Female Factor

When I initially visited my ob/gyn and told him that I endured painful, heavy menstrual cycles he suspected endometriosis. I endured a number of tests that showed that while I did not have endometriosis, I did have quite a few large fibroids and numerous polyps. Nevertheless, my doctor told me that a correlation between fibroids and infertility had not been found and that it was his opinion that unless they were affecting my quality of life that there was no need to remove them. I could not imagine what a "normal" period was at that time and thought that everyone had extremely painful cramping. I did think that having to use the largest tampons possible every hour… [more]

Just as there are some basic initial tests for men; most women also typically endure the same first tests. Actually, the very first thing most women do after they encounter trouble conceiving is begin to track ovulation - either through ovulation prediction at-home tests or charting basal body temperature. If a woman finds that she is not regularly ovulating then she can talk to her doctor armed with that information that can help him devise a treatment plan. However, most physicians will also ask that the female undergo some additional testing to rule out other issues or to help pinpoint the primary barrier to fertility. A number of blood tests are typically administered including measures of FSH, estradiol, progesterone… [more]

I have mentioned in previous posts that the very first fertility treatment I tried was clomiphine citrate, more commonly called Clomid or Serophene. I was initially prescribed Clomid after my diagnosis of PCOS. Prior to starting the Clomid medication I had tracked my cycles and realized that I do not reliably ovulate each month - it was definitely hit or miss. The goal of Clomid is to induce ovulation and when I told my ob/gyn that I was not ovulating every month he assured me that Clomid had an excellent success rate and that he was confident that it would do the trick. He remarked that I would only be allowed to take the Clomid for six cycles, but told… [more]

If I hadn't been having trouble conceiving I probably would have never been diagnosed with PCOS. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is just one of the litany of problems that I bring to the table in efforts to conceive and one that long-term will probably have the most substantial impact on my health and well-being. Nevertheless, when I am visiting doctors other than the ob/gyn or fertility specialist I often forget to mention (on forms or in person) that I even have PCOS. PCOS is an endocrine disorder that affects approximately one in ten women that is typically characterized by cysts on the ovaries, irregular periods, and high levels of male hormones or androgens. It is the most… [more]

"I didn't know age mattered so much!" That statement, or a variation of it, is one that I have heard too many times when talking to others struggling with infertility. We all know of a young person who "accidentally" got pregnant, oftentimes saying it was their first time or while using birth control. However, we have probably all also heard stories of older women with teenage children suddenly pregnant with an "oops" baby. So, it isn't surprising that when a couple is struggling to conceive, many don't automatically make the correlation between age and infertility. The sad truth is that age does play a significant role in a woman's chances of getting pregnant. The American Society… [more]

In this era of "octomoms" and families of 8 or 18 it is easy to understand how people can have misconceptions about infertility and its treatment. As I was searching for information and statistics regarding multiple births and fertility treatment (out of pure curiosity), I realized that there are A LOT of myths and misunderstandings when it comes to reproductive challenges and assistance. I, like a lot of other people, don't always know the difference between truth and fiction when it comes to infertility and so I thought I would use this blog as a forum to address some of those myths and try to find the truths. Probably one of the most prevalent general ideas about IVF… [more]

If you have irregular periods, you might have a difficult time determining when you are ovulating. I ran into this problem myself when I was trying to conceive. My cycles were all over the map. One month, my cycle might run only 27 days, while the next month, it might run 36 days. This made it very hard to determine when I was ovulating.

When I first decided to go off birth control pills and tried to conceive, my OB-GYN told me to make sure we had intercourse two weeks after my period started. If my cycles had been exactly 28 days each month, that might have been correct, but my cycles were rarely, if ever, exactly 28 days long.

Some women struggle with much… [more]

If you are struggling with infertility, be sure to have your thyroid checked. This was one of the first tests that my fertility specialist administered when he started trying to figure out why I was unable to conceive. Your doctor can determine if your thyroid is to blame through a simple blood test, so it is one of the least invasive fertility screenings you can undergo.

What is a Thyroid?

Your thyroid is the gland responsible for most of your metabolism. It is located in your neck. If your thyroid produces either too much or too little of the thyroid hormones, then you have a problem. See Understanding Thyroid Problems -- the Basics for more basic information about your thyroid… [more]

Endometriosis is a common cause of infertility in women. According to Fertilitycommunity.com's article Endometriosis, 30-40% of women with endometriosis will likely have problems conceiving. I am one of those women.

So, what exactly is endometriosis? Endometrial tissue is the tissue in your uterus that provides a soft cushion for a fertilized egg to attach. Women with endometriosis have endometrial tissue outside of the uterus. I had this tissue located on the outside of my uterus, ovaries, and fallopian tubes. My doctor took pictures during the laparoscopy, which I have posted here. As you can see, the endometriosis looks like small patches of dark tissue on the outside of my organs.

Here is what the doctor's notes say about each picture:

• Upper left: Right ovary

Isn't the word barren such an awful term? I am so glad we have moved on to the word infertile because at least that sounds clinical. Barren sounds like a wasteland - as if my womb, which is supposed to be fertile, is instead a shriveled up raisin.

As much as I dislike the word, barren captures the pain that a woman feels when she is unable to conceive a child. Many women question whether they are even women when they cannot bear a child. If your uterus is unable to knit life together and your breasts are unable to nourish a child, then it can feel like none of your female body parts is doing its job. Does this make… [more]