Understanding Infertility Testing for Women: What to Expect and Why It Matters
Infertility is medically defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months of regular, unprotected intercourse or after 6 months if you’re age 35 or older. For women over the age of 40, seeking an evaluation as soon as possible would be beneficial due to the natural decline in fertility with age. What […]
Leading Causes of Women’s Infertility: What You Should Know
While many factors can play a role in female infertility, experts agree that the most common causes fall into a few key categories: ovulation disorders, diminished ovarian reserve, structural conditions such as endometriosis or blocked Fallopian tubes, and uterine or cervical issues. 1. Ovulation Disorders According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), ovulation […]
The Impact of Plastics on Female and Male Fertility
Researchers have raised alarms about the effects of plastic-derived chemicals and microplastics on both male and female fertility. A growing body of research, ranging from endocrine disruption to DNA damage, reveals their harmful impact on reproductive health and the fertility of future generations. How Plastics Affect Fertility Substances such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, […]
What’s the role of endometrial thickness in getting pregnant?
The endometrium, the uterus’ inner lining, varies in thickness throughout the different phases of the menstrual cycle. Endometrial thickness directly impacts embryo implantation. After an egg is fertilized, the developing embryo travels down the Fallopian tube to the uterus where it needs to implant. An optimal thickness of the uterine lining is preferable for successful […]
The Impact of Sexual Transmitted Infections on Fertility
A growing concern is the rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the US within the last year. Preliminary data from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reveal 2.5 million reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis in 2021 “with no signs of slowing”. Experts state that the spike in STIs over the last couple […]
Endometriosis vs. PCOS
Endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are a couple of conditions that can impact female fertility and make it difficult for a woman to get pregnant. Affecting over 10% of reproductive-age females in America, endometriosis occurs when tissue that is normally found in the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus. Similarly, about 10% of […]
Why choose a double board-certified female fertility specialist?
Obtaining a subspecialty board certification in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) is the gold standard for a female fertility specialist. Why is the gold standard important for patients seeking female fertility care? A board-certified REI means that patients are working with a doctor who is not only board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn) but also […]
Q&A: Gold Standard in Female Infertility Evaluation
Female fertility specialist, Dr. Dan Lebovic answers the question, “Is there a gold standard in female infertility evaluation?” The gold standard evaluation for female infertility may need to be tailored depending on the patient’s potential cause of infertility but if there is no known issue readily apparent then specific tests are most certainly warranted. The […]
AFRM’s medical and laboratory team co-author the original research article, “The effects of hysteroscopic morcellation of endometrial polyps on frozen embryo transfer outcomes”, in collaboration with the Institute for Social Research at University of Michigan, in the journal European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.
“Our article specifically looked at whether or not hysteroscopic removal of endometrial polyps by means of a technique known as morcellation affected subsequent first frozen embryo transfer outcomes when compared with those who did not have endometrial polyps and had first frozen embryo transfers. There were no differences in implantation rates, clinical pregnancy rates, miscarriage […]
AFRM and UofSC collaboratively present two research projects at the ASRM meeting
The medical and embryology teams at Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine/Westlake IVF, in a collaborative study with the Department of Biomedical Sciences at The University of South Carolina Greenville, presented two research projects at the 76th annual American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) meeting in Baltimore on October 19th, 2021. Blastocyst fluid-conditioned media (BFCM) is […]
