Infertility

Each cycle a sexually active adult has unprotected intercourse during a woman’s “fertile window”, the normal chance of conception (fecundability rate) is around 20-25%. The traditional definition of infertility is when a sexually active heterosexual couple does not conceive within 12 months without contraception. In women older than 35 years old, this interval is decreased to six months.

Causes:

Lifestyle factors can affect the ability of a couple to conceive. It is important for both partners to abstain from smoking, illicit drug use, and excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine. Maintaining a healthy body with diet and exercise also contributes to fecundability.

There are many reasons a couple may have difficulty conceiving. Some couples may have more than one issue affecting their fecundability. Some of the problems encountered include:

Male factor – i.e. hormonal or testicular problems
Ovulation dysfunction – i.e. PCOS or diminished ovarian reserve
Tubal factors – i.e. tubal blockage or absence of Fallopian tubes
Uterine factors – i.e. fibroids or polyps, cervical stenosis
Endometriosis – inflammation or scarring of the pelvis
Unexplained – infertility in a couple with no other issues

Evaluation:

When a couple meets criteria for infertility, an array of tests are offered to diagnose the reason for the problem.

Ovulation tracking – ovulation prediction kit testing
Hormonal testing – an array of blood tests that evaluate a woman’s endocrine system including ovarian reserve testing, confirmation of ovulation, and evaluation of pituitary and thyroid gland function
Anatomic testing – ultrasound can be used to evaluate a woman’s uterine cavity (saline sonogram) and patency of her fallopian tubes (FemVue). A hysterosalpingogram (HSG) x-ray test can also be performed to confirm tubal patency
Male factor testing – a man can undergo a semen analysis to check for sperm counts, motility, and morphology (shape) of his sperm cells

Treatment:

We offer a variety of treatments to improve a couple’s chance of pregnancy, catering to the problems that are identified after infertility testing.

Ovulation induction – oral medications that increase ovulation
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) – inserting a concentrated semen sample into the uterus to increase the chance of conception by providing more sperm cells closer to the Fallopian tubes
Laparoscopy – minimally invasive surgery to treat pelvic scar tissue or endometriosis
Hysteroscopy – minimally invasive surgery to treat polyps, fibroids, or scar tissues inside of the uterine cavity

· Referral to an infertility specialist to discuss higher level treatments such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), egg donation, or surrogacy

To learn more about our infertility services or to schedule an appointment, please call our main office at (404) 255-3633. You can also use our online Request an Appointment form. Our infertility patients come to us from the area of Buckhead in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Roswell, Forsyth, Cumming, North Atlanta and, Sandy Springs in Fulton County, GA.

Infertility

Causes:

Evaluation:

Treatment:

Choose Your Preferred Location

Obstetrical Care

Gynecological Care

Follow Us On