Our Blog

Wow, the Internet is a vast space full of information and now video. The other day I was looking up some information about injectable fertility drugs and I came across over 100 videos of people giving themselves fertility injections. I was struck by how some of them were using, what I would consider, antique protocols where they were still mixing "old school" medications. There were mislabeled videos, one in particular shows someone getting an IV (intravenous catheter) started in their arm, it was called "inserting IVF". If I had been a potential patient I would have cancelled my appointment with a fertility specialist right then and there! There is a video of a woman giving herself injections (she is rather overweight and probably has an ovulation disorder) for her IVF cycle. Then you see later, how her now third cycle is cancelled because her estradiol level went above 22,000! What? 22,000! I immediately thought, "who was the doctor who would let this woman even get near that level of estradiol?" This is crazy!

It is very difficult in the Information Age to discern what is appropriate and inappropriate to read, watch or listen to. There is so much out there and it can be frightening and misleading. I am not saying that information is bad, and certainly knowledge is power, however, in this environment patients, physicians, nurses and families need to be concerned with over information and bad information.

When researching information about fertility treatment there are some tried and true places to get accurate, medically reviewed information. My favorite site is sponsored by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). They have a patient portal with valuable, current information on treatment, fertility related diseases, procedures and many other related topics. Other sites like: Resolve, a national support group and Fertile Hope, a site geared to patients who are cancer surviors or have just been diagnosed with cancer; Fertility Journey, sponsored by Organon; and Fertility Lifelines, sponsored by EMD Serono also offer good, medically reviewed information on a variety of fertility related topics.

So, when you are out there looking in this vast space known as the Internet, be aware of the potential for misinformation. Don’t let yourself be sucked into amateur sites with people’s "fertility nightmares". You want the information you receive to empower you, not frighten you.

Patients are always asking: What can I do to improve my chances of pregnancy?

There are lots and lots of information on the internet about fertility therapy and treatment. Some of it is good information and some of it is not. Here is what we have discovered after many years of treating patients.

1. Seek qualified medical treatment early. If you are having trouble conceiving, seek the assistance of a Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility specialist sooner rather than later. Many people wait to seek assistance, often turning what would have been an easy problem to fix into a very difficult situation.

2. Your general health contributes to your reproductive health. Diet and nutrition play key roles in reproductive success. Exercise is also a fundamental of successful pregnancy. Our recommendations are as follows:

Eat a well balanced diet that is primarily plant based. Eliminate junk food and foods that are processed. Read labels, if the label has ingredients that you cannot pronounce or you cannot identify, DO NOT EAT IT. Avoid modified corn starch and high fructose corn syrup, potatoes, artificial sugars and more than one serving of red meat per week. Diets that are rich in salmon and sardines, walnuts, flax seed and other high Omega 3 foods are crucial to healthy conception and pregnancy. Whole fat dairy (equivalent to one 8 oz serving per day) like milk, cheese and yoghurt (without sugar or sugar substitutes) are proving to be instrumental in the production of good quality oocytes (eggs).

Exercise at least one hour per day! There are no excuses. Walking, weight training, swimming, bike riding, dancing, exercise classes, the list is endless. Mix it up, have some fun. Turn off the TV and computer. Not only will this improve your chances of conception, but it will reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, obesity and cancer. We could go on and on….

Acupuncture improves fertility. Patients undergoing IVF who had acupuncture improved their chances of conception from one in five to one in three.

3. Your mind has a powerful influence on fertility. How you think and feel and your stress levels influence your reproductive success. Playing the tape that you are inadequate and cannot have a baby in your head actually influence your ability to have a baby. Stress produces hormones in our body that are contradictory to conception. This goes back to our primitive days when wild animals were chasing us and we had to hunt and gather our food. If a woman did not have enough to eat and was being stalked by a tiger, her body would stop ovulating. Why? Because it would be a very bad time to be pregnant, the baby and the mother would not survive. Our brains have not evolved enough to differentiate between tiger and job stress and panic over not being able to conceive. That is why programs like the Mind-Body Medicine Skills Group were developed. Patients who complete the program are twice as likely to conceive as those who do not. The program actually teaches patients how to decrease stress and focus the powerful energy of the mind on a positive outcome.

Our practice strives to integrate all aspects of fertility treatment; technology and medication with wellness and mindfulness. Infertility affects the whole person, not just the reproductive organs.

Be healthy and fruitful!

Dear Patients and Potential Patients;

We are excited to use this new technology to give our patients information about our practice and to be able to discuss new developments in infertility. As a starting point, we invite you to e-mail us at info@ivftucson.com and let us know what you are interested in learning about. Would you like to know more about nutrition and fertility or about special techniques used to improve pregnancy rates? How about our stand on multiple gestations or how stress influences conception? Your input will be appreciated so that we can tailor this space to your needs.

So, send us your thoughts and check back with us in a few days for the first real posting…..

Cheers,

Dr. Scot Hutchison