My Approach to Fertility Assessment
If you and your partner are struggling to conceive, you’re not alone. Fertility problems are becoming increasingly more common, with up to 1 in 6 of Canadian couples struggling to get pregnant. The good news is that there are options!
Infertility can be connected to either the man or the women or a combination of both, so it is important for both partners to be considered. If your doctor suspects there is a reason you have not conceived, there are a number of tests that can be done to determine your fertility and that of your partner. On occasion a thorough lifestyle history can uncover some of the common causes of infertility but in many cases additional testing is required to get a full diagnostic assessment. Additional testing may include:
Maternal nutrition
Assessment of Vitamin D and iron status, inadequate levels have been linked to infertility
>Discussion around the ideal diet to support overall health and fertility; Nutrition during the pre-conception period has shown to be an important determinant in the health of the child
Assessment of menstrual cycle
Confirmation of ovulation with day 21 progesterone levels
Comprehensive thyroid function testing, prolactin levels and day 3 estradiol to rule out ovulatory conditions
Testing for Ovarian Reserve
FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) is a critical reproductive hormone which is central to ovarian function, this hormone increases as ovarian reserve goes down
AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone) is a hormone produced by follicles and can be measured on a blood test to help determine an estimate of the egg reserve
Sperm quality and quantity
Up to 40% of infertility causes are due to male factors
>Modifiable lifestyle factors have been shown to improve these basic sperm parameters
If you are having difficulties conceiving, we can work together to try and uncover the underlying cause to help improve chances of natural conception or support you alongside ART.
To learn more contact us to schedule a free 15 minute consultation.
Chavarro JE, Rich-Edwards JW, Rosner BA, Willett WC. Iron intake and risk of ovulatory infertility. Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Nov;108(5):1145-52. PubMed PMID: 17077236.
Grzechocinska B, Dabrowski FA, Cyganek A, Wielgos M. The role of vitamin D in impaired fertility treatment. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2013;34(8):756-62. Review. PubMed PMID: 24522025.
Magdi, Y., Darwish, E., Elbashir, S., Majzoub, A., & Agarwal, A. (2016). Effect of modifiable lifestyle factors and antioxidant treatment on semen parameters of men with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia. Andrologia, 49(7)
