fertility tests for men

Fertility Tests for Men: Options and How They Work

Many infertile couples have more than one cause of infertility, so it's likely you will both need to see a doctor. It might take a number of tests to determine the cause of infertility. In some cases, a cause is never identified.

Infertility tests can be expensive and might not be covered by insurance — find out what your medical plan covers ahead of time.

Diagnosing male infertility problems usually involves:

• General physical examination and medical history. This includes examining your genitals and asking questions about any inherited conditions, chronic health problems, illnesses, injuries or surgeries that could affect fertility. Your doctor might also ask about your sexual habits and about your sexual development during puberty.
• Semen analysis. Semen samples can be obtained in a couple of different ways. You can provide a sample by masturbating and ejaculating into a special container at the doctor's office. Because of religious or cultural beliefs, some men prefer an alternative method of semen collection. In such cases, semen can be collected by using a special condom during intercourse.

Your semen is then sent to a laboratory to measure the number of sperm present and look for any abnormalities in the shape (morphology) and movement (motility) of the sperm. The lab will also check your semen for signs of problems such as infections.

Often sperm counts fluctuate significantly from one specimen to the next. In most cases, several semen analysis tests are done over a period of time to ensure accurate results. If your sperm analysis is normal, your doctor will likely recommend thorough testing of your female partner before conducting any more male infertility tests.

Your doctor might recommend additional tests to help identify the cause of your infertility. These can include:

• Scrotal ultrasound. This test uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images inside your body. A scrotal ultrasound can help your doctor see if there is a varicocele or other problems in the testicles and supporting structures.
• Transrectal ultrasound. A small, lubricated wand is inserted into your rectum. It allows your doctor to check your prostate and look for blockages of the tubes that carry semen.
• Hormone testing. Hormones produced by the pituitary gland, hypothalamus and testicles play a key role in sexual development and sperm production. Abnormalities in other hormonal or organ systems might also contribute to infertility. A blood test measures the level of testosterone and other hormones.
• Post-ejaculation urinalysis. Sperm in your urine can indicate your sperm are traveling backward into the bladder instead of out your penis during ejaculation (retrograde ejaculation).
• Genetic tests. When sperm concentration is extremely low, there could be a genetic cause. A blood test can reveal whether there are subtle changes in the Y chromosome — signs of a genetic abnormality. Genetic testing might be ordered to diagnose various congenital or inherited syndromes.
• Testicular biopsy. This test involves removing samples from the testicle with a needle. If the results of the testicular biopsy show that sperm production is normal your problem is likely caused by a blockage or another problem with sperm transport.
• Specialized sperm function tests. A number of tests can be used to check how well your sperm survive after ejaculation, how well they can penetrate an egg, and whether there's any problem attaching to the egg. These tests aren't often used and usually don't significantly change recommendations for treatment.

 

fertility tests for men

Fertility Treatment Methods

There are 3 main types of fertility treatment:

• medicines
• surgical procedures
• assisted conception – including intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF)

Medicines

Common fertility medicines include:

• clomifene – encourages the monthly release of an egg (ovulation) in women who do not ovulate regularly or cannot ovulate at all
• tamoxifen – an alternative to clomifene that may be offered if you have ovulation problems
• metformin – is particularly beneficial for women who have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• gonadotrophins – can help stimulate ovulation in women, and may also improve fertility in men
• gonadotrophin-releasing hormone and dopamine agonists – other types of medicine prescribed to encourage ovulation in women

Some of these medicines may cause side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, headaches and hot flushes.

Speak to your doctor for more information about the possible side effects of specific medicines.

Medicine that stimulates the ovaries is not recommended for women with unexplained infertility because it has not been found to increase their chances of getting pregnant.

Surgical procedures

There are several types of surgical procedures that may be used to investigate fertility problems and help with fertility.

Fallopian tube surgery

If your fallopian tubes have become blocked or scarred, you may need surgery to repair them.

Surgery can be used to break up the scar tissue in your fallopian tubes, making it easier for eggs to pass through them.

