Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) is now a well-established marker of ovarian reserve. AMH is released by the (granulosa) cells surrounding small (antral and pre-antral) follicles in the ovary. It ... read more
Many patients who have been through an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle have blastocysts that have been frozen. These blastocysts are cryopreserved by a process known as vitrification, which is a ... read more
As a couple, you have most probably been on the emotional roller coaster ride that comes with infertility treatment for any length of time. Going through the sequence of treatments from fertility ... read more
“My doctor said that my embryos looked picture-perfect, yet they failed to implant – why did this happen?” This is the question in the minds of women who undergo IVF failure, and this becomes a ... read more
For successful implantation to occur, an embryo needs a “receptive” uterine lining (endometrium). A thin endometrium can result in lower implantation of the embryo. In previous blogs, Katie Koss and ... read more
Many couples who are trying to get pregnant think that the more sex they have, the better. The truth is that there is only a small window each month during which a woman can become pregnant. This ... read more
If you're having trouble getting pregnant, you've probably heard of anti-mullerian hormone or AMH. The level of the hormone's presence in the body is directly linked to the number of growing ... read more
I’m often asked by donors how many cycles they are allowed to do and the answer is always six. But where did that number come from? Did we make it up? Can they go somewhere else and do more? read more
An anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) level is a test now routinely used to evaluate ovarian reserve. AMH levels were believed to NOT vary during the menstrual cycle and can be drawn any time. In a recent ... read more
The time between your insemination or embryo transfer and the pregnancy test result can be stressful. Here are some tips that may help you get through this potentially challenging period. read more
Varicocele is the presence of abnormally dilated veins in the scrotum. Its association with infertility, treatment and indications for varicocele surgery has been discussed in previous blogs. This ... read more
In approximately half the couples with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) the tests will all come back normal. These include tests for checking the uterine cavity (hysterosalpingogram, sonohysterogram, ... read more
The number of people smoking has decreased significantly over the past 30 years. However, 30% of reproductive age women and 35% of reproductive age men in the United States still smoke cigarettes. ... read more
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 6 – 8% of women and is a common cause of infertility. Women with PCOS often have absent or irregular menses. They therefore either do not ovulate or ovulate ... read more
I have previously discussed the impact of the thyroid gland on female reproduction. Hypothyroidism (“low” thyroid) is fairly common and according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination ... read more
Approximately 64% of American women are overweight or obese. The highest rate of obesity is in women 20 – 29 years old. Obesity is associated with an increase in heart disease, high blood pressure ... read more
So, you've been through an IVF cycle. Your doctors have retrieved a good number of eggs with a good number reaching the blastocyst stage. Having counseled about the advantages of SMART IVF, you ... read more
I have previously written a blog on how to improve your chances of success with fertility treatment. Improving your lifestyle is a big step in the right direction. Weight loss, regular exercise, ... read more
Nothing should stop any individual or couple who wants a family from achieving that dream. There are several fertility treatment options for same-sex couples and potential single parents to grow ... read more
I recently hosted a webinar for InVia Fertility covering polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). If you haven’t had time to watch it, or if you’re wondering what it’s about, here are five quick important ... read more
Women are born with all the eggs that they will ever have. In fact, when a female fetus is only 5 months along, she has approximately seven million eggs in her ovaries. By the time that baby girl is ... read more
It is now well established that elevated basal (cycle days 2, 3 or 4) follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels can be an indicator of being infertile. This decrease in fertility due to a reduction ... read more
For same-sex male couples, planning a family starts with a lot of questions—about getting an egg donor, surrogacy, and other fertility treatment options. Some of these questions can be answered by ... read more
Embryo freezing has become common practice, and we have been doing it successfully for more than thirty years. Previously, the technique used for embryo freezing utilized computerized freezers with ... read more
A common misconception is that fertility preservation is just for cancer patients. Fertility preservation is exactly what it sounds like; preserving your fertility. For women, it involves stimulating ... read more
Single people and same sex couples that would like to have children that are theirs, biologically, can use this blog as a guide to starting the single and same sex parenting process. read more
Embryos have been successfully frozen (cryopreserved) since the early 1980’s. Worldwide literature has confirmed that there is no increase in birth defects in children born from frozen embryos. The ... read more
We often talk about follicles (affectionately called "follies") during the IVF process. But IVF patients often don’t understand the difference between follicles and eggs. If eggs aren't follicles, ... read more
So, you are going through a treatment cycle and have had an intrauterine insemination or an embryo transfer. You are now in the two week waiting period for the pregnancy test results that will be a ... read more
There is an obesity epidemic in America today. More than four in ten women of reproductive age are overweight or obese. Obesity increases the risk of a number of health conditions: high blood ... read more
We have now posted several blogs discussing the impact of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and fertility. AMH levels predict number of eggs that will be retrieved during in vitro fertilization (IVF) and ... read more
Fertility drugs are used to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple follicles. Their use is associated with multiple ovulations and often with high estrogen levels. It would therefore be reasonable ... read more
What is adenomyosis? Adenomyosis is defined as the presence of endometrial tissue, which normally lines the uterus, which has grown into the muscular wall of the uterus. It can be diffuse or ... read more
Adenomyosis is a gynecological disease where the glands from the lining of the uterine cavity (endometrium) are present within the uterine musculature (myometrium). Historically, adenomyosis was ... read more
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 half million people are known to have died from COVID. During ... read more
Endometriosis happens when the lining of the uterus (womb) grows outside of the uterus. It affects about 5 million American women. Endometriosis is especially common among women in their 30s and 40s; ... read more
One year after the first cases were detected, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect daily life in the United States. It is difficult to take in the full impact of the disruption, illness and loss ... read more
Infertility is a profoundly stressful experience, physically and psychologically, write Dr Alice Domar and Lauren Prince in their recent study in Sexuality, Reproduction and Menopause. The study ... read more
In a previous blog, I discussed data that showed a significantly reduced pregnancy rate in obese in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. This was in regular IVF patients attempting to conceive with ... read more
Age-related infertility is something fertility clinics are seeing increasingly, as more couples work on getting pregnant after 40. It is a fact that one cannot change one's biological age. The ... read more
