Compassionate care for couples having difficulty conceiving due to infertility
Infertility is the inability to get pregnant or conceive, typically after one year of unprotected sex. There are a number of factors that may contribute to infertility, so visiting a specialist may help.
Factors that may affect fertility include:
- Age
- Irregular menstrual cycles
- Infertility issues in a prior relationship
- Prior tubal ligation or vasectomy
- Male performance issues
- Prior ruptured appendix
- Prior pelvic inflammatory disease
When should you seek help from a fertility specialist if you have signs of infertility?
- If younger than 35 years old; one year of unprotected intercourse
- 35 – 39 years old; six months of unprotected intercourse
- 40 and older; three months of unprotected intercourse
What to expect at your first fertility evaluation
Your visit with an infertility specialist may include:
- A comprehensive history taken by the infertility specialist
- An evaluation, including a vaginal ultrasound:
- Checks the uterus for problems
- Checks the ovaries to estimate the number of eggs remaining
- An evaluation of certain hormones
- A semen analysis
Common conditions we treat
There are several causes of infertility. Some of the most common conditions that may benefit from infertility treatment include:
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Endometriosis
Endometriosis happens when the tissue that normally lines the inside of a woman's uterus grows somewhere else. It commonly involves ovaries, bowel or tissue lining the pelvis.
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Ovulatory dysfunction
An irregular or absent ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary) needed for pregnancy to occur is called ovulatory dysfunction. This is one of the more frequent causes of female infertility.
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Reproductive tract abnormalities
Both acquired and developmental issues with reproductive organs describe reproductive tract abnormalities.
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Neuroendocrine dysfunction
Neuroendocrine dysfunction is a variety of conditions caused by imbalances in the body's hormone production directly related to the brain that can lead to infertility.
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Recurrent pregnancy loss
Two or more failed pregnancies with an unknown cause is defined as recurrent pregnancy loss.
Comprehensive infertility treatment options
Before you begin infertility treatment at Baylor Scott & White Health, your physician on the medical staff will explore all available options and help you decide on your treatment path.
Specific infertility treatment plans will be determined by their care team based on age, medical history, stage of infertility and personal preferences.
- Fertility medications
- Surgery (to treat things like endometriosis, fibroids, etc.)
- Intrauterine insemination (IUI)
- In vitro fertilization (IVF)
- Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection
- Assisted hatching and cryopreservation of pre-implantation embryos and sperm cells
- Embryo and semen storage (cryopreservation)
- Diagnosis and treatment of male infertility
- Vasectomy reversal
Expert advice from our blog
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