Infertility

Infertility is defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after a year of trying to conceive, or after six months if the woman is over the age of 35. This condition, which affects 12-18% of couples, is commonly thought to be a disease with no real cure, one that can only be treated with expensive workarounds (such as IUI or IVF) that fail to correct the underlying cause of the infertility.

At Veritas Fertility & Surgery, we recognize that infertility is a symptom of an underlying condition that must be diagnosed and successfully treated.  This is what sets us apart from other fertility clinics.

After a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation, a personalized treatment plan is developed for each of our patients to address the underlying causes of a couple’s infertility. With this approach, our patients have a 70-75% chance of achieving pregnancy. What is more, pregnancy is achieved in a state of optimized health.

While infertility can be very challenging for couples – and often leaves them feeling alone as they struggle to find answers – the good news is that there is hope! Even for couples who have been trying to achieve pregnancy for years, most infertility cases can be successfully treated with proper diagnostic evaluation and targeted medication and surgery.

Both male and female factors can contribute to infertility, and many couples have more than one factor at play. While nearly 40% of infertility cases stem from female factors only, as many as one-third are related to male factors, with the remaining instances due to a combination of both.

Common causes of infertility include:

• Ovulation disorders
• Endometriosis
• Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes
• Uterine abnormalities (such as fibroids, adhesions, or adenomyosis)
• Hormonal issues (such as hypothyroidism)
• Limited cervical mucus
• Pelvic adhesions
• Low sperm counts or poor sperm motility

At Veritas Fertility & Surgery, we provide a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation which includes testing such as:

• Blood tests
• Ultrasounds
• Follicle ultrasound series
• Hysterosalpingogram (HSG)
• Diagnostic hysteroscopy
• Diagnostic laparoscopy (in select cases)
• Semen analysis

To aid in the diagnostic evaluation, we often recommend that patients track their cycles using the Creighton Model FertilityCare System, a standardized method of observing a woman’s reproductive system using specific biomarkers.

Women and couples can learn how to use the Creighton Model through one-on-one instruction with a FertilityCare Practitioner.  Charting with the Creighton Model provides specific information about a woman’s gynecologic health and fertility, allowing us to accurately time the use of ultrasounds, labs and medications as well as enabling a couple to identify the fertile window of each cycle.

While most fertility clinics follow set treatment protocols using ovulation medications, IUI or IVF regardless of the causes of infertility, we take a different approach.

By performing comprehensive diagnostic testing, we identify the underlying causes of infertility and create a tailored treatment plan for each couple.

By correcting the underlying causes of infertility, we not only help couples achieve pregnancy naturally, we also restore optimal reproductive and gynecologic health.

To accomplish this, Veritas Fertility & Surgery employs on specialized medical and surgical treatments. Medications and supplements are used to promote normal ovulation and hormonal function, improve endometrial receptivity, correct endocrine issues, optimize cervical mucus and improve sperm counts and quality. Creighton Model tracking of the menstrual cycle throughout the process helps us determine whether treatments are having their intended effect.

In some cases, couples undergo a combination of both medical and surgical treatments. Minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery may be recommended if:

• A woman’s cycle appears normal but she is suffering from symptoms such as heavy or painful periods that suggest the presence of endometriosis, pelvic adhesions, or uterine fibroids
• Diagnostic testing identifies a specific abnormality of the uterus, tubes or ovaries which would be a direct cause of infertility or would increase a woman’s risk of miscarriage
• A couple does not achieve pregnancy within six months despite medical treatments

Our specialized form of laparoscopic surgery, called advanced reproductive surgery, not only provides a timely and accurate diagnosis of conditions which cause infertility but also allows us to simultaneously perform precise corrective surgery that improves symptoms and increases chances for pregnancy.

Our approach to treating gynecologic problems and infertility utilizes NaProTECHNOLOGY, a system of medical and surgical treatments that works cooperatively with a woman’s reproductive system and promotes wellness and the ability to achieve pregnancy naturally.

Our dedication to uncovering the causes of infertility and our expertise in treating them sets us apart from other fertility clinics, which typically recommend only limited diagnostic testing before recommending IUI or IVF. Our experience has shown us that women and couples are looking for answers and for real solutions to their infertility problem instead of expensive work-around treatments that fail to correct the underlying issues. Our approach supports the health of the couple and helps them to achieve pregnancy naturally.