May you accept your body – even if you are an infertile man. We struggled with male factor infertility in our marriage, and it strengthened our marriage and our faith in God. May you feel God’s blessing on you even if you can’t conceive children naturally. May you walk in faith, and trust that He knows what He is doing. Don’t give up on your God, for He is loving and compassionate.
Male infertility may be caused by trouble with sperm delivery due to structural difficulties like testicle blockage or damage to the reproductive organs, sexual function concerns such as premature ejaculation, or genetic conditions including cystic fibrosis. Another root of male infertility may be abnormal sperm function or production, often due to genetic defects or health problems including diabetes or certain sexually transmitted diseases. Other risk factors include overexposure to certain environmental factors, such as alcohol, cigarette or marijuana smoke, chemicals, and pesticides, as well as frequent exposure to high temperatures (hot tubs and saunas). Specific cancers and their treatments can also be harmful to male fertility.
This tool is also very useful because it also provides you with an indication of the risk/reward of doing two single embryo transfers, vs using multiple embryos in your first transfer. Using only one embryo at a time when doing IVF pretty much eliminates the risk of having twins, however it can be more expensive doing it this way making it a tough decision for many couples. The SART IVF success rate predictor tool can help you quantify these risks for your personal set of circumstances.

Laboratories have developed grading methods to judge ovocyte and embryo quality. In order to optimise pregnancy rates, there is significant evidence that a morphological scoring system is the best strategy for the selection of embryos.[72] Since 2009 where the first time-lapse microscopy system for IVF was approved for clinical use,[73] morphokinetic scoring systems has shown to improve to pregnancy rates further.[74] However, when all different types of time-lapse embryo imaging devices, with or without morphokinetic scoring systems, are compared against conventional embryo assessment for IVF, there is insufficient evidence of a difference in live-birth, pregnancy, stillbirth or miscarriage to choose between them.[75] Active efforts to develop a more accurate embryo selection analysis based on Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning are underway. Embryo Ranking Intelligent Classification Assistant (ERICA),[76] is a clear example. This Deep Learning software substitutes manual classifications with a ranking system based on an individual embryo's predicted genetic status in a non-invasive fashion.[77] Studies on this area are still pending and current feasibility studies support its potential.[78]



Risk of multiples. IUI with fertility medication carries a significant risk of multiple pregnancies, including higher-order multiples (triplets or more). A good clinic will carefully monitor your follicles to make sure that only a safe number are mature before the IUI, but they cannot entirely eliminate the risk. Recent advances in IVF (including blastocyst transfer) mean that most modern fertility clinics now transfer only one or two embryos per IVF cycle. As a result, the risk of multiple pregnancies for IVF patients is much lower than it used to be.
In IVF, a woman is given more medications to develop lots of eggs. Ideally, they develop around 15 mature eggs. The eggs are removed from the ovaries, fertilized and developed in a lab for a number of days, and subsequently put back into the uterus as an early-stage embryo. While this may sound like a relatively minor difference, it leads to leads to a large number of noteworthy differences.


