[Top] 1. What is infertility? When should I consult a fertility clinic? Infertility is no conception after a period of 12 months of regular unprotected intercourse with the same partner. It is estimated that about 1/5 or 1/6 of couples that are of reproductive age are affected by infertility. Again, the age of the woman is one of the most determinant factors regarding success rate to conceive a child. It is recommended that women of 35 years of age or older are referred to the fertility Clinic after 6 months of unsuccessful unprotected intercourse, and for women of 38 years of age or older to be referred as soon as possible.
[Top] 2. What are the causes of infertility? Male factor Ovulation problems Tubular disease Unexplained Endometriosis
[Top] 3. Do babies born from IVF or ICSI procedures have an increased chance of having birth defects? The rate of birth defects is mainly related to the age of the mother. The chance of having a child with a birth defect is about the same for a woman using IVF or ICSI techniques as it is for a woman of the same age having a child naturally. Some studies seem to indicate a slightly increased risk with ICSI than IVF, but still don’t represent a significant risk.
[Top] 4. How much do fertility treatments cost? Costs for fertility treatments vary considerably, depending on the diagnostic and the treatment in question. For example, an intrauterine insemination costs $390. In the case of a more elaborate procedure, such as in vitro fertilization, it costs about $5,000 per cycle. The medication costs for this procedure, which range between $3000 and $8000, are not included. It is important to note that you are eligible for a tax credit for costs associated with fertility treatments. For more information, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281 or at www.cra-arc.gc.ca . You can also look at www.ivf.ca for access to a New Brunswick Medical Expense Tax Credit Calculator that will give you the approximate amount of this credit according to your income and medical expenses.
[Top] 5. Why is there a $175 charge for the initial consultation? Although the Conceptia Clinic is located inside the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont hospital, it is a private and non-profit Clinic. The $175 fee covers the administrative costs related to the initial consultation with the fertility specialist, including the nursing expertise and the forward planning of the required pre-treatment tests.
[Top] 6. Are the services offered by your clinic covered by private insurance companies or by Medicare? Medicare does not cover the services offered by our clinic, but some private insurance companies cover the cost of treatment and fertility drugs. Please check with your private insurance company.
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[Top] 8. What is Menopur? MENOPUR® is a highly purified preparation of naturally derived gonadotropins, called hMG. MENOPUR® contains equal amounts (75 IUs) of 2 kinds of hormonal activity: Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), which helps stimulate egg production; and Luteinizing Hormone (LH), which helps the eggs mature and release (ovulate).
[Top] 9. What is Suprefact? Suprefact (also known as GnRH) is a medication that acts on the pituitary gland to temporarily suppress the ovarian response. It appears to improve the success of IVF by increasing the number and quality of eggs. It is administered sub-cutaneously.
[Top] 10. What is HCG-PPC? What is Ovidrel? They are both purified HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). They are also given sub-cutaneously and are used to trigger ovulation.
[Top] 11. Is ovulation always on day 14 of the cycle? No, the day of ovulation can vary from one woman to the next. When a woman ovulates, the time between the ovulation and menstruation is consistent, usually between 11 and 17 days (average: 14 days) before the beginning of the following menstruation.
[Top] 12. How long can an egg survive? An egg generally survives 6 to 12 hours (up to a maximum of 24 hours ) after ovulation. [Top] 13. How long can sperm survive? Sperm can survive for an average of 3 days (up to 5 days) in the "egg white"-like cervical mucus that the woman produces at ovulation.
[Top] 14. Does stress affect fertility? The effect of stress is hard to measure, but it could affect the ovulation or delay it by disrupting the ovulatory hormonal cycle.
[Top] 15. Can I take over-the-counter medications during my stimulatory cycle? You should avoid any medication (or natural products) other than Tylenol (acetaminophen). Please consult us (or your family physician) before taking other drugs or a vaccine.
[Top] 16. Should I take a vitamin supplement? It is recommended that you take a prenatal multivitamin with 5.0 mg of folic acid for the period that you are trying to conceive and up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
[Top] 17. What do you recommend regarding coffee, tea, cigarettes or alcohol? Some evidence has shown that high caffeine levels could be associated with an increased risk of miscarriage. It is recommended to limit intake to no more than 2 caffeinated beverages per day. Try to drink decaffeinated drinks instead.
[Top] 18. Does age affect the chance of success? Women are born with a certain number of eggs (about 2 million) and 70% have already degenerated at the age of puberty. This number continues to diminish with time, especially after 35 years of age. The quality of the eggs decreases along with the number of eggs. Female age is very important in considering the probability of conception. The real issue is egg quantity & quality.
The age of the male partner does not appear to matter nearly as much. However, the sperm DNA integrity seems to be lower for older men.
[Top] 19. Why did I have "spotting" during my cycle? There are several possible explanations: - Hormonal imbalance. - It is possible to have "pink" light spotting for a 1-2 day period around the time of ovulation. This is more common with long cycles. - It is possible that ovulation did not occur and progesterone was not produced to maintain the endometrium, so spotting occurs.
[Top] 20. Why did I have "egg white"-like secretions? These cervical secretions occur prior to ovulation and are normal.
[Top] 21. How can we maximize our chances of success? For the woman:
For the man:
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