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Home › Articles › Trouble Getting Pregnant › Navigating the Maze of Infertility

Navigating the Maze of Infertility

5 Steps to Fertility Success

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Step 1: The Fertility Workup
This exam is the crucial first step for couples requiring treatment for infertility. Both mom-to-be and dad-to-be participate, and the questions range from the mundane ("How old are you?" and "Have you ever had a child?") to the complex ("Did your mother take Diethylstilbestrol [DES] when she was pregnant with you?" and "Have you ever had chemotherapy or radiation to treat cancer, and if so, what specific drugs were used?"). "A physical examination, along with discussion of medical histories, lifestyle histories, timing of intercourse and even choices of undergarments for dad-to-be are fair game during the workup," says Dr. Stangel. This is also a good time to ask specific questions or to tell your doctor about anything you suspect might pertain to your infertility.

Step 2: The Hormone Check
While IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) tend to get most of the attention, the fact is that only 3 percent of infertile couples require IVF or other ARTs to conceive. "The great majority of female infertility can be attributed to hormone imbalances," Dr. Stangel says. "When this is the case, there are a number of drug and hormone therapies available to normalize the hormone levels and even some lifestyle options like weight loss or weight gain that may help regulate a woman's cycle to help conception along."

Step 3: The Sperm Check

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