The success of surgery will depend on the extent of the damage to your fallopian tubes.

Possible complications from tubal surgery include an ectopic pregnancy, which is when the fertilised egg implants outside the womb.

Endometriosis, fibroids and PCOS

Endometriosis is when parts of the womb lining start growing outside the womb.

Laparoscopic surgery is often used to treat endometriosis by destroying or removing fluid-filled sacs called cysts.

It may also be used to remove submucosal fibroids, which are small growths in the womb.

If you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a minor surgical procedure called laparoscopic ovarian drilling can be used if ovulation medicine has not worked.

This involves using either heat or a laser to destroy part of the ovary.

Read more about laparoscopy.

Correcting an epididymal blockage and surgery to retrieve sperm

The epididymis is a coil-like structure in the testicles that helps store and transport sperm.

Sometimes the epididymis becomes blocked, preventing sperm from being ejaculated normally. If this is causing infertility, surgery can be used to correct the blockage.

Surgical extraction of sperm may be an option if you:

• have an obstruction that prevents the release of sperm
• were born without the tube that drains the sperm from the testicle (vas deferens)
• have had a vasectomy or a failed vasectomy reversal

Both operations take a few hours and are done under local anaesthetic as outpatient procedures.

You'll be advised on the same day about the quality of the tissue or sperm collected.

Any sperm will be frozen and placed in storage for use at a later stage.

Assisted conception

Intrauterine insemination (IUI)

Intrauterine insemination (IUI), also known as artificial insemination, involves inserting sperm into the womb via a thin plastic tube passed through the cervix.

Sperm is first collected and washed in a fluid. The best quality specimens (the fastest moving) are selected.

Read more about IUI.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF)

In vitro fertilisation (IVF), is when an egg is fertilised outside the body. Fertility medicine is taken to encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs than usual.

Eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. A fertilised egg (embryo) is then returned to the womb to grow and develop.

Read more about IVF.

Egg and sperm donation

If you or your partner has an infertility problem, you may be able to receive eggs or sperm from a donor to help you conceive. Treatment with donor eggs is usually done using IVF.

 

 

Fertility Treatment Methods

Ways to improve egg quality

ways to improve egg quality before pregnancy or IVF

 

1. DHEA Supplements

   – Dehydro-epiandrosterone or DHEA is a mild, well-tolerated, male hormone that can have remarkable results for women with diminished ovarian reserve.

   Very low levels of androgens in the ovaries may result in reduced ovarian reserve and poor-quality eggs, which can be turned around to a small extent with the supplementation of DHEA, as several trials have proven.

   The supplements can be taken as an oral dosage of 75mg-100mg (strictly after consultation with your doctor), for a period of atleast 2 months before ovum pick-up is done. The actual effect is known to peak in 4-5 months.

   Side effects, although rare, can be caused by the androgenous nature of DHEA. Some women may see acne, hair loss, abnormal growth of facial hair, etc. but even these tend to reverse as your hormones return to normal levels.

2. CoQ10 supplements

   – CoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10) is an anti-oxidant that helps improve the quality of eggs. It acts like a nutrient for the mitochondria, which is the energy-house of human cells.

   As you age, the number of healthy mitochondria and levels of CoQ10 decline. CoQ10 supplements can boost the energy in your egg cells.
   A Chinese study involving 169 women, found that the participants who were given CoQ10 supplements had higher number of eggs retrieved, better fertilization rates, better embryo quality, and hence, better chances of a successful pregnancy.

3. Glutathione

   – Another powerful anti-oxidant that fights free radicals and reduces the oxidative stress on your egg cells, resulting in healthier eggs and consequently, better embryos.

4. L-arginine –

   By helping improve the blood supply to the uterus and ovaries, L-arginine helps create a better environment for egg production and fertilization.

5. Myo-Inositol

   – PCOS often results in fertility problems as it causes the release of immature eggs, which cannot be fertilized well. Inositol supplements, especially when combined with Folic Acid, may improve your PCOS by reducing the level of triglycerides in the blood and improving ovarian function.

