2-23-10

Infertility

Infertility affects about every nine to ten couples in the U.S.  Recent medical advances make it possible for most couples willing to undergo treatments to have a baby.

Getting pregnant can be a challenge for many couples.  If a couple has not been able to get pregnant after one year of unprotected sex, they should seek help, says Dr. Ricardo Loret de Mola, associate professor and chair of obstetrics and gynecology at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.  He says the problem tends to be equally between men and women.

SOUND BITE: “Roughly for every ten patients that we see with this complaint in the office, about I would say three times we’re going to find that it is purely because of a male factor.  About three to four times is going to be the woman.  And about three to four times we’re going to find it is actually a combination of both.”

Loret de Mola says he looks at technical aspects of the reproductive process as well as problems associated with the female anatomy including the uterus and fallopian tubes.

SOUND BITE:  “ . . . When we discussed issues and we focus on ovulation, we do hormonal tests, ovulatory tests, urine tests to look for fertility prediction and see if those are abnormal.  In the case of men, when we see the possibility of a male factor, we generally ask for a semen analysis and see if the sperm production motility, shape, etc. are within normal range.”

Loret de Mola says any couple who is having difficulty conceiving should talk with their primary care physician who may refer them to an infertility specialist or a special clinic such as the SIU Fertility and IVF Center in Springfield.

This is Ruth Slottag at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield.