Listen Up!

“NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK (NIAW) is not just about awareness for one week but it is much more than that. It is a movement that, since 1989 has set out to reduce the stigma associated with infertility, to educate the public about reproductive health issues and set guidelines to deal with it.”

The founder of this movement, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, has made it their mission to unite all the people struggling with infertility, the professionals, corporate partners, and the media to:

Enhance public understanding that infertility needs and deserves attention.

Ensure that people trying to build a family know the guidelines for seeing a fertility specialist.

Educate lawmakers about how infertility impacts people in their state.

In 2010, National Infertility Awareness Week became a federally recognized Health Observance by the Department of Health and Human Service

This year the slogan given by RESOLVE is “Listen Up!” This public awareness campaign is created so anyone who cares about the infertility community can feel empowered to do something that makes a difference, either in your own family building journey or to help someone else. 1 in 8 couples struggles to build a family. Infertility does not discriminate based on race, religion, sexuality or economic status. This is our time to work together as a community and boldly kick down the barriers that impact millions of people each day.

So we at FAKIH IVF urge one and all to “Listen Up!” and become part of this brave movement. So how can you help???

Listen Up! It’s time to understand how infertility affects you and how you can win over it.

The clinical experts at Fakih IVF help you understand the problem better, categorize the type of fertility issue you have using appropriate tests, create a clear customized treatment plan & provide guidance to overcome the challenges. Our proven evidence-based protocols and on-going oversight gives our patients the peace of mind in knowing that their specific fertility care plan is based on in-depth analysis of data and medical review of the literature.

Listen Up! Couples with fertility issues – Join the Fakih IVF Facebook Page to help build a community that understands your needs and helps support efforts to build a family.

Listen Up! Do you know when to see a fertility specialist? 

Wait a year:

If you are in your 20s and early 30s and you are healthy, try to conceive or at least not use birth control for 12 months before seeing a doctor.

Wait six months:

After 35, a woman is labeled “advanced maternal age.” Even though that term makes us cringe—since when is 35 old???—the chances of conceiving start dipping around that age.

Right away:

After 40, a woman’s eggs drop in quality as well as quantity, so not only are the chances of conceiving fewer, but the risk for miscarriage is greater.

You have a known reproductive issue – “Women with known issues, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis, the absence of periods, irregular cycles or pelvic pain should be evaluated as soon as they begin attempting pregnancy, Waiting 6 to 12 months is not always productive in such cases.” Many women with PCOS don’t ovulate, so you’ll need medications to help jump-start it. Endometriosis is trickier—it could result in blocked fallopian tubes, diminished ovarian reserve or nothing at all depending on its severity, which a fertility check-up can determine.

You have a thyroid condition – “Abnormal thyroid function may be associated with infertility, miscarriage, and abnormalities of fetal brain development,”

You’ve had multiple miscarriages – “Anatomic problems with the uterus, such as a uterine septum or scar tissue, Genetic disorders/ chromosomal translocation, and issues related to blood clotting (Thrombophilia) may also be linked with recurrent miscarriage.”

Your BMI is high or low – “Women with a BMI [body mass index] under 18 or over 30 may be at higher risk for infertility and also complications during pregnancy,”

You have a complicated medical history – “Patients with chronic medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and heart or kidney disease should see a fertility specialist sooner to discuss their chance of pregnancy and to plan for a safe pregnancy, “Cancer survivors should also have a fertility workup. “Chemotherapy can affect sperm production and a woman’s egg supply, even if she has recovered and has normal periods.”

Your mom went through menopause early – A family history of early menopause, before the age of 40, in a mother or sister may be an indicator that your fertility may also decline at an earlier than expected age. A simple blood test and ultrasound can show how your supply of eggs is doing.

Listen Up! There are many ways to resolve infertility.

By Dr. Tejashree Singh

Specialist OB/GYN