   As the insulin function improves the symptoms of PCOS get better and it may further help by promoting ovulation.

   Administration of inositol and folic acid in anovulatory women, taken daily for 3 months, was found to induce ovulation in 62% of the women in this study.

6. Nutrition

   – British researchers have found that female egg quality is affected by having too many refined carbohydrates, which break down quickly and cause a sudden spike in blood sugar.

   So, avoid excessive breads, pasta, processed foods, and sugar-rich foods.

    

   It is recommended that you have a balanced diet that comprises less than 40% carbohydrates, atleast 35% protein, and plenty of leafy greens, berries, and fruits that provide vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants.

7. Avoid smoking, caffeine, alcohol

   – Nicotine is known to be toxic to your cells, including egg cells. Also, caffeine and alcohol, when consumed in excess can be harmful to your pregnancy.

8. Exercise

   – Improving oxygen-rich blood flow to the ovaries can help improve the quality of eggs. Exercising and drinking more water is the simplest way to achieve that.

   Obesity can compromise mitochondrial function and increase oxidative stress on your cells. Having a normal body mass index (BMI) helps improve your odds of conceiving successfully.

9. Manage stress

   – While stress does not directly cause infertility, it can affect the quality of your eggs, causing them to function less. Prolonged stress also produces hormones such as cortisol and prolactin, which may interfere with normal ovulation.

10. Acupuncture and Yoga

    – Acupuncture and yoga can both reduce anxiety and stress, improve blood flow to the ovaries and help your body get rid of toxins—all factors that may, over time, result in improved egg quality and ovarian function.

    One of our own authors believes that acupuncture helps in conception as it did for her.

Tips to Prepare for Fertility Treatment

Most Important Tips to Prepare for Fertility Treatment

Over 80% of the time, fertility drugs can stimulate ovulation—fertility treatments are being done now more than ever. Current technology offers fertility treatments to make pregnancy a reality for many couples who would otherwise struggle. Fertility treatments are a highly involved process and can be both emotionally and physically taxing. However, certain things can help you prepare for fertility treatments to alleviate stress and increase the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy.

7 Tips to prepare for fertility treatments

• Quit unhealthy habits - When starting fertility treatments, quit smoking, drinking, and staying up late to help prepare your body for a pregnancy while increasing the chances of getting pregnant.
• Maintain a healthy weight - Being overweight can affect pregnancy. Excess weight increases the risk of a miscarriage and can affect outcome with in vitro fertilization procedure (IVF). A high BMI also affects the safety of undergoing anesthesia or sedation, which is necessary with IVF.
• Eat a balanced diet - Eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats can help you maintain a good weight while building up nutrition for better overall health.
• Get quality sleep - Sleep is crucial for cellular repair, maintaining stress levels, and essential for fertility. Set a goal of getting between 7/ 9 hours of quality sleep each night.
• Maintain stress levels- Stress can hurt the chances of successful fertility. Seek ways to maintain stress during this process. Try things like acupuncture, walking, journaling, and meditating to decrease anxiety.
• Change workout routines - Exercise is great for increasing fertility. Replacing running and extreme exercising like bodybuilding to a gentler routine. Yoga, walking, swimming, hiking, and biking are wonderful ways to get gentle exercise during fertility treatments and pregnancy.
• Begin taking a prenatal vitamin - It is recommended to increase nutrients during fertility treatments. Prenatal vitamins are an excellent choice to ensure the body has enough folic acid, which aids in developing the brain and spinal cord during pregnancy. Please discuss with your doctor what prenatal vitamins they recommend.

Prepare for Fertility Treatment

Increase Your Chances of IVF Success

How to Increase Your Chances of IVF Success

If you are looking to increase your chances of conceiving during IVF, here are 8 tips from 5 different fertility doctors.

• 1. Maintain a healthy weight.

"Maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important in fertility and IVF," says Linnea Goodman, MD, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UNC School of Medicine. "We know that being obese (BMI >35) and underweight (BMI <19) increases time of conception by 2 and 4 times respectively, and negatively effects IVF success rates. Being overweight also makes monitoring the ovaries during IVF more difficult and increases the chance of complications during egg retrievals."

This is best implemented with changes in diet and activity with professional help.

"Working with dietitian, and in some programs enrolling in a cardio metabolic weight loss program can help achieve these goals," says Zaraq Khan, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.

2. Optimize sperm health.

"Use of multivitamins and maintaining optimal body weight, as well using boxers over briefs, could improve sperm quality," says Dr. Khan. "Under appropriate care, men can also be started on medications that can help boost sperm numbers and quality that can have a beneficial impact on IVF outcome. In certain cases, sperm aspirated directly from the testicle over ejaculate could also be beneficial. Involving a male infertility specialist for any form of abnormalities in semen analyses is key."

• 3. Partner with an excellent doctor and embryology laboratory.

"Choosing an excellent reproductive endocrinologist is twofold: in addition to experience and commitment to evidence-based medicine, look for someone with whom you feel comfortable and connected. Your doctor will accompany you on this very emotional journey and it is important for you to feel supported and heard," says Elizabeth Fino, MD, fertility specialist at NYU Langone Fertility Center. "Asking for recommendations from friends and family who know you best can help guide you to a knowledgeable physician with whom you feel comfortable, but also be sure to do your research."

In a world of online reviews, it can be difficult to determine credibility.

"Be careful of online reviews—they are often completed by select patients who had an extreme experience for one reason or another and may not be universally applicable. FertilityIQ offers a unique model which hones in on specific aspects of the experience after vetting patient reviews.

To find an excellent embryology laboratory, look for a long history of exceptional outcomes. One source is the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology which details the clinic's volume and live birth rate."

4. Reduce your stress.

"Basal stress levels can influence natural and assisted conception rates," says Dr. Khan. "Reducing stress troubles during an IVF stimulation cycle can be one of the hardest things to achieve for couples. Several reports suggest improvement of pregnancy outcomes with the use of acupuncture and other stress relieving techniques, like enrolling in mind-body programs, stress reduction, and resilience training workshops."

5. Quit smoking

"Smoking can drastically decrease chance of success while doing IVF because it effects egg and sperm quality," says Dr. Khan.

But you don't have to do it on your own.

"Quitting smoking is not an easy task and often requires a great deal of personal as well as professional support. Try to involve your friends and family to help encourage you in the process. For smoking cessation, structured programs and/or pharmacological assistance have proven to be most successful," says Dr. Fino.

6. Look into taking supplements

"DHEA and CoQ10 are supplements that have shown some promise in association with an increase in egg quantity and quality," says Dr. Fino. "Talk to your doctor to see if he or she recommends them for you."

Multivitamins may also be helpful, adds Dr. Khan.

7. Ensure you have adequate levels of vitamin D

"Over 40% of individuals are deficient in Vitamin D, and there is emerging data on its association with infertility and worse IVF outcomes," says Tarun Jain, MD, medical director of Northwestern Medicine Fertility and Reproductive Medicine Oakbrook Terrace. "Ask your doctor to check your vitamin D level, and consider taking a vitamin D supplement."

8. Focus on persistence and patience.

"Many patients require more than one cycle of IVF to achieve an embryo for transfer and outcomes may vary significantly from cycle to cycle," says Shannon DeVore, MD, at NYU Langone Fertility Center. "If your first cycle wasn't successful, your doctor may be able to adjust the medications to optimize a subsequent one. Other times, it just means keeping at it. Try not to be discouraged by sub-optimal outcomes and setbacks—you are doing everything right. The single biggest thing to remember is that most (or all) of this is out of your control. Nobody likes lack of control, but sometimes letting go can help you endure the journey. Take care of yourself and don't blame yourself when things don't go well. You are not alone, it often takes a village to build a family."

 

Increase Your Chances of IVF Success

How does the egg donation process work?

Egg donation is a process in which a fertile woman donates an egg, or oocyte, to another woman to help her conceive. It is a part of assisted reproductive technology, or ART.

The procedure typically involves a doctor removing an egg or eggs from the donor, fertilizing them in a laboratory, and then transferring the resulting embryos into the recipient’s uterus. Doctors do this using an implantation procedure, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Sometimes, specialists at the facility may freeze some or all of the embryos for later use or implantation in different women.

Egg donation frequently benefits women who cannot use their own eggs for various reasons, including ovarian failure, avoiding congenital anomalies in the fetus, or advanced age.

One 2014 entry in the journal Fertility and Sterility suggested that 93 percentTrusted Source of all fertility centers in the United States offer egg donation. The same study indicates that the procedure results in a successful birth 49.4–50 percent of the time.

In this article, we look at the criteria for selecting donors, the procedure itself, and legal ramifications following an egg donation.

 

 

The clinic will conduct a thorough selection process for potential donors.

Specialists at the fertility facility will conduct an intensive selection process to find a suitable donor and will carefully run through the legal procedures.

Before starting the procedure, most donors will need to take medication that stops their normal menstrual cycle.

Side effects of this medication might include:

• hot flashes
• headache
• fatigue
• body aches

The donor will then take a series of fertility drugs that stimulate the ovaries to produce several eggs at once. This is known as hyperstimulation. Donors will need to self-administer this medication by injecting it under their skin or into a muscle.

Some women may experience mild side effects, such as bruising at the injection site, mood swings, and tender breasts. In rare cases, a woman may develop severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). This occurs when too many eggs develop in the ovaries. Women who develop OHSS may require hospitalization.

Donors do have a risk of pregnancy before the eggs are retrieved, so it is a good idea to avoid intercourse or use a barrier contraceptive, such as a condom.

Throughout the donation cycle, a donor will undergo frequent blood tests and ultrasound examinations to monitor their reactions to the medications.

 

During extraction

Shortly before the retrieval of the eggs, the donor will receive a final injection in preparation for the procedure.

The doctor will perform a transvaginal ovarian aspiration to remove the eggs from the donor’s ovaries. They will insert an ultrasound probe into the vagina and use a needle to remove the egg from each follicle.

During the procedure, which lasts around 30 minutes, the doctor might give the donor painkillers, sedatives, or an anesthetic.

As this is a minor procedure, a donor will not need to stay at the clinic or hospital overnight.

After donation

Some women find they need several days of rest to recover from the transvaginal ovarian aspiration. Others return to normal activities the next day.

Some programs provide aftercare to donors, but others do not. As the egg donation process can have a psychological impact, some women may find it useful to work with a counselor or psychotherapist after the procedure.

 

How does the egg donation process work?

how to make ivf successful

 In vitro fertilization or IVF, effectively treats many causes of male and female infertility. IVF can be an excellent option for many patients who have struggled to get pregnant with other fertility treatments. It is an especially successful treatment for women with tubal issues, endometriosis, or polycystic ovarian syndrome. For women of advancing maternal age, IVF is also very successful with the use of donor eggs. Men with low sperm counts and couples with inherited diseases also benefit from IVF.

IVF has been around since the mid-1980s to treat couples experiencing infertility. Back then, the chances of bringing home a baby after IVF was a dismal 10%, less than what you would expect from Mother Nature at about 20%. Today, over 190,000 IVF cycles are conducted in the U.S., with average live birth rates of over 32% for women of all ages. Younger women with younger eggs have even better success, with live birth rates approaching 50%.

What has accounted for this incredible increase in success with IVF? Most notably are the new techniques that have arisen over the last several years that offer the possibility of improving a patient’s odds of having a baby through IVF. Let’s take a look at some of these success-boosting techniques.

