COVID vaccination: Fact vs. Fiction
The Scope of the Problem The world has now been living with COVID for over a year. Over one hundred million infections have been documented, and over two and a …
Fibroids and fertility
Fibroids are very common benign (non-cancerous) growths in the muscle of the womb (uterus). Fibroids are thought to affect up to 70% of women by the time of menopause and …
Egg and embryo quality – What to know when the embryologist talks to you
At specific time points during embryo development the embryologist grades the appearance of embryos to determine the quality. There are multiple different grading systems but each system is designed to …
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Overcoming Stigma to Seek Treatment for Infertility
When I was completing a research project examining the experiences of African American women who sought treatment for infertility, I interviewed 13 incredible women to learn more about their challenges …
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Basic infertility work up for women – What happens at the clinic?
Getting ready for your first visit to the fertility center can be a little overwhelming. There are a few tests your provider may discuss and recommend for you, based on …
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Making sense of your hormone levels – What does it all mean?
Hormones are chemical messengers in our body, and your fertility team will often measure these to help understand your individual fertility status and any necessary treatment. Understanding what your laboratory …
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Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) – Diagnosis and treatment
What is PCOS? Polycystic ovary syndrome, often referred to as PCOS, is one of the most common hormonal problems in women. It affects at least 10% of women during their …
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Becoming a Single-Mother-By-Choice
Jane is a 37 year-old business owner. She is vivacious and funny and she has a wonderful social life and support system. She has everything she has ever wanted to …
Does Too Much Stress Cause Female Infertility?
“Just relax and it will happen” is a phrase commonly heard by women (and men) struggling to conceive. Believing this cautionary advice to be true, women often report fearing that …
I’ve had my tubes tied but my situation has changed – What are my options?
If you have had your tubes tied, but for some reason your situation has changed, you still have options either having the sterilisation surgically reversed or having IVF treatment. To …
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Everything you wanted to know about fertility treatment… but were too sad or angry to ask
As a past infertility patient I often felt like infertility was a test where I had studied for the wrong topic. I knew all about birth control, healthy living, and …
Women’s reproductive anatomy – A simple guide
Talking about sex can be embarrassing and many men, and indeed women don’t know the proper names when talking about female anatomy. This is probably one of the reasons why …
Using an Egg Donor – What You Should Know
If the fertility team has recommended that you use donor eggs to build your family, you probably had lots of reactions to the suggestion and even more questions. Fertility patients …
The Menstrual Cycle
It starts with the egg Girls are born with all the eggs they will ever have in their lifetime, about 2 million in total. Gradually over time, these eggs disappear …
Thinking about adoption? Some things to consider
There are many different approaches to adoption, depending on which country you live in, but many of the core things to think about are similar. So instead of focusing on …
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Oncology treatment and female fertility: Some things to consider
The diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming. It is a diagnosis that affects both the physical and emotional health of a person. It can also have far reaching impacts on …
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How Eggs Are Retrieved During IVF
The ovaries are the organs in our body which contain our eggs. Our eggs develop in small fluid filled sacs called follicles which are contained within the ovary. In order …
Choosing between a Non-ID Release or an ID Release egg donor: things to consider
The decision to use an egg donor to have children is not one that anyone takes lightly. If treatment is successful, it is also the start of a new and …
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Our Journey: Fertility treatment, adoption, and family
For many of us growing up there is an expectation of a “natural order” of events: grow up, find a job, find a partner, career and then family. It is …
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Turner Syndrome and fertility – What are the options?
The human body is made up of millions of cells and typically, each cell has 46 (23 pairs) chromosomes. Each chromosome is a package of DNA, which contains the genetic …
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Adoption: A U.S. Perspective
When a person or couple considers adoption, it is important to understand the options. Adoption is a complex process, taking both time, money, and emotional investment. Because the process of …
Interview with four ART babies – This is our story
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is common today. In fact, ART procedures have doubled in the US during the past 10 years. Urologist Kevin McEleny has spoken to four young women …
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The impact of fertility treatment on your relationship and sex life
Like it or not, fertility treatments affect couples, and if you are one of those couples, you must take action. Even if you have a healthy mind, a peaceful life …
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How does male fertility work? The basics of male fertility for women
Women have menstrual periods, women carry pregnancies and women give birth to children. It can seem therefore that the role of men is limited in the context of family formation, …
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Embryo Transfer
Embryo transfer is perhaps the second most anticipated part of the IVF process (next to the pregnancy test). It is the culmination of an intensive IVF treatment cycle. The embryo(s) …
Being aware of your fertility, what should younger people know?
