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Ten Common Infertility Myths
There are many myths about infertility and infertility treatments. Don't be fooled! Following the wrong advice or believing in myth can lead to delay in receiving correct diagnosis and treatment, leading to the loss of potentially limited "biological clock."
[1] Infertility couples just need to relax.
A widely reported recent study, published in British Medical Journal, showed that stress has nothing to do with infertility, showing that relaxing - not worrying about infertility - will not help infertility patients get pregnant. Even worse, when a woman who might have infertility doesn't pursue diagnosis and treatment, her chance of pregnancy becomes smaller and smaller, as she becomes older (the so-called "biological clock."). This is a horrible advice that no one should take seriously.
[2] Inability to conceive is usually the woman's fault.
Approximately 55-60% of all infertility/sterility can be traced to a cause in the woman. However, approximately 45-45% comes from male infertility issues. In about 25% of couples with infertility/sterility, there is a problem in both male and female.
[3] Infertility can sometimes be "unexplained."
CHR does not believe in so-called "unexplained infertility." Unexplained infertility still remains a popular diagnosis at many other infertility centers. However, this diagnosis usually only means that something important has been overlooked during the diagnostic process.
[4] Infertility can always be overcome.
We are, indeed, coming closer and closer to being able to say that we can successfully treat all infertility, but there are still a few circumstances where we have to throw up our arms, unless, of course, we resort to egg donation, semen donation or embryo donation.
[5] As long as a woman menstruates, she can conceive.
If all women with menstruation could conceive, it would allow women to conceive up to age 51 years, the average age of menopause. The truth, however, is that female fertility declines with advancing age. This decline speeds up after age 38 years. After age 42, women rarely can conceive; after age 45, they almost never conceive spontaneously.
[6] A man without sperm in his ejaculate needs a semen donor.
There are various reasons why a man may have no sperm in his ejaculate. In many instances, he still produces sperm in his testicles but this sperm doesn't find its way into the ejaculate. In these cases, semen can be found in small quantities in the testicles. This can used for in vitro fertilization (IVF) with his female partner. Indeed, approximately 85% of azoospermic males (who have no semen in their ejaculate) can still become genetic fathers of their children this way.
[7] A woman with high FSH always needs donor eggs to conceive.
This, too, is incorrect! Women with significantly elevated FSH or high FSH can often still conceive with their own eggs, especially if they are under age 40 years and FSH is under 40.0 mIU/mL. CHR has established literally hundreds of pregnancies in women with elevated FSH, and constantly establishes new pregnancies in women who have been told that their only chance of conception is through egg donation.
[8] Ovarian reserve cannot be improved.
Those who make this claim have never used dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation, because those who have used DHEA supplementation (and those who have read the published literature) know that DHEA will objectively improve ovarian reserve measurements in many women.
[9] You can judge infertility centers by their SART-reported IVF pregnancy rates.
The IVF pregnancy rates that a fertility center posts are, indeed, very important. However, be careful how you read those rates! Many IVF centers simply shun difficult patients in order to maintain "good" pregnancy rates. Therefore, be careful when IVF centers have artificial age or FSH cut-offs, or if they cancel IVF cycles unless you have at least 4, 5 or 6 follicles. What these centers are (smartly!) doing is to carefully "select" their patients. BY never taking patients with poor chances of reaching egg retrieval, these IVF centers, of course, will show better overall pregnancy rates. Just don't try to get pregnant at such centers, if you have a real fertility problem!
[10] All infertility/IVF centers are the same.
All infertility centers, of course, are not the same! CHR does not have artificial age cut-offs or FSH cut-offs; we do not cancel IVF cycles because of too few follicles, if patients are already on maximal ovarian stimulation. This is why close to 90% of all new patients at CHR have previously had failed IVF cycles at other IVF centers, and many have been told that their only chance of pregnancy is through egg donation. CHR is different! This is why CHR is the right IVF center for you, if other centers don't accept you because you have a real fertility problem.
If you have any questions, please contact us for a free email consultation.
Last Updated: November 8, 2011