 

Assisted Hatching

Sometimes viable embryos do not implant in the uterine wall simply because they are unable to break free from their surrounding “jelly coat,” called the zona pellucida. We perform assisted hatching in the lab right before embryo transfer using a laser to create a hole in the zona. This allows the embryo to “hatch” and make contact with the lining of the uterus and implant.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

We first used ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, to treat cases of severe male factor infertility. In this technique, a single sperm is injected into the cytoplasm (interior) of the egg. Today, the use of ICSI is now routinely applied to a wide range of clinical situations whenever there is a possibility that fertilization may not occur. Such situations may include unexplained infertility or when frozen sperm samples survive their thaw poorly. Further, ICSI is used in any case where there is an extreme need to maximize normal fertilization, such as when a woman has only a few eggs retrieved.

“Freeze All Embryos” IVF Cycle

In the past, we preferred to perform fresh embryo transfers for most patients because the embryos had a better chance of implanting and developing into a baby than frozen embryos did. However, over the past several years, vitrification techniques for freezing and thawing embryos have improved so much that frozen embryos now have an equal or perhaps better chance of implanting than fresh embryos.

When there is a planned “freeze all embryos” IVF cycle, the developing embryos are frozen via vitrification and stored until they are transferred at a later time. This technique is especially beneficial for women at risk of hyper ovarian stimulation caused by the medications used to produce multiple eggs during the cycle. We have found that high hormone levels associated with ovarian stimulation might affect the lining of the uterus, making it less likely for the transferred embryos to implant. We see this particularly in patients who develop higher progesterone levels earlier in the ovarian stimulation cycle.

Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)

PGS helps us answer the question of which embryos have the greatest potential to become a healthy pregnancy and baby. Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, inheriting one copy of each chromosome from either parent. When sperm fertilizes an egg, it creates an embryo which should consist of 23 chromosomes from the mother and 23 chromosomes from the father. But often, embryos are created with too many or too few chromosomes. This is a major cause of miscarriage and increases dramatically with maternal age. One of the most common examples is Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21, which is caused by the presence of a third copy of chromosome 21.

PGS gives the patient two advantages. First, it allows us to be 99% certain the embryo has the correct number of chromosomes thereby increasing the chance for a healthy pregnancy. Second, it allows the patient to transfer only ONE embryo thereby decreasing the chance of twins (which have a much higher rate of complications). The pregnancy rate of transferring just one embryo that has undergone PGS and is deemed chromosomally normal is the same as transferring two embryos that are not tested.

 

how to make ivf successful

WHO NEEDS IVF?

Although its original intention was to treat women with tubal disease, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) can help couples overcome various types of infertility. For some diagnoses or conditions, such as tubal factor, IVF may be the first-line treatment. In other cases, IVF may be recommended only if simpler treatment fails. Below is a list of common indications for IVF treatment:

Tubal Factor (Damage to Fallopian Tubes) / Pelvic Adhesions

There are two options to treat patients with significant tubal damage and/or pelvic adhesive disease. The first option is to surgically repair the tubes and either get pregnant naturally or use Artificial Insemination or IUI to get pregnant. In many cases, however, surgery is not a good option as it may be very difficult to surgically fix the damaged tube(s) and/or the surgery may cause a high risk of an ectopic pregnancy. In these instances where the surgical option does not pose a high chance for success, the second option is to by-pass the tubes completely by using IVF as the treatment plan. Advanced Fertility Care Physicians will individualize the treatment plan for each patient or couple at our Mesa, Scottsdale and Glendale AZ offices, and if you have tubal damage, they will provide you detailed information on each option so that you can make an informed decision.

Endometriosis

Current scientific data about endometriosis shows that mild to moderate forms of endometriosis may be effectively treated with a combination of surgical and medical therapy. For more stages of endometriosis, including the presence of endometriomas, IVF is the optimal first line treatment and offers the highest pregnancy success rates.

Male Factor Infertility

One of the most significant advances in the treatment of infertility has been the ability for men with severe sperm abnormalities to achieve fertilization of the egg and successful pregnancy. IVF with addition of ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) has enabled couples suffering from abnormal sperm, who would not otherwise be able to conceive, to be able to start a family. ICSI is often recommended if there is any suggestion of a sperm problem, if sperm are obtained surgically, or if there has been a prior failure of fertilization.