^ Baker VL, Luke B, Brown MB, Alvero R, Frattarelli JL, Usadi R, et al. (September 2010). "Multivariate analysis of factors affecting probability of pregnancy and live birth with in vitro fertilization: an analysis of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcomes Reporting System". Fertility and Sterility. 94 (4): 1410–6. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2009.07.986. PMID 19740463.
The percentage of cycles cancelled between egg retrieval and embryo transfer is an indication of failed fertilization. This figure is halved with ICSI as compared to conventional IVF, indicating that it can indeed improve fertilization when the sperm is at fault. However, there are no differences in pregnancy, miscarriage or live birth rates between conventional IVF and ICSI, indicating overall similar success rates1.
The laboratory – This is when the harvested eggs are fertilized by an embryologist. Once fertilized, they’re grown 3-5 days until they’re able to be transferred into the woman’s uterus. Prior to the transfer, the embryos can be genetically tested. Although testing isn’t right for everyone, it’s useful for some people as it may help prevent miscarriage, passing on known genetic disorders, and can also be used to choose the sex of the child.
Risk of ectopic pregnancy. Women who have difficulty getting pregnant have an increased risk for ectopic pregnancy, regardless of how they conceive. And all assisted reproductive technology treatments, including IVF, also make an ectopic pregnancy more likely. An ectopic pregnancy occurs when an embryo implants in a fallopian tube or the abdominal cavity rather than in the uterus. It's treated with the medication methotrexate or by surgically removing the embryo to prevent it from severely injuring the mother by continuing to grow.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is one of the simpler, “low-tech” treatments for infertility and the starting point for many individuals and couples who are having difficulty with conception on their own. Patients who have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, mild male factor infertility, a cervical factor, or irregular or absent ovulation are often good candidates for IUI.
The Latin term in vitro, meaning "in glass", is used because early biological experiments involving cultivation of tissues outside the living organism were carried out in glass containers, such as beakers, test tubes, or Petri dishes. Today, the scientific term "in vitro" is used to refer to any biological procedure that is performed outside the organism in which it would normally have occurred, to distinguish it from an in vivo procedure (such as in vivo fertilisation), where the tissue remains inside the living organism in which it is normally found.
Sometimes problems getting pregnant for a second or subsequent time are related to a complication that occurred in a prior pregnancy or prior to delivery (damage to the uterus, for instance). But most often, secondary infertility is caused by the same factors that would cause primary infertility — issues like advanced age, obesity, ovulation problems and so on.
4. IVF or In-Vitro Fertilization - IVF means eggs are collected and fertilized outside the body, in a laboratory. This is followed by transferring the embryos into the uterus. This advanced technology has resulted in many successful pregnancies in women who had lost hope. During IVF - In-Vitro Fertilization, women can choose to freeze their healthy eggs for future use.
Antiphospholipid syndrome (phospholipid antibody syndrome or Hughes syndrome) is an immune system disorder with symptoms that include: excessive blood clotting, miscarriages unexplained fetal death, or premature birth. In antiphospholipid syndrome, these symptoms are accompanied by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (cardiolipin or lupus anticoagulant antibodies) in the blood. Treatment focuses on preventing clotting by thinning the blood with the use of anticoagulants and aspirin.
Ovarian stimulation with hormonal medication is performed over a period of around 10-14 days. During this time, progress is monitored through ultrasound scans and blood tests. When enough oocytes (eggs) have developed in the ovaries, a final hormone injection triggers the maturing of the oocytes. Thirty-six hours later, egg retrieval is scheduled to take place in the fertility clinic.

The Rand Consulting Group has estimated there to be 400,000 frozen embryos in the United States in 2006.[83] The advantage is that patients who fail to conceive may become pregnant using such embryos without having to go through a full IVF cycle. Or, if pregnancy occurred, they could return later for another pregnancy. Spare oocytes or embryos resulting from fertility treatments may be used for oocyte donation or embryo donation to another woman or couple, and embryos may be created, frozen and stored specifically for transfer and donation by using donor eggs and sperm. Also, oocyte cryopreservation can be used for women who are likely to lose their ovarian reserve due to undergoing chemotherapy.[84]

I found that I couldn't avoid the sense that we were not yet all here, that there was a person missing. In one of those strange confluences, I was, at the same time, writing a novel about a woman who had just given birth. I was spending my days at the fertility clinic and my evenings writing about the strange, shadowy world of early motherhood. My husband, coming into my study and finding me in tears again, laid his hand gently on the manuscript and said, "Do you ever think that writing this book might not be helping?" But you don't choose the books; they choose you. And if I couldn't bring a baby into being in real life, I was damn well going to do it in fiction.
Women are not always the source of a couple's infertility—in approximately one-third of cases, men may have difficulty with conception. In another third of cases, men are a contributing factor, along with female infertility and other problems. Men should be evaluated by a physician if there is a family history of infertility, if they have undergone cancer treatment, if they have small testicles, a swollen scrotum, or a low sperm count, or if they have any other testicular, prostate, or sexual problems.
After the retrieval procedure, you'll be kept for a few hours to make sure all is well. Light spotting is common, as well as lower abdominal cramping, but most feel better in a day or so after the procedure. You'll also be told to watch for signs of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a side effect from fertility drug use during IVF treatment in 10% of patients.﻿﻿
Disclaimer: The information you enter is not stored by CDC and is only used to estimate your chances of success. The IVF success estimator does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. These estimates may not reflect your actual rates of success during ART treatment and are only being provided for informational purposes. Estimates are less reliable at certain ranges/values of age, weight, height, and previous pregnancy and ART experiences. Please see your doctor and/or healthcare provider for a personalized treatment plan that is best for you.
Coping with secondary fertility can be tough. Endless doctor appointments, tests, procedures, and medications. Sleepless nights. Time and energy away from your little one. Guilt over wanting another pregnancy when many women are struggling to have just that. Stress between you and your partner. Sadness when you get invited to yet another baby shower — and guilt for even feeling that way.
Bloating: Fertility medications can heavily impact how your body retains water, leading to the dreaded side effect of bloating. This is especially common in your midsection, where fluid can build up near the ovaries (creating abdominal tenderness, too). You can combat bloating by increasing your fluid intake and participating in light exercise such as walking.