Infertility 101: Answers to Your Questions

 

I. What Is Infertility?

§  Primary Infertility

o   A condition or challenge experienced by the couple with conceