IRH West Chester Opens TODAY!

The IRH West Chester office is officially open TODAY! Our new facility is open for new patient consultations M-W, F and for early morning monitoring on Mondays and Fridays. Other services include: follow-up appointments, blood work and ultrasounds, and Wi-Fi access. By late spring we will also offer semen analyses, sperm washes, and IUIs. For the convenience of our patients, you have the opportunity to see any of our three docs in this location. We are thrilled to offer fertility services to the communities north of I-275. If you'd like to schedule an appointment, please call IRH @ 513.924.5550. For more information about IRH, check out our website at www.cincinnatifertility.com.

The Fertility 411 -- Common Causes of Infertility

What are the Common Causes for Infertility?

Infertility doesn't discriminate.  It impacts every culture, crosses socio-economic lines, impacts the young and "old", the healthy and not-so-healthy, and both sexes almost equally.  Male factor infertility occurs is close to 40% of the reported cases of infertility.  Factors related to women -- such as ovulatory dysfunction & tubal/pelvic pathology -- happen in about 45% of reported cases.  The other 15% comes from issues effecting both partners or is attributed to unexplained infertility.
Ok...so what does all of this mean?  Well, let's start with the guys.  Male factor infertility can mean low/no sperm count (which can happen for a variety of reasons), poor morphology (structure of the sperm), poor/no motility (sperm can't swim b/c of defective or missing tails), and genetic defects to the sperm.  The best way to test for male infertility is with a semen analysis.  At IRH, our skilled andrologists examine the sperm and grade the morphology, motility, and count.  The report is reviewed by the physicians and recommendations are made.  If any of these values fall out of the "normal range", it can greatly impact your course of treatment.   For more details about the semen analysis or treatment options available for male factor infertility, please check out our website at:
http://www.cincinnatifertility.com/causes-of-infertility/male-infertility 

Later today, check back in and I'll give you the scoop on the causes of infertility for women and the treatment options available.  Until then, have a great day!

The Fertility 411 -- Age & Infertility

                    Does AGE Effect My Fertility?

YES!  15% - 20% of all couples will experience difficulties with conception, but this increases up to 50% for women 35-40 years old.

        

ART Pregnancy Rates & Live Birth rates by Age of Women   



Source:  Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2001

This is a powerful graphic.  As you can see, our ability to conceive takes a nose dive after the age of 35.  Should this scare you...no, of course not.  But what it tells you is that you have to be informed and prepared if you make the decision to postpone starting a family.      

The Fertility 411 -- Infertility 101

Fertility Facts

• The average chance of a woman becoming pregnant each cycle is 20%
• It takes 5-6 months for the average fertile couple to conceive
• 1 out of every 6 couples has trouble conceiving and/or caring a child to term
• There are an estimated 2.4 million new infertility cases each year in the US alone

Is Infertility More Common Today?

• The overall incidence of infertiltiy has remained relatively unchanged over the past 30 years.
• However...the evaluation and treatment of infertility has changed dramatically over that period of time.
• 3 major developments have had the greatest impact:
1. In vitro fertilization
2. Changes in population demographics -- women attempting pregnancy at older ages when they are biologically less fertile
3. Greater media attention & public awareness

As always, you can log onto http://www.cincinnatifertility.com/ for more information.  If you have questions, post them here or send them to irhinfo@fuse.net.

'The Fertility 411' Kickoff

IRH is launching a new blog series called "The Fertility 411".  These posts will be packed with fertility facts, tackle fertility myths, address the latest fertility topics in the news and keep you 'in the know' about what is on the horizon for treating infertility...all from a source you can trust.  Plus, you will be able to post your questions and hear from our experts.  Tell your girlfriends, share this link, mark us as a 'favorite' and check-in with us daily.

Potential Egg Donors

If you have ever thought about becoming an egg donor, IRH has just posted a 'Frequently Asked Question' page to their website.  If you have any burning questions you'd like answered, please post here or send an email to eggdonor@fuse.net.

Basic criteria to become an egg donor includes:

• be between the ages of 21-33
• be a non-smoker
• have a healthy BMI
• have regular menstrual cycles
• have no history of genetically transmitted diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, or cancer.
• have no history of alcohol or substance abuse
• be willing to undergo an extensive screening process
• be willing to use barrier contraception for at least two complete menstrual cycles

Our screening process is very thorough and completely confidential.  For more information, visit us at http://www.cincinnatifertility.com/.