Top Ten Misconceptions About Infertility Treatment

When a couple is having difficulty conceiving, accurate information about all aspects of their fertility can actually help them conceive more quickly. That information can go beyond the usual medical information about the woman’s cycle, timing of intercourse and other issues related to maximizing their chance of conceiving. It can also include information to make them better consumers by knowing where to get the best care and what treatments make sense especially if they need assisted reproductive procedures such as IVF. Because “misconceptions” can lead to a “missed conception,” I wrote my latest book, “Conceptions & Misconceptions” (Hartley & Marks Publishers, Pt. Roberts, WA 2004). The top ten misconceptions about infertility treatment are:

1. . “Our goal is to become pregnant.” Actually the goal should be to have a healthy baby. A lot can happen between pregnancy and a healthy baby. Keep you eye on the real goal.
2. “Success is not everything; it’s the only thing.” The point is, when you are searching for a doctor or clinic to perform an assisted reproductive procedure, the success rate of that center is not the only factor to consider.
3. “Ethics, shmethics! All we want is a baby.” It might seem best to do anything you can to achieve your goal. However, following ethical principles may protect you from potential harm.
4. “More is better.” One might assume that if something is good, more of it would be better. This is a misconception when applied to assisted reproductive technology. Too much of a good thing can quickly get you into big trouble. The most critical example would be that placing too many embryos back into the uterus for one's age in in vitro fertilization can lead to a triplet (or more) pregnancy which may present potentially dangerous problems for mother and children.
5. “Don’t worry; this is a ‘simple’ procedure.” This is an easy misconception to explain because there is no such thing as a simple medical procedure.
6. "Don't put all your eggs in one basket." If you are going through assisted reproduction, you will want all your eggs "in one basket." Not only will you want them in one basket, you will want to make sure that it's your basket. That's a metaphor for making sure that there are no mistakes made with your eggs. Furthermore, you want to make sure that someone doesn't take them out of your basket and put them in someone else's without your knowledge or permission like happened in the U. C. Irvine fertility scandal.
7. “Let the doctor decide: he/she knows best.” There are many things about which the doctor knows best. But does this mean that you should leave all the decisions to the doctor without any input from you? Of course not.
8. “There is such a thing as a free lunch.” If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. . Since the early days of assisted reproduction, the enthusiasm of some of its practitioners has led to a variety of advertising claims and marketing schemes. You need to be a careful consumer.
9. “Don’t worry. I’m sure our insurance covers this.” Wrong. Most people do not have infertility coverage.
10. “Trust me. I’m a doctor.” If you are considering the possibility of ART, you are going to need to put a great deal of trust in a team of physicians, scientists, and other medical personnel. We feel that the vast majority of teams doing this work are deserving of your trust. But unfortunately, you cannot rely on blind trust.

If you keep these misconceptions in mind when you seek fertility treatment you will be a better consumer, which will make you more likely to succeed.

Erectile Dysfunction and Infertility

Studies have found that sexual dysfunction is present in about 20-25% of infertile couples. Clearly adequate sexual function will contribute to the success of fertility treatments, but more importantly, sexual dysfunction can be a source of stress and conflict within the couple’s relationship, and the stress in turn can reduce the chance of a successful outcome. Erectile dysfunction can be further worsened by performance anxiety and the pressure to time relations or a procedure to the woman’s ovulation.
Fortunately one of our physicians, Dr. Meldrum in Redondo Beach, CA, has developed an avid interest in this problem, and has developed a web site and written a book outlining the many things men can do to solve this problem. It turns out according to Dr. Meldrum’s research, that drugs such as Viagra should be the last resort.
Click on the following link to Dr. Meldrum’s web site, www.erectile-function.com, and you will learn about the physiology and biochemistry of erectile function so that you can start on the path toward a more pleasurable and fulfilling sexual relationship. Download his book, “Survival of the Firmest”, that will give you all the details.
If you prefer an in-person evaluation with Dr. Meldrum, you can schedule an appointment by calling 1-877-273-7763.