April 15, 2025
What Is Ovarian Reserve And How Is It Tested?

Ovarian reserve is the count of a woman’s remaining eggs – all women are born with the eggs necessary in their lifetime. This figure determines both the quality and quantity of the eggs, giving specialists a clear picture of her fertility potential. It becomes even more crucial if she’s considering IVF or any assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures. Why Is It Important? The ovarian reserve count shows how many viable eggs are still available for fertilization. This is because out of the 1-2 million eggs a woman is born with, only a fraction remain at the 30-year mark. The diminishing numbers and egg quality is why it becomes harder for a woman to conceive naturally past this age. How to Test for Ovarian Reserve? There are several test methods and diagnostic tools that fertility clinics employ to test for your ovarian reserve with accuracy and precision : Ultrasound Exam       Antral Follicle Count (AFC): A transvaginal ultrasound to count the number of viable follicles in the ovaries. This procedure gives a clear account of the available eggs and potentially developing ones. Hormonal Tests:         Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH): AMH, the primary marker of ovarian reserve, is a follicle production regulating hormone, essentially determining how many follicles develop into viable eggs at one time. Declining AMH levels may indicate reduced fertility.         Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH): FSH works to stimulate follicle growth and support development into eggs by increasing estrogen production. Usually, a high level of FSH between Days 2 – 4 in your menstrual cycle can be a sign of diminishing ovarian reserve.         Estradiol: This hormone supports FSH in a way where it helps regulate the menstrual cycle, bone health, and other bodily functions in a woman. When To Test Your Ovarian Reserve? While you can test your ovarian reserve anytime at your nearest fertility treatment facility, specialists would recommend a test if you’re : Over 35 and planning pregnancy  Actively trying to conceive but unsuccessful for > 6 months Suffering from conditions like endometriosis or have history of ovarian surgery Ovarian reserve testing provides women with key insights into their reproductive health and fertility, empowering them to make more informed decisions. As always, early diagnosis is helpful in developing a thoughtful, directed treatment plan to meet your fertility needs. This article is intended for educational purposes only. All contents here are general in nature and do not take into account your personal circumstances. Please consult with your health care professional to ensure you get the right diagnosis and treatment.

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April 15, 2025
Uterine Polyps and How it Affects Fertility

Uterine polyps, or endometrial polyps, are growths that develop within the uterine lining. While usually benign, they can have a significant impact on fertility and cause complications during implantation. However, its effects are most pronounced during fertility treatments like IVF. What Are Uterine Polyps? These little tissue overgrowths in the uterine cavity can range in size and even be found outside the cervix. At the moment, there is no verified medical causatory for these polyps.  How Do Uterine Polyps Impact Fertility? These little uterine growths can affect your reproductive prowess in a few ways :         Physical Barrier: Larger polyps block the fallopian passage or uterine entrance impairing fertilization or embryo implantation processes. In some cases, it may even impair the release of eggs.         Endometrial Environment: Polyps cause inflammation in the uterine lining, creating a disruption of its natural balance. The resulting unevenness of the endometrial lining can also cause difficulty in proper adhesion of the embryo for effective implantation.         Increased Risk of Miscarriage Risk: Studies suggest that these polyps may elevate miscarriage risks due to the changing morphology of the uterus as well as the disruption of the delicate chemical balance required for successful implantation. Diagnosis and Treatment The most common method of diagnosis are ultrasounds or hysteroscopy for a detailed imaging of the uterine cavity and its current morphology. Based on these results, a specialist will recommend treatments like polyp removal (hysteroscopic polypectomy). Alternatively, you can opt for treatment with progestins, but this only provides temporary relief. When preparing for IVF or even natural conceivement, it’s critical to assess and address the presence of uterine polyps to ensure a smoother road to pregnancy. Speak to a trusted fertility specialist to begin evaluation of your uterine health and curb these little growths before they become aggressive.  This article is intended for educational purposes only. All contents here are general in nature and do not take into account your personal circumstances. Please consult with your health care professional to ensure you get the right diagnosis and treatment.

