It’s easy to be discouraged when infertility issues arise. There are many causes of infertility: Age, medications or prior surgery can play a part. Diet and smoking can also affect infertility. According to the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technology, World Health Organization (WHO), infertility is a disease of the reproductive system defined by failure to achieve the clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse. It can also be defined as failure of a couple to conceive after 12 months of regular intercourse without the use of contraception in women <35 years; and after 6 months of regular intercourse without the use of contraception in women ≥35 years.
If you are over 35, it is sensible to consult a reproductive endocrinologist after six months of attempting to become pregnant. Many physicians recommend that individuals over 40 years old seek the advice of an infertility specialist as soon as they begin trying to conceive. For couples, both individuals should be seen and scheduled for a work up simultaneously. This helps determine whether both or just one partner is experiencing fertility issues.
For women, there are normally three initial tests based on menstrual cycles that are conducted to determine fertility status:
- A tubal X-ray test 2. Egg quality test 3. A test to ensure ovulation is occurring
A male evaluation usually involves the following:
1. A patient history and physical
2. Bloodwork
3. Semen Analysis
Treatments for infertility can include diet and lifestyle changes as well as medication or surgeries.
Future Advancements:
Hugh Taylor M.D. is a board certified specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology. He is also a professor at Yale School of Medicine. He and his colleague, Amir Mor, M.D., PhD, adjunct professor at Yale, believe that stem cells and genetic engineering are the wave of the future for addressing infertility. Dr. Mor foresees a time when clinicians will intervene in the early stages of pregnancies in women who are in their 40s, using genetic engineering to improve the processes of DNA replication and cell division within the embryo. Thus you could help people with old eggs have completely healthy babies.
Beyond that, Dr. Taylor sees a time when there will be no need for donor eggs or donor sperm. An individual’s stem cells will be used to create their eggs or sperm. And women of any age will be able to have healthy “young” eggs. Dr. Taylor says that a lot of what we do today will be considered very old-fashioned, including IVF, and it will go away.
One issue that is still a major impediment is that many insurance policies don’t cover infertility treatments. That is something that will take a lot of work to change in the future.
For more information on infertility visit:
Infertility | CDC