Not every patient achieves success on their first attempt, but that doesn’t mean future attempts will be unsuccessful. Couples facing infertility are often searching for ways to enhance their chances of conceiving. If you’ve faced the disappointment of a negative pregnancy test, you might find yourself asking, “What can I do to improve my chances of getting pregnant next time?”
The professionals at At Home Insemination share the same goal as our patients: to boost the likelihood of pregnancy and ultimately bring home a baby. When a cycle doesn’t yield the desired outcome, our team meticulously reviews the treatment plan and its results to identify potential adjustments that could enhance the chances of success in the next cycle.
Collaborative Approach
“The great thing about being part of a large practice,” mentions Alex Thompson, a reproductive endocrinologist at our facility, “is that our physicians come from diverse backgrounds and have received training from various institutions, allowing us to bring unique perspectives to patient care.”
At Home Insemination promotes a collaborative atmosphere in every aspect of patient care. Our physicians routinely consult one another, whether through formal meetings or informal emails. “If I need feedback on a patient, I can reach out to all my colleagues easily,” says Thompson. Our electronic medical record system ensures that all physicians can access and review patient histories and notes, facilitating comprehensive evaluations at any time. Additionally, we hold weekly meetings to anonymously discuss complex patient cases and the latest research findings, collectively refining our approaches to enhance our patients’ success rates.
An invaluable resource for our team is our embryology staff, who, with their extensive experience from handling thousands of IVF cycles annually, provide insightful guidance for treatment plans.
Starting Off Right
Success begins with selecting the most appropriate treatment plan for each patient. “My choices regarding treatment plans and medication dosages stem from the results of the patient’s pre-screening tests,” explains Thompson. “Each test provides a piece of the patient’s overall picture, and we can gather a lot of information from a few simple tests: the patient’s age and fertility history.”
The initial test is the blood work conducted on the third day of the menstrual cycle, commonly referred to as “Day 3 blood work.” This test measures levels of E2, FSH, and LH. E2 indicates estrogen levels, FSH is crucial for egg maturation, and LH is vital for the final maturation and release of eggs. Together with the patient’s age, this information is one of the best predictors of potential success.
However, blood work alone doesn’t tell the whole story. We also evaluate sperm health through a semen analysis (SA), which measures sperm count, motility, and morphology. The final critical test is the Hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which checks for abnormalities in the uterine cavity and the condition of the fallopian tubes. Conditions like hydrosalpinx can significantly decrease pregnancy rates, often making IVF the preferred option for patients with blocked tubes.
Each piece of data contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the patient’s situation, enabling us to select the most effective treatment strategy, whether that be IUI, IVF, or the use of donor eggs.
Tailored Monitoring
The treatment cycle begins with the stimulation phase, during which medications help develop follicles. Patients will typically have frequent monitoring appointments, with the number varying by treatment type. For IUI cycles, patients have about 3-6 monitoring visits, while IVF patients may experience 5-8 in a two-week span.
During these appointments, patients undergo ultrasounds and blood tests, providing essential insights into how the cycle is progressing. “I assess how egg follicles are developing and the estrogen levels,” Thompson notes. “If a patient is responding too quickly, we may need to adjust the medication dosage. If past cycles showed underdeveloped eggs, we might extend the stimulation phase.”
Frequent monitoring enables our physicians to closely follow each cycle’s progress and adapt the treatment plan accordingly for optimal outcomes.
In IVF cases, updates continue post-egg retrieval and fertilization, with both doctors and patients receiving daily status reports on embryo development. Our physicians often collaborate with embryologists to gather detailed insights, ensuring that each decision, from the timing of embryo transfer to overall treatment strategy, is well-informed.
In conclusion, the journey to conception can be complex, but by working collaboratively and optimizing each step, we strive to enhance the chances of success for our patients. For more on perseverance in the face of challenges, you can check out our blog post here. Additionally, if you’re exploring options for home insemination, you can find expert insights at Make a Mom and American Pregnancy.