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April 15, 2025
How Timelapse Monitoring is Transforming IVF Success

The evolution of promising assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures like Timelapse Monitoring has brought about a marked change in IVF solutions. Having this method as a reliable way of assessing embryo and egg health has been crucial to the increase of successful outcomes in rounds of IVF treatment. Let’s get right into how Timelapse Monitoring has been bringing about change to the fertility scene. What is Timelapse Embryo Monitoring? Timelapse embryo monitoring is a non-invasive imaging technology in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures to assess the health and viability of an embryo or its components. This setup consists of a series of high-definition cameras that continuously capture high-resolution images of embryos at regular intervals throughout their cycle before implantation. These images are then scrutinized for morphokinetic analysis, to assess cleavage patterns, blastulation timing, and allow embryologists to detect developmental anomalies early. This then helps fertility specialists pick out the healthiest most likely viable embryo to prepare for implantation. Why Timelapse Monitoring Matters The key factor here is its reliability in predicting the viability of an embryo or egg. In traditional methods, embryos were assessed periodically through their cell counts, the approximate number of divisions, and the presence of the zona pellucida. However, this only resulted in a fraction of the implantations actually carrying on. In contrast, timelapse monitoring automatically captures high-definition images of the embryo at set intervals. This means that fertility experts now have a clearer picture of nearly the entire division process leading up to implantation, giving them deeper insight into the viability of the embryo based on various factors. The implementation of Timelapse Monitoring has since resulted in increased implantation rates reaching double that of the traditional method.  How Timelapse Monitoring Helps in IVF Traditional embryo assessments were not only invasive, they required the intervention of humans – natural sources of error. But, with Timelapse Monitoring, looking into the embryonic cell at its various stages can be accurate and less invasive, in that it :       Does not require biopsies of the embryo       Minimizes handling of the embryo, preventing physical damage       Details morphology, cell division timing, and captures nearly every stage in crisp clear images. Come In AI & Big Data With AI, Timelapse Monitoring takes a step further with complex and defined algorithms detecting key developmental stages to be compared to their historical data. As a result, AI can now compare, contrast, and reliably determine which embryos have the best chance of survival at implantation. This could very well be a game-changer, further shooting up existing IVF success rates. The adoption of Timelapse Imaging to support IVF efforts are expected to completely change fertility and ART procedures as we know it. As AI models become more precise in their predictions, embryo selections will have a higher success rate, making IVF an even more reliable method of conception for those with dreams of parenthood. This article is intended for educational purposes only. All contents here are general in nature and do not take into account your personal circumstances. Please consult with your health care professional to ensure you get the right diagnosis and treatment.

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April 15, 2025
Acupuncture and Fertility : An Effective Complement To IVF

While acupuncture, a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TMC) , has been regarded as an “older medicament” reserved for muscular, digestive, and circulatory issues, many don’t realize that it’s also capable of increasing fertility. IVF is a highly successful, standalone medical procedure, but emerging reports have also shown that acupuncture may just be a solid complement to assisted reproductive technology (ART) methods. The Science Behind Acupuncture for Fertility Latest findings suggest that having an acupuncture session before an IVF or ART procedure led to increased blood flow in the uterine region and other parts of the body. Better circulation reduced instances of post-transfer uterine contractions, preserving the implanted embryo. Lower stress levels were also noted in the mothers, further facilitating a successful transfer. In addition to that, many believe that acupuncture can :       Enhance egg quality through better blood circulation in the ovarian region       Boost male fertility by improving sperm count, viability, motility, and morphology       Increased circulation better disperses and balanced reproductive hormones needed for ovulation and implantation A supporting 2018 meta-analysis in the Reproductive Biomedicine Online journal identified links between fertility acupuncture and improved IVF success rates when acupuncture was administered during the active round of IVF. How Acupuncture Can Support Each IVF Stage Prior to Egg Retrieval Before the eggs are retrieved, getting an acupuncture can help :       Stimulate the ovarian response to your medication/hormone therapy plans       Naturally increase follicle count and quality   Pre-Sperm Retrieval       Significantly improves sperm concentration and motility for better chances of fertilization       Enhances circulation in the testes to reduce oxidative stress and promote secretion of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH). Before An Embryo Transfer Preceding an embryo transfer, here’s what a fertility acupuncture can do for you :       Increases uterine blood flow and triggers cytokine production to better prepare for implantation       Reduces the risk of uterine contractions post-transfer that can lead to detachment and miscarriage During Your Two-Week Wait Here’s how an acupuncture session can support you during the 14-day wait after an implantation :       Supports crucial, early pregnancy progesterone levels by promoting better blood flow       Alleviates anxiety and stress by targeting specific calming points to enhance your overall mental and physical health Should you be considering acupuncture as a supplement to your IVF efforts, I would suggest seeking out a licensed acupuncturist with a proven track record of working with IVF patients. These days, many fertility experts are also recommending acupuncture for the benefits that it can bring to both mom and dad, as well as the growing baby, during active IVF treatment periods.  This article is intended for educational purposes only. All contents here are general in nature and do not take into account your personal circumstances. Please consult with your health care professional to ensure you get the right diagnosis and treatment.

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