Fertility Blogs

a blog by Serena H. Chen, M.D., IRMS Reproductive Medicine at Saint Barnabas, January 31, 2012

How do you know what is “normal”? In medicine, “normal” can be defined in many different ways. For many lab values, “normal” is defined by the general population. What values do most people have for this particular lab test? A common criteria is to see what value do 95 percent of people have for this particular lab value? If you are outside the 95th percentile, then your lab value is “abnormal.” But what population do you choose? What if a lot of people in your population are actually abnormal?

a blog by Beth Hartog, M.D., East Coast Infertility & IVF, January 26, 2012

Have you been diagnosed with uterine leiomyomas (fibroids)?

Besides causing annoying symptoms such as irregular bleeding and pelvic discomfort, fibroids may interfere with conception and pregnancy. If you are struggling with infertility and you also have been given the diagnosis of fibroids; the following information may help you navigate your treatment.

a blog by Melinda Davis, January 24, 2012

It may be hard to believe, but the first month of the New Year is almost over. So, how’s 2012 going so far? If it’s not going as you had hoped, now is a great time to start again. For the first time in probably six years, I have started a year by keeping an open mind, open heart and releasing all of my expectations. For the first time, I have not started the year with an internal countdown of when my family will expand going on in my mind. And for the first time, I finally feel I have some peace moving into a new year. Now, I’m not writing this to say I have all of the answers. Far from it. But my goal as always is to share my experiences in an effort to support those going through similar struggles. I’ve learned that when I put things into practice, and begin each day for what it is … a new day … then things all of a sudden don’t seem so overwhelming.

a blog by Traci Shahan, RN, WHNP-BC, Doctor of Nursing, Albrecht Women’s Care: A Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, January 23, 2012

Snow fell in Denver last Saturday evening, not enough to make headlines to be sure, but enough to make me reconsider my Sunday morning trail run. I quickly exhausted my excuse list — too tired, too out of shape, too much snow, schoolwork to do, dogs to wash, children in need of time, a house populated with dust bunnies — then set out.

The early morning was sunny but cold. My breath hovered in fleeting tiny crystals, my feet padded and crunched the ground cover. After a half mile, I turned toward the hardest part of the run: a serpentine, ascendant trail blanketed in last night’s snow.

a blog by Serena H. Chen, M.D., IRMS Reproductive Medicine at Saint Barnabas, January 18, 2012

HSG — the hysterosalpingogram. This is the infertility test that women dread the most.

Hystero means uterus, salpingo means fallopian tubes and gram means image. This is a test that allows us to see what is going on with your uterus and your tubes. Is your uterus normal? Does it have a funny shape? Are there any polyps or fibroids or scar tissue inside the uterine cavity that could increase your risk for miscarriage? Are your tubes open? If the tubes are blocked, the sperm and egg cannot get together.

The HSG is dreaded because it is a test that causes a lot of intense pelvic cramping. It is the most invasive test that most infertile women will undergo these days. The other tests are a pelvic exam and sonogram, and blood tests. Of course the guy might have a few blood tests, and then he has to masturbate into a cup to produce the sperm sample for analysis. The guys will complain bitterly about this, but they would never be able to tolerate the HSG.

a blog by Laurence A. Jacobs, M.D., Fertility Centers of Illinois, January 15, 2012

In my last blog, I referenced how life is not a dress rehearsal, and the time is now to take control of your health and fertility in 2012. Your fertility doctor will do all he or she can to help you have a successful pregnancy and birth, but you need to do your part. Empower yourself — take control.

Here are some helpful suggestions and comments.

a blog by Traci Shahan, RN, WHNP-BC, Doctor of Nursing, Albrecht Women’s Care: A Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, January 16, 2012

"The only real valuable thing is intuition."—Einstein

I have the honor of taking a graduate course with an incredible professor at the seminary that I attend. Though I love the topic — Celtic Spirituality — I am much more in awe of the crucible that this man and his wife have endured. They are quite open about this issue, even writing about it online, so it is public knowledge that their only child died in 2009 after enduring brain cancer for many years. I knew about this tragedy prior to starting the class, so I went into the classroom, prepared to encounter a person steeped in grief. Having endured multiple pregnancy losses over the years, as well as having accompanied thousands of patients confronted with same, I felt confident that I would be able to sense and perhaps even obliquely help this man on his grief journey.

I needn’t have worried.

a blog by Serena H. Chen, M.D., IRMS Reproductive Medicine at Saint Barnabas, January 10, 2012

Infertility is all about statistics and probabilities. For most people, the problem is that it is difficult to wrap your head around all the numbers.

The Great Baby Delay caused by the Great Recession is over, according to a report released by Demographic Intelligence, which provides U.S. birth forecasts.

The total fertility rate (TFR) and number of births dropped more than 7 percent during the Great Recession, from 2007 to 2010, but now they are rising again, according to the January edition of The U.S. Fertility Forecast. The report projects that the TFR will rise from 1.93 children per woman in 2010 to 1.98 children per woman in 2012, and that the United States will register more than 4 million births this year.

The report also found that births are now rising fastest among older (30+) and college-educated women.

a blog by Donor Diva, December 22, 2011

While I was leading an infertility forum, a woman came seeking support. I don’t remember how old her daughter was, but I think she was at least 18 months old at the time. The woman was upset that her fertility doctor wouldn’t let her start Clomid because she was still breastfeeding. As much as I prided myself on being supportive, I found it difficult to support her. She already had one beautiful daughter, why was she so desperate to conceive another? And why didn’t she want to stop breastfeeding?

Now I find that I can answer both of those questions.

a blog by Melinda Davis, December 21, 2011

The holidays can be tough for anyone struggling with infertility, so I wanted to offer a post of hope to those having a hard time right now. No matter where you’ve been, or what’s come along your path, now is the time to release it all.

Strength — This past year has brought growth to your life and made you stronger for the experiences that have come along the way. Whether you received your infertility diagnosis, went through fertility treatments, began exploring or entering the adoption process, or have taken a break from it all to reevaluate your situation, you have grown through each step and should be proud of how far you’ve come. If you look back at it all, I bet you have learned something new this year or have seen something in a new way. These experiences have not defeated you but have made you stronger, brought you insight and can help guide you as you make decisions for your future.

a blog by Laurence A. Jacobs, M.D., Fertility Centers of Illinois, December 19, 2011

The holidays can be painful for many people, but as a fertility doctor, I see how painful they are for my infertility patients. Many of them know the holidays are going to be stressful, and they are reluctant to go to visit family members and face the inevitable questions like "Isn't it time you started a family?"

Sometimes, my patients ask me for advice on how to survive the holidays, and this is what I tell them: