What is a Fertility Specialist?

Written by Blueheronclinic.com

Many couples today have trouble trying to get pregnant and are unsure of the reasons why. If pregnancy does not occur after six months to a year of sexual intercourse without birth control a couple may need contact their obstetrician, gynecologist or a fertility specialist, also known as a reproductive endocrinologist. These doctors can help men and women understand what the medical problem is (if any are present). There

are many technologies and medications including alternative medicine techniques such as Acupuncture and Fertility Nutrition Supplements that can play a positive role in assisting men and women with their infertility issues.

When couples have trouble conceiving, they visit their OB/GYN to do some basic blood tests, monitor ovulation and give men and women tips and ideas on ways to increase pregnancy. The woman may also be put on a special fertility medication for a few months to help fertility. If they are still unable to conceive through their OB/GYN, they may then be referred to a fertility specialist. A fertility specialist may perform multiple tests for the male and female in an attempt to discover the main cause of infertility.

Common causes of infertility in women include:

• Fallopian Tube Damage - Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes may cause complications

• Endometriosis - Abnormal growth of endometrial cells outside the uterine cavity

• Ovulation Disorders - Health ovulation is critical for successful pregnancy.

• Elevated Prolactin (hyperprolactinemia) - Prolactin inhibits pregnancy - managing stress levels can help.

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) - PCOS is a common cause of infertility in women.

• Early Menopause - P.O.F. - Premature ovarian failure: Acupuncture may offer help where western medicine has failed.

• Uterine Fibroids - Noncancerous (benign) tumors that develop in the uterus (womb).

• Pelvic Adhesions - Pelvic adhesions refer to scarring or tissue repair that occurs anywhere in the pelvis.

Male Infertility

Men can also have infertility problems; the most common is called varicocele. This is when the veins in a male's testicles are too large, causing heat and destruction of some sperm. When a man ejaculates, he lets go of hundreds and thousands of sperm. The more sperm released the better as this gives a couple a much better chance of getting conceiving a child.

Common Causes of Infertility in Men include

• Low sperm volume - A sperm count of less than 20 million/mL is considered a low sperm count.

• Low Sperm Motility - (Asthenospermia) If Sperm movement is slow or not in a straight line, or both, the sperm may have difficulty invading the cervical mucous or penetrating the hard outer shell of the egg.

• Poor sperm morphology - (Teratospermia) Sperm morphology refers to shape and structure of sperm. Abnormally shaped sperm cannot fertilize an egg. About 60% of the sperm should be normal in size and shape for adequate fertility.

• Retrograde ejaculation - Retrograde ejaculation occurs when the muscles of the bladder wall do not function properly during orgasm and sperm are forced backward into the bladder instead of forward out of the urethra.

• Structural Abnormalities - Any structural abnormalities such as Varicole that damage or block the testes, tubes, or other reproductive structures can have a profound effect on fertility.

• Genetic Disorders - Certain inherited disorders can impair fertility. Examples include Cystic Fibrosis, Klinefelter syndrome and Kartagener syndrome.

Fertility Treatment Options

Men and women should seek treatment from a reproductive endocrinologist when attempts through their OB/GYN have been unsuccessful for more than one year of unprotected sex. If the woman is over 35, her chances of getting pregnant may be difficult due to poor follicle development and egg quality.

Fortunately, there are many options for couple's that are infertile. Medication can be given to men and women; however, if this is unsuccessful, then there is in vetro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination. Medications like Clomid, Repronex and Gonal-F are for women who have ovulation problems. IVF is when eggs are taken out of a woman and fertilized through sperm. When the egg is fertilized, it is then attached to the uterus in hopes of a successful pregnancy. IVF is known as creating a "test tube baby" because the egg is fertilized outside the body in a glass container. Another type of technology is known as artificial insemination. This is when a woman is injected with sperm in hopes of her uterus accepting the sperm leading to pregnancy.

What About Fertility Supplements?

Fertility supplements or fertility vitamins can play an important role in increasing cervical mucus, sperm quality, volume and morphology.

In Men:

• increasing sperm volume
• increasing sperm motility
• Detoxifying the body and improving overall health
• Providing essential nutrients such as Zinc - critical for healthy sperm produciton

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In Women

• Increasing healthy cervical mucous
• Balance hormones that govern the monthly cycle
• Provide Folic acid, minerals and antioxidants needed for optimum fertiltiy

Assisted Reproduction Technology

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is another modern technological advance in infertility. Assisted reproduction uses techniques such as IVF to combine mature eggs and sperm for fertilization and implantation.

Common forms of A.R.T. include:

• IVF
• Transvaginal ovum retrieval (OCR)
• Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
• Autologous endometrial coculture
• Cytoplasmic transfer
• Egg donors
• A gestational Carrier
• Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)
• Embryo splitting
• In gamete intrafallopian transfer
• Artificial insemination (AI)
• Surrogacy
• In surgical sperm retrieval (SSR)

These techniques may assist infertile couples when attempts at natural pregnancy have been unsuccessful.. In vetro fertilization, zygote intrafallopian transfer, gamete intrafallopian transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection are all listed under the category of assisted reproductive technology. Many of these technological advances for conception have a fairly good success rate, but sometimes multiple births are reported.

Acupuncture and IVF

Acupuncture is used to help couples undergoing vetro fertilization. Some studies and tests have shown that acupuncture can increase the chances of a successful fertilization while giving the patient synergistic health benefits such as stress reduction, improved sleep and increased energy levels. Acupuncture has also been shown to increase blood flow to the uterus which would aid in implantation of the matured egg. Attempting to start a family can be highly stressful for couples trying to get pregnant.

Fertility specialists help couples make their wish of having children come true. Many treatments can be expensive, but well-worth it to couples if they can have children. Couples should also be aware that sometimes treatments are not successful the first time around, and many couples go through years of treatment before finally having a child. Couples need to be mentally ready for the ups and downs of fertility treatments. Acupuncture and counseling can help couples relieve stress and get through the process of bringing a child into the world. Couples should not feel alone and realize that other people are going through the same thing.

The Blue Heron Clinic uses Acupuncture, TCM and specially formulated fertility supplements to enhance fertility and treat infertility in men and women