Comprehensive sexual health education mainly focuses on the prevention of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. Even beyond what young people may learn during school, many societal messages indirectly encourage …
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Recurrent early pregnancy loss: Top FAQs
Having an early pregnancy loss (EPL), also known as miscarriage, can be quite distressing for both women and their partners. However, when it happens yet again, it can be very …
Endometriosis and Infertility
Approximately 12% of women have impaired fertility, and about 7% of couples have infertility. In women, the leading causes are increasing age, disorders of ovulation (hormonal imbalance), anatomic abnormalities (e.g., …
The Impact of Genetic Tests and Social Media When Using a Sperm Donor
A growing issue for single parents and couples that use donated sperm to conceive a much-wanted child is to consider the rapid changes that Direct-To-Consumer genetic tests and social media …
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Choosing between a Non-ID-Release or an ID-Release sperm donor: things to consider
The decision to use a sperm donor to have children is not one that anyone takes lightly. If treatment is successful, it is also the start of a new and …
Choosing between a Non-ID-Release or an ID-Release sperm donor: things to consider Read More »
What to know about surrogacy
What is Surrogacy? Sometimes couples or patients who want a baby cannot carry the pregnancy themselves. In this case, there are two pregnancy options available, where someone else (not the …
Co-Parenting Arrangements
What is co-parenting? There are two main forms of co-parenting: Platonic co-parenting a child with another individual or couple. Co-parenting a child with a former partner or spouse. Platonic co-parenting …
The impact of aging on human eggs
For a variety of reasons, more and more people are postponing childbearing. As a result, the need for assisted reproduction such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is growing. Unfortunately, reproductive aging, …
Relationship challenges when a man has sperm issues
“Ok, well what do we do next?” That is the most common response I receive when calling men to inform them of an abnormal semen analysis. I have been working …
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The Basics of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is becoming more and more common around the world. For example, in the United States, about 2% of all births result from IVF. Generally speaking, IVF is …
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Pregnancy following infertility treatment: Is it high risk?
After months and sometimes years of worry, anxiety, and disappointment, you are finally pregnant and released from care by your reproductive endocrinologist (REI). It is time to transition to your …
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When medical treatment affects your fertility – What can be done?
I often meet individuals whose fertility has been compromised by a medical problem or treatment. Unfortunately the ovaries and testes cannot always be protected from damage caused in treating another, …
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From her own perspective: Life as a child of sperm donation
My name is Emma Groenbaek, and I am 23 years old. I am studying to be a nurse in Aarhus, Denmark where I was also born and raised. My parents …
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Thinking about travelling abroad for fertility treatment? Things to consider
Every year thousands of people make the decision to pack their bags and travel abroad for fertility treatment. Whilst for some this represents the first step toward potential parenthood (perhaps …
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Using Donor Sperm
If you are reading this, let’s start by acknowledging that using donor sperm probably wasn’t in your original plans. Babies have been conceived with donor sperm since 1884; until recently, …
Freezing eggs and embryos – Why and how
Freezing eggs and embryos is a well-established procedure that has been carried out for many years; the first baby was born from a frozen embryo in 1984 and millions of …
Parenting after fertility problems
Becoming a parent is a huge life-changing event for anyone but it can feel overwhelming if you have experienced fertility problems on the way. For many people, the first hurdle …
Selecting a sperm donor
Sperm donation is closely regulated in Europe and North America there are many rules surrounding the process of sperm donation, which help to protect the donor, the intended parents and …
Freezing and storage of sperm and egg cells
Gametes (sperm and egg) can undergo cryopreservation (freezing) for long term storage. Infection screening for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV is required prior to the storage as affected sperm …
Life after infertility
We all know fertility treatment doesn’t always work, but it’s the chances of success we focus on when we’re going through treatment. We are often told to think positive and …
What are the risks of fertility treatment?
So many people have had treatments like IVF and ICSI, that it is easy to think that there is no risk in having them. But all medical treatment carries some …
Female fertility-infertility issues
Contributors to Female Infertility Women receive the majority of attention during a fertility evaluation. In part because there are more established diagnostics and treatments for females to achieve pregnancy and …
How lifestyle affects fertility – Tips to improve female fertility
When trying to conceive it is important to prepare your body for pregnancy. Making positive lifestyle changes will not only ensure the best start in life for your baby it …
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IUI with donor sperm – How does it work?
Elsewhere on this site, we will talk about the process of donor sperm. But some may wonder what happens once a donor is selected and now, you’d like to move …
How to support your female partner through your fertility journey
Fertility investigations and treatment can be both emotionally and physically challenging. Many couples will feel a huge sense of grief and injustice, which can leave couples worried about the impact …
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