You and your partner have embarked on a life-changing journey. You have been trying to start a family and are facing the unknowns associated with conceiving. You wonder about your fertility and the impact stress has on becoming pregnant. Fear of the unknown and lack of information can make you feel out of balance, overwhelmed, and powerless.
Your relatives, friends and co-workers may have been sharing “old wives tales” in an effort to help, but they are only making your head spin. Your friends are supportive but only add to your frustration when they tell you to just “take it easy” or “relax” or “don’t worry, it will happen when you stop thinking about if so much.”
They are well intended. After all, stress has been linked to everything from heart disease to fertility. Doctors and science are finding that there may be a correlation between your stress levels and your ability to conceive. Dr. Alice Domar, Ph.D and executive director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health has been exploring the impact of psychological distress on fertility for almost 30 years. Dr. Domar states “There have been a number of studies but the most recent consensus is that in fact pregnancy rates are significantly higher in women who lower their stress levels.”
You can reduce stress and fear by adding a stress reduction program to your life and by increasing your knowledge about fertility. Correct information can help you to steer your way through unchartered waters with confidence and calm.
The following Q & A is presented to you by HRC Fertility
For more info: visit HRC Rancho Cucamonga or HRC Pasadena
BRADFORD KOLB MD, JEFFREY NELSON DO, JOHN WILCOX MD
When do I need to see a specialist for fertility?
If you have had relations with no contraception for greater than one year, it is time to have an evaluation with a fertility specialist. For women over 38, it is recommended to have an evaluation sooner, at 6 months. The initial evaluation can be completed rather quickly and consists of semen analysis, egg reserve assessment and fallopian tube patency determination. Treatment may be as simple as insemination or require more advanced treatment like in-vitro fertilization.
When am I too old to have a baby?
Naturally, it becomes difficult for most women to conceive on their own in their early forties. Most women are unable to produce genetically normal eggs after the age of 43. With the help of egg donation, it is possible for a woman to conceive at any age as long as she has a healthy uterus. There have been cases of egg donation with women carrying a baby to term safely well into their 60s. The majority of fertility center experts believe it is reasonable to perform egg donation for any woman that is healthy with a normal uterus under the age of 50. After age 50, it may be higher risk and most fertility specialists recommend using a surrogate.
Is it true I can choose the gender of the baby?
Fertility specialists have used many different methods over the past 20 years to influence gender. In the past few years, it has become possible to determine the genetic health of the embryo before conception. Single genes may be evaluated like cystic fibrosis or Down’s syndrome may be ruled out. Simultaneously, it is possible to know the gender of the embryo with 99.9% certainty. More fertile couples today seek the help of a fertility specialist to determine the genetic health of their baby prior to conception and confirm the gender for family balancing.
Am I a candidate to freeze my eggs?
Most women under the age of 38 are eligible to freeze their eggs. An initial consultation is required to count the number of follicles, followed by a blood test on day 3 of the menses cycle. If there are more than 12 follicles identified and the FSH < 8 mIU/ml and your estradiol < 70 pg/ml, you are likely an excellent candidate for egg freezing. It is common to freeze up to 30 eggs and this may require more than one month of treatment. Vitrification of eggs for freezing is extremely successful and it is no longer considered experimental.
Does IVF require invasive surgery?
Originally, IVF required invasive surgery to retrieve eggs. Laparoscopy was performed with general anesthesia and intubation. Fortunately, laparoscopy is no longer required for egg retrieval. For the past 20 years, egg retrieval has been performed in the office under light anesthesia or conscious sedation. Patients are placed in a light sleep with intravenous medication. While asleep, a needle is used to extract the eggs with no incision required. Roughly 10 minutes are necessary to complete the process and patients are instructed to go home to rest for the remainder of the day. Most patients have their embryos transferred 5 days later. Thankfully, the transfer is similar to having a pap smear and is also minimally invasive. IVF has never been better tolerated by patients.
Are there long term health risks doing fertility treatment?
As we approach 30 years of IVF treatment for fertility, there is still a debate regarding long term consequences of fertility treatment. Early studies suggested an increase in the risk of ovarian cancer for patients receiving more than one year of treatment. More recently, studies have refuted these early claims, but suggest there may be an increased risk of a less malignant type of ovarian cancer called a low malignant potential tumor. Fortunately, 140,000 or more women have IVF each year in the United States and the health consequences of IVF appear to be quite modest. In addition, with more diagnostic tools and higher pregnancy rates, women are receiving less treatment for conception. Less treatment will result in less concern for long term consequences.
HRC Fertility is one of the largest providers of advanced fertility treatments in the U.S. Their highly trained doctors have successfully treated some of the world’s most difficult infertility cases. They are also dedicated to helping the gay and lesbian community achieve their dreams of parenthood. Follow HRC on Twitter @HRCPasadena and @HRCInlandEmpire.
For more information contact:
HRC Pasadena 877-577-5070
HRC Rancho Cucamonga 909-941-1120