When some people are diagnosed with infertility, they sometimes want to block out the realities and not face the music. Infertility is nothing you with upon anyone but being infertile is not the end of the world. Know the facts. Seek professional help and move forward with the advice from a professional. Some [...]]]>

The Truth About Infertility

When some people are diagnosed with infertility, they sometimes want to block out the realities and not face the music. Infertility is nothing you with upon anyone but being infertile is not the end of the world. Know the facts. Seek professional help and move forward with the advice from a professional. Some things are just out of your control.

1. Some infertility is unexplained. You might never find out why you are infertile. It can literally drive you crazy searching for the cause of infertility when in fact there might not be a cause that is found. If your infertility is still unexplained after you have gone through all of the proper testing with a trusted fertility specialist, try to stop thinking about it. This is definitely one time in your life that you do not need added stress. Move on and see what kind of fertility treatments might be right for you.
2. You might be the reason you are infertile. It might be 100% your fault. You need to look at your past to rule out things you might have done that could cause infertility. Maybe you were careless in your younger years and had unprotected intercourse that lead to STD’s. Left untreated, STD’s can cause infertility. If this is the case, there is really no one to blame but yourself for being irresponsible. Or maybe you have abused drugs or alcohol. Drugs and alcohol are a major cause of infertility that can be prevented with a little common sense. Look to your past to see if there are things you have done to increase your chances of infertility.
3. Infertility can cause embarrassment. Infertility is not a hot topic people like to talk about, especially when it affects them. It’s common to feel embarrassed or ashamed of having fertility issues. Producing little or no sperm can be a huge hit to a guy’s ego. It was for me at first. This should not be the case as infertility is common and should not be look at as a “freakish” disease or condition. Get all the facts and get some help from a fertility specialist if you are diagnosed as being infertile. There are a lot of treatments that can help.
4. Infertility can be physically, mentally and emotionally damaging. Infertility causes stress in the toughest of individuals. It takes a toll on your body and mind like you’ve never experienced. You need to learn to cope with the stress of infertility in order to help overcome infertility. Stress only increases the severity of infertility so managing stress at this time is essential in optimizing your fertility.
5. Last but definitely not least, infertility might keep you from being able to have children. Sometimes, fertility treatments do not work. It depends on the causes of infertility and each case and individual are different. Just know, that if you are not able to have children, there are always other options such as adoption. There are many treatments available today as opposed to the past so opportunities to have children are much larger than they were in the past.

The most important thing to remember is that there are many different fertility treatments for many different causes of infertility. Make sure you seek a fertility specialist that you trust. Get references from friends. Shop around. Get the correct advice and educate yourself as much as possible about infertility and what you can do in your power to help improve your overall fertility.

What is an HSG?

An HSG (hystosalpingogram) is often one of the first tests conducted for a female that may be experiencing a difficult time becoming pregnant. The HSG test is an X-ray that looks in the uterus and fallopian tubes and the areas around them.

Who needs to get an HSG?

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HSG Test & Infertility

What is an HSG?

An HSG (hystosalpingogram) is often one of the first tests conducted for a female that may be experiencing a difficult time becoming pregnant. The HSG test is an X-ray that looks in the uterus and fallopian tubes and the areas around them.

Who needs to get an HSG?

An HSG test is regularly offered to any woman going through or seeking fertility treatment. An HSG test can determine a lot of fertility issues including overall uterine health.

The HSG Procedure

The HSG procedure is usually performed at the office of your reproductive endocrinologist. If your RE doesn’t have the proper equipment they may send you to the radiology department at a nearby hospital. The HSG is typically performed at least a week after your period, but before time of ovulation.

The procedure itself is relatively quick – it only takes about five to ten minutes to actually perform. Be sure to ask your doctor if they would like you to take any medications prior to the HSG procedure. It isn’t uncommon for your doctor to prescribe an antibiotic or muscle relaxant.

