility issues. Protecting your emotional well-being is essential.

Final Thoughts

Facing male infertility can be challenging, both emotionally and physically. However, with the expertise of IVF doctors, there’s a ray of hope. They not only bring medical skills to the table but also the much-needed emotional and psychological support. If you or someone you know is grappling with this issue, remember that medical science is on your side. With a mix of patience, resilience, and expert care, the dream of parenthood might just be a few steps away.

Life, Parenting

Options If You Cannot Conceive Naturally

06/29/2018 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

For anyone that is unable to conceive naturally, it can be utterly heart-breaking. However, rather than focusing on what you can’t do, you need to focus on what you can do. Luckily, there are many different options available for couples that cannot get pregnant. This does not mean that your dream of having a family is over. With that being said, let’s take a look at the various options in further detail.

Surrogacy

There are a lot of people around the world that decide to become a surrogate so that they can give other families the gift of a child. This is essentially when a woman carries a child for another person. In a lot of cases, the eggs of the surrogate will be fertilized with the sperm of the male.

Donor insemination

A donor could be used if the man has issues with his sperm. Single women and lesbian couples who wish to start a family also often go for this option. In most cases, people will utilize a sperm bank, which means the donor’s identity is unknown. However, if the child wishes to contact their biological father once he or she is an adult, they do have an option to do so.

IVF / In Vitro Fertilisation

IVF is one of the most well known options for couples that cannot conceive naturally. During this procedure, an egg will be taken from the female’s ovaries. It will then be fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The embryo will then be put inside the female’s womb so that the baby starts to develop.

IUI / Intrauterine insemination

IUI tends to be used if there is no known reason why the couple can’t conceive or if the male has poor sperm quality. During IUI, a sample of the man’s sperm will be filtered so that only the highest quality sperm remains. This is then placed inside the woman’s uterus using a catheter. Success rates vary depending on age.

Medical and surgical treatments

There are a number of different medical and surgical treatments available, which are beneficial if there is a clear reason why a woman can’t conceive naturally. These treatments are designed to stimulate regular ovulation so that the woman can fall pregnant. An example of this is endometriosis.

As you can see, there are a number of different options for you if you are unable to conceive naturally. Of course, this is something that needs careful consideration, and you need to weigh up the pros and the cons of each option that is available to you. But it is good to start looking into each approach so you can discover more about it and find out what solution is the right one for you and your partner.

Going Healthy, Life, Parenting, Promo

Nerves, Needles, and Stress: Our Story of Trying to Conceive

04/19/2016 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

While I have received compensation for this post from Fertility Planit, all opinions are my own.

Before we had our daughter, my wife and I never considered that becoming parents would be so complicated. Once we were ready to start trying to conceive (TTC), she would just get off birth control, wait several months, and we figured pregnancy would come easily and naturally after that. My wife tracked days/cycles, took her basal temperature you do as you begin trying to conceive.

Almost a year later and we were still not pregnant and becoming a little upset. It didn’t make sense, we never went out to eat, cooked all of our meals with fresh, whole foods, drank only in moderation, and always kept active. What were we doing wrong to that was keeping us from getting pregnant?

We decided to make our first of many visits to a fertility clinic to see what was (or wasn’t) going on. After running the usual tests on both of us, the doctor found several factors working against us. Kelley had endometriosis which was surgically removed, and my blood labs showed several abnormal readings including low testosterone and thyroid.

I didn’t want to accept the results as true. I strive to live a healthy and active lifestyle, and this is all I have to show for it? I felt defeated. HCG injections were prescribed twice a week to combat my low levels. Self-administered shots in the lower abdomen at home became the norm every Thursday and Sunday each week.

Time passed and my blood tests showed my levels were barely up. The doctor suggested we try intrauterine insemination (IUI) as it seemed like we had a good chance with the procedure. I was prescribed natural thyroid, and Kelley was given several prescriptions which required injections. She cringed at the thought of giving herself shots, but luckily she had a husband who had become proficient with the task.

After 2 failed cycles of IUI, the doctor suggested In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and we both agreed to give it a try. To stimulate the growth of her ovaries, Kelley needed 2 daily shots in her stomach. One to help her eggs grow, and another to help keep them from over-growing since Kelley was expected to respond well. The eggs grew just as needed and were ready to be retrieved.

After retrieval, Kelley needed a progesterone injection to prepare her uterine lining for egg implantation. Instead of her stomach, this one had to be given in her rear-end.

I’d have to work within a specific area of the buttocks, use enough force to get through to the muscular region, make sure the needle went in straight, not angled, and make sure no blood came into the syringe as that meant I did something wrong. This was to happen every day precisely at 7:00 p.m. for several weeks. After this, I figured I should be a pro at giving shots!

Several injections later and we were ready for implantation. We had many high quality embryos to choose from and picked just 1 since 1 kid was our goal. The first round IVF was a success, be we still had to do the shots to keep her uterus in good condition for the newly implanted egg.

The first positive pregnancy test Kelley took was almost missed. She woke up at 5:00 a.m. since it’s better to test after not using the restroom for a while and took a test. She didn’t see anything, so she tossed the stick in the trash and came back to bed upset.

Later that morning, I was going to throw something away and saw the stick and what appeared to me to be a faint line. I had no clue how to look at a pee stick or what it meant, so I kept it to myself. Kelley did the same double take at her trashed test and noticed the line too. She mentioned it to me, I grinned, and we both gleamed with excitement.

Today, we have a precious little girl who means the world to us. I can’t believe how fast she’s growing, but we’re glad that part of our past is over. It wasn’t fun, but so worth the outcome. We had never heard of the Stork OTC by Rinovum Women’s Health home conception kit back then, but now I wonder if it would’ve saved us a lot of time, money, and stress.

The Stork OTC is an easy to use, drug-free, non-prescription conception kit that couples can use in the comfort of their own home while trying to conceive. It is the only at-home conception device cleared by the FDA and is a great cost-effective option for those just starting out on the path of trying to conceive. The Stork OTC collects semen into a cervical cap with a condom-like sheath worn during intercourse. There is the option of using donor sperm with the device as well. The sperm is then delivered to the opening of the cervix by way of the applicator. The cap remains in place for up to 6 hours, after which it is removed with a simple tampon-like pull chord.

My wife and I both agree that we could’ve tried the Stork OTC as our first option and avoided many doctor’s visits had worked out. If you or someone you know is trying to conceive, check out the Stork OTC as great option to use in the privacy of your own home and avoid numerous doctor’s visits and tests.

Be sure to follow The Stork OTC on Facebook and @StorkbyRinovum on Twitter as well as checking out the Stork OTC website to learn more. For a chance to win your own Stork OTC device join the #StorkStories Twitter Chat on 4/21 at 9pm EST.