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What Most People Don’t Know About Infertility

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Infertility means a woman can’t get pregnant after a full year of dedicated trying, or six months if the woman is 35 or older. If you’re struggling to stay pregnant, you may also be diagnosed with infertility.

At California Center for Reproductive Health, our specialists have treated thousands of women, men, and couples struggling with infertility. Many of these patients come in without a full understanding of what it means to be infertile.

Here’s what we want you to know about infertility.

Getting pregnant isn’t easy

When you’re trying to get pregnant, it seems like everyone is having an easy time of it — except you. The truth is: Getting pregnant is a complex process. Many steps have to play out just right for a couple to create a pregnancy:

  • The woman must be able to produce and release an egg from her ovaries
  • The egg must have a clear path through the fallopian tubes toward the uterus
  • The man’s sperm must be healthy and be able to meet the egg along the way
  • The fertilized egg has to successfully attach to the inside of the uterus

Multiple problems can happen with any of these steps, preventing conception and causing infertility.

It’s not always the woman’s issue

Often, a woman who has trouble conceiving blames herself. But, infertility can be a result of problems with the man or combined problems in a couple. Only one-third of infertility cases are caused by women’s problems.

Another third of infertility cases are due to problems with the man’s body or sperm quality. The last third of infertility cases are caused by unknown problems or a combination of issues with the man and woman.

Women may be infertile due to untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea, failure to ovulate, blockages in the fallopian tubes, poor egg quality, uterine irregularities, endometriosis, or uterine fibroids.

Common reasons a man may struggle with infertility include untreated chlamydia or gonorrhea, low sperm count or poor sperm motility, irregularly formed sperm, thick semen, or a lack of sperm altogether.

Infertility isn’t only the inability to conceive

Recurrent pregnancy loss is also considered a form of infertility. We offer comprehensive work-ups if you’ve experienced two or more first trimester miscarriages or one or more second trimester miscarriages.

Losing a pregnancy is devastating, and we also offer counseling and support to help you through your grief. Be comforted, though, that in the vast majority of cases, we can offer treatments that greatly reduce your risk of having another miscarriage.

Infertility is common

About one in every six couples has trouble getting pregnant or staying pregnant. More than 7.4 million women have received infertility services in their lifetimes. About 10% of all males in the United States who are trying to conceive suffer from infertility.

We work with you to identify the reason for your trouble conceiving and offer real solutions, including IVF and embryo transfer.

Age matters

When a woman waits until after age 35 to try to have children, it can be a factor in fertility problems. As a woman gets older, her ovaries are l

Miscarriages are more common in women older than 35, and health problems that cause complications for pregnancy are more common in this age group.

At California Center for Reproductive Health, we understand that life doesn’t always cooperate with your biological fertility timeline. We can help with egg freezing, egg donation, embryo freezing, surrogacy, artificial insemination, and other solutions to your infertility.

If you’re struggling with infertility, solutions are available. We support couples’ infertility journeys and help them go on to have healthy pregnancies.

Call one of our offices in Encino, Alhambra, Valencia, or West Hollywood, or use this website to request a consultation. Our compassionate team helps you determine the best way to overcome infertility and create your family.

See Dr. Mor’s Publications

Eliran Mor, MD

Reproductive Endocrinologist located in Encino, Santa Monica, Valencia & West Hollywood, CA
Reproductive Endocrinologist located in Encino, Valencia & West Hollywood, CA Doctor Mor received his medical degree from Tel Aviv University-Sackler School of Medicine in Israel. He completed a four-year residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, New York. Subsequently, Dr. Mor completed a three-year fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility […]
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FAQ

What does a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist do?

Reproductive endocrinology and Infertility is a sub-specialty of Obstetrics and Gynecology. In addition to managing medical and surgical treatment of disorders of the female reproductive tract, reproductive endocrinologist and infertility (REI) specialists undergo additional years of training to provide fertility treatments using assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as in vitro fertilization.

Reproductive endocrinologists receive board certification by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.

When should I see an REI specialist?

In general, patients should consider consulting with an REI specialist after one year of trying unsuccessfully to achieve pregnancy. The chance of conceiving every month is around 20%, therefore after a full year of trying approximately 15% of couples will still not have achieved a pregnancy.

However, if a woman is over the age of 35 it would be reasonable to see a fertility specialist earlier, typically after 6 months of trying.

Other candidates to seek earlier treatment are women who have irregular menses, endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), women who have had 2 or more miscarriages, or problems with the fallopian tubes (prior ectopic pregnancy).

What are the reasons we are having trouble conceiving?

Approximately 1/3 of the time cause for infertility is a female factor, 1/3 of the time a male factor, and the remaining 1/3 a couples’ factor.

At CCRH, we emphasize the importance of establishing a correct diagnosis. Both partners undergo a comprehensive evaluation including a medical history and physical exam.

Furthremore, the woman’s ovarian reserve is assessed with a pelvic ultrasound and a hormonal profile. A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) will confirm fallopian tube patency and the uterine cavity is free of intracavitary lesions. A semen analysis is also obtained to evaluate for concentration, motility, and morphology of the sperm.

Additional work up is then individualized to direct the best possible treatment option for each couple.

What is IVF? What is the process like?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the process that involves fertilization of an egg outside of a woman’s body.

The process starts with fertility drugs prescribed to help stimulate egg development. In your natural cycle, your body is only able to grow one dominant egg, but with stimulation medication we can recruit multiple eggs to continue to grow. After about 8-10 days of stimulation, the eggs are surgically retrieved and then fertilized with sperm in a specialized laboratory. Fertilized eggs are then cultured under a strictly controlled environment within specialized incubators in the IVF laboratory for 3-5 days while they develop as embryos. Finally, embryos (or an embryo) are transferred into the uterine cavity for implantation.

Should I have IVF?

Before deciding if IVF is the right choice, it’s important to sit down with an REI specialist to discuss available treatment options. For some people, other methods such as fertility drugs, intrauterine insemination (IUI) may be the best first choice treatment. At CCRH, we believe each individual couple is unique and not everyone needs IVF.

Is the IVF procedure painful?

While not painful, the fertility medications may some side effects including headaches, hot flashes, mood swings, and bloating. The injection sites may also bruise.

Will IVF guarantee a baby?

Unfortunately, no. Many people think once they start IVF it’s a matter of time that they will be pregnant and have a baby. But according to national statistics per the Society of Assisted Reproduction (SART), on average 40% of assisted reproduction cycles achieve live births in women under age 35. The chances of success then continue to decrease with advancing age.

At CCRH, we employ only evidence-based interventions to ensure patient safety and optimal outcome. While we cannot guarantee a baby, we guarantee that you will receive the best, most advanced, personalized care to help you maximize your chance of a baby.

What is the success rate for IVF?

The average IVF success rate (success measured in live birth rate) using one’s own eggs begins to drop around age 35 and then rapidly after age 40. This is due to the decline in egg quantity and egg quality as a woman ages.

Our clinic’s success rate consistently beats the national average year after year.

Do insurance plans cover infertility treatment? How much does IVF cost?

Individual insurance plans often do not have any coverage for infertility treatments. If you have a group plan, you can call members services to see if they have coverage for infertility (including consultation/workup and IVF).

After your consultation with our REI specialist, one of our dedicated account managers with sit with you to go over the cost of treatment.

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