The HSG procedure is performed as follows:

You will lie on an examination similar to a routine pelvic exam with the speculum placed in your vagina. Some physicians will use a “block” or medication that will numb your cervix and help you to relax so that the catheter can easily be inserted through the cervix into your uterus. The doctor will slowly inject dye into the catheter so that it fills the uterine cavity. X-rays are taken as the dye streams into the fallopian tubes and flows into the abdominal cavity.

Once sufficient images are attained, the doctor or radiologist will remove the speculum and you will be asked to rest of the examination table for 20-30 minutes. It isn’t uncommon to experience abdominal cramping or even slight spotting after the procedure.

The physician may speak with you at that time about your results or they may send the information back to the referring physician.

The HSG Results

Your health care provider will sit down with you to explain the results of your HSG test. Normal results will show no blockages in your fallopian tubes and and a uterus that is of natural size and shape. Abnormal results could show one or more blockages in your fallopian tubes, uterine adhesions, or an unusual uterine shape.

What can an HSG identify?

• Damages or blockages in the fallopian tubes
• Shape of uterus
• Uterine fibroids and/or polyps
• Adhesions / scar tissue
• Endometriosis

Complications of an HSG

As with any medical or fertility procedure, there can be some complications that arise from the HSG test. These complications are fairly rare but are still risks however.

• spotting
• fainting or nausea
• uterine infection
• allergy from the iodine dye

What happens after the HSG is over?

Once the HSG is over and your results come back, the doctor can determine your next steps. If your results come back normal, this means that there were no issues detected with your fallopian tubes or uterus. If you are still experiencing difficulties getting pregnant, further testing may be needed to help diagnose your fertility problems.

It’s not uncommon for the guy to feel a little left out of the mix during the IVF process. Look at the IVF process as a whole. Your wife or partner will be the one who has to go through the most testing, take all of the medications including the dreaded injections and has [...]]]>

It’s not uncommon for the guy to feel a little left out of the mix during the IVF process. Look at the IVF process as a whole. Your wife or partner will be the one who has to go through the most testing, take all of the medications including the dreaded injections and has all of their hormones racing from the medications that she has been taking to prepare for the IVF procedure. This doesn’t even include the actual IVF procedure which includes the egg retrieval and the embryo transfer which is a huge physical, mental and emotional process that takes a toll on your partner. Needless to say, the female goes through a much harder IVF obstacle course than her husband or partner.

So, how do the guys keep in the mix of the whole IVF process? Easy….provide support for your wife or partner during this emotional and physically challenging time. Stress and anxiety levels will be sky high so keeping your mate calm should be your number one focus. It’s natural to have stress during IVF but if you are there to comfort her and keep her mind at ease, the whole process will be much smoother for both of you.

There are many things that you can do to keep her stress level down during the IVF cycle.

• Clean more so than you usually do. I know that we are not as good at cleaning that our female counterparts, but the effort will speak a thousand words. Just put in an attempt to show your wife you are trying to help relieve some of the everyday stress that she deals with.
• Cook something for your wife. If you’re like me, and burn spaghetti, you might want to order take out. You can always trick her and put it on nice china once you get home to make it look like you cooked a gourmet meal!
• Massages are always a favorite. Give your partner a massage to help her relieve stress. I don’t think many of our wives would turn down a nice massage if we offered it.
• Let her know that you are there if she needs anything. Saying this says a lot. Sometimes they just want to hear that we care. Show her you care by being there for her.
• Go to the doctor appointments with her. Unless you have work obligations or some other obligation, try and make the fertility clinic appointments with your wife. It shows your support in the whole IVF process and you can also learn a great deal about IVF by attending the appointments.
• Tell her you love what she’s doing for your family and that you truly appreciate the sacrifice she is taking. IVF is stressful, emotional, physically challenging and mentally challenging. Let your partner know she is doing a wonderful thing.

It’s definitely not rocket science. Just prove to your wife or partner that you are there for whatever she needs. She’s definitely doing the hard part!

Ladies…what has your guy done to support you through the IVF process? Please leave comments! Thank you.