Someday, in the not-too-distant future, a miracle will happen to you and your family. It will be an event that encompasses all your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. It will be the birth of a healthy newborn baby. Yes, this will happen.
At Infertility & Lifespan Medical Institute our goal is to guide you through all the various steps to overcome infertility. It is important to avoid all of the pitfalls and obstacles which prevent you from getting pregnant and having a healthy baby.
As a future parent, your goal is to bring together your judgment, wisdom, and understanding of the body's reproductive function to allow the miracle of fertility and birth to occur.
Our Medical Director, Steven Brody, M.D., Ph.D. has long discovered that the secret of success is when the couple is proactive and positive about the future.
What is the Difference between Infertility and Subfertility?
The medical definition of infertility is a failure to achieve pregnancy within a 12-month period following unprotected regular sexual intercourse. But remember, 15% of normal couples will require more than 12 months, so don't be discouraged.
When we refer to the failure to achieve pregnancy were talking about a clinical pregnancy. A clinical pregnancy is not just a positive pregnancy hormone. It requires the confirmation by ultrasound of an embryo, with or without a heartbeat, or the demonstration of a gestational sac. Women with recurrent pregnancy losses - that is, repeated miscarriages - are not considered infertile.
A woman who has never been able to get pregnant will be diagnosed with primary infertility. And a woman who has had at least one successful pregnancy in the past will be diagnosed with secondary infertility.
It's important to note that infertility is not only associated with a problem in women; about one-third of infertility cases are attributed to female infertility, whereas men's problems add up to another third of infertility cases. The remaining third are caused by a combination of male and female infertility or cannot be identified.
Subfertility
Subfertility refers to the state in which there is a delay in conceiving. In subfertility, the possibility of getting pregnant ordinarily exists, but it still takes longer than average. Many doctors use the terms infertility and subfertility interchangeably. However, distinguishing between these two terms is important.
Dr. Brody believes that couples can alter their lifestyles and, by doing so, increase the likelihood of spontaneous ovulation and conception. In contrast, infertility is a condition in which conception and reproduction are not expected to occur spontaneously.
In early evaluation, it is important to emphasize the concept of subfertility before labeling a couple as "infertile." When a doctor labels someone with infertility early in the evaluation, there is a profound effect. In many ways, it disempowers the patient. In a sense, the couple is being told you have this condition called infertility, so follow my orders to get it treated.
Couples should have hope, understanding, and consideration of the proactive ways to enhance their fertility. With this approach, it is easier for the couple to understand the various tests and treatments required. Furthermore, it makes it easier to determine whether assisted reproduction with IVF and embryo transfer will be required.
With IVF, an embryo that is 5 days of age is called a blastocyst. A normal blastocyst with normal chromosomes results in a pregnancy rate of about 62%. This will be achieved regardless of age. This requires aggressive IVF protocols in most cases. With three such transfers, 92% of cases result in pregnancy. At infertility and Lifespan Medical, we use careful evaluation, treatment, and lab procedures to reach this point of success.
Call the Infertility and Lifespan Medical Institute at 858-344-5020 and begin your journey to parenthood.
