Jarrett Fertility Group > Infertility Causes

A. If you are concerned that it is taking too long, it is time to get some help. For perspective, infertility is defined as more than a year of unsuccessful attempts by couples who have never been pregnant and are under age 35. If you have been pregnant before, or are over age 35, and have been trying for six months, you have, by definition, impaired fertility. If you are worried, contact your health care professional. Some professional advice, perhaps preliminary investigation, or maybe even just some support would be appropriate.

A. Every investigation into the cause of a couple's infertility must begin with a thorough history and physical. The physician is almost playing detective, looking for some information or a finding that will suggest a particular problem. Often a clue or clues will be discovered that can direct the initial investigation in a particular direction. No physician can begin to formulate the plan of evaluation appropriate for a couple until the physician becomes familiar with the perspective of the couple, taking a history of their attempts to conceive as well as of their general medical health, and doing a physical exam. Remember: Not every couple needs every test. Evaluation must be tailored to the couple.

A. That depends on a lot of factors, but evaluation should start simple and easy. A semen analysis is usually one of the first tests done. Some simple blood tests may be done to evaluate ovulation and other hormones. But none of these initial tests are invasive or expensive.

A. Not necessarily! While there is no question fertility treatment can be, it does not have to be expensive. Most couples will conceive with minimal help and treatment. One thing the physician needs to try to understand is "where the couple is coming from? What, if any, evaluation have they had so far? How anxious are they? How frustrated are they? How aggressive do they want to be? How much do they feel that they can tolerate?” The point is this: The approach for a twenty-five-year-old couple who have been trying for one year is going to be different than that for a thirty-eight-year-old woman and her forty-year-old husband who have been trying for three years.

This is a question we hear every day. Rightfully so, couples want to do everything they can to improve their chances of conceiving, regardless of what treatment they are undergoing.

Things like smoking, drinking and drugs are obvious – DON”T!
Try to get your Body Mass Index under 40.
Exercise – if you already do so there is no reason to quit. If you don’t already exercise, do some daily or at least frequent activity. It is good for the body and good for the soul.
Caffeine – Limit your intake. Some sources say none, most say very little.
Vitamins – While one can spend literally hundreds of dollars a month on special “fertility blends” of vitamins, there is no evidence that any of these are better than Flintstones. A prenatal vitamin with the extra folic acid is probably the best idea.
Herbs – so little is known about which herbs are beneficial and which may cause problems that we advise just not taking any.

Then there is the issue of stress. There are a myriad of ways to help one deal with stress. Acupuncture, therapeutic massage, meditation, and yoga are just a few examples. And all of these are good techniques and have value. The difficult issue is that all of these take time, which may be difficult to come by especially when one is going through fertility treatment, and they cost money.

We believe there is an alternative that is just as effective, which takes very little time, and is free. It is called positive imaging. To quote Norman Vincent Peale, “So powerful is the imaging effect on thought and performance that a long-held visualization of an objective or goal becomes determinative.” Since this was written in 1982, many have restated it in many ways, but the bottom line is this: thoughts become things, and the value of positive thinking and imaging cannot be over-stated.

It could not be any simpler. For five to ten minutes every day sit quietly and close your eyes. Concentrate on your breathing, and see yourself being pregnant.
Truly see it being that way. Imagine the feelings, the smells. See what you are wearing. Make it a part of your reality. Five or ten minutes a day is all. It is too hard to focus for longer than that, and five to ten minutes lets your brain tell your body what to do in anticipation of being pregnant.

Truth be known, this may be what acupuncture and all the other techniques offer - a dedicated time when you do nothing but think about being pregnant. And relax. And breathe.

Does this mean that everyone will get pregnant the first time they try IVF or whatever procedure they are pursuing? Of course not! But we do believe it will dramatically increase the odds

All fertility evaluation and treatment should be done by the couple and the physician as a team. It is our job to help define what the problem(s) may be, and to make sure the couple fully understands the problem and the treatment options. It is the couples’ job to decide what treatment they wish to pursue.