Diminished Ovarian Function & Age Related Infertility

During the course of woman’s normal reproductive life, her ovarian function decreases with age. In many cases, this reduced function can be overcome through the use of IVF alone, or in conjunction with techniques such as Assisted Hatching and ICSI. For some women, this decrease in ovarian function may start at earlier ages and requires aggressive treatment with IVF sooner rather than later.

Anovulation & Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

The majority of patients with an ovulation and/or PCOS often conceive using less aggressive treatments such as ovulation induction with IUI. For some patients who are “high responders” to gonadotropin therapy, IVF offers an excellent prognosis and reduces some of the risks of higher order multiples.

Unexplained Infertility

Approximately 20% of couples will have no identifiable cause of infertility after completing a comprehensive evaluation. IVF is often successful even if more conservative treatments have failed, especially since some of these couples may have yet unidentifiable causes of infertility or sub-fertility.

Family Balancing (also known as Gender or Sex Selection)

For families that wish to have additional children of a particular gender after already having a previous child, PGD allows for selection of embryos to transfer based on gender. While not perfect, embryo biopsy with genetic chromosome determination prior to transfer of embryos can allow families choice in how they expand the family. Read more about PGD.

Genetic Diseases / Preimplantation Genetic Screening or Diagnosis (PGS or PGD)

One additional indication for IVF is to provide genetic testing on embryos prior to implantation. PGD or PGS is used for patients who are at risk for passing on genetic disorders to their offspring as a result of one or both of the partners being carriers for the disease. Diseases such as Cystic fibrosis and Thalassemia are 2 examples of the hundreds of diseases that can be tested for prior to embryo implantation. In addition, IVF with PGS is indicated for women with recurrent pregnancy loss related to chromosomal abnormalities or repeated failed IVF attempts. Learn more about PGD.

IVF for male infertility

Sometimes, IVF for male infertility is the best treatment option. When the semen analysis is abnormal and identifies a male factor, it’s important to look for the cause. If the low sperm count appears to hormone-related, caused by an infection or related to a male anatomic abnormality, basic treatments may be used. If these do not work, or if it is a more severe case of male infertility, IVF is usually the treatment of choice.

Options other than IVF for male infertility

For hormonal imbalances like a low testosterone level, Doctor may choose medications like Clomid or fertility shots. The partners of men with decreased sperm counts and normal hormone levels will often undergo IUI. This is a simple and relatively inexpensive treatment for mild cases of male infertility.

Anatomical abnormalities that contribute to male infertility often require further evaluation by a urologist. Urologists are specialists regarding the male reproductive system. They will work with Doctor to determine what treatment is necessary.

If the sperm count is too low for IUI, IVF for male infertility may be the best treatment option. This treatment is a very successful option for couples with male factor infertility.

When do we recommend IVF for male infertility?

If a semen analysis reveals a very low concentration of normal sperm, Doctor often will recommend IVF for male infertility. This is because the chances of success are much better than with timed intercourse or IUI.

IVF is also a good option when there are multiple fertility factors, such as a low sperm count in combination with a blocked tube, difficulty in ovulation or advanced age of the woman. IVF can be the most effective treatment for couples in these situations by increasing the chance for fertilization of the egg.

The reason why is as follows:

How to Increase Chances of IVF Success

If you are looking to increase your chances of conceiving during IVF, here are 8 tips from 5 different fertility doctors.

 

1. Maintain a healthy weight.
"Maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important in fertility and IVF," says Linnea Goodman, MD, Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the UNC School of Medicine. "We know that being obese (BMI >35) and underweight (BMI <19) increases time of conception by 2 and 4 times respectively, and negatively effects IVF success rates. Being overweight also makes monitoring the ovaries during IVF more difficult and increases the chance of complications during egg retrievals."

This is best implemented with changes in diet and activity with professional help.

"Working with dietitian, and in some programs enrolling in a cardio metabolic weight loss program can help achieve these goals," says Zaraq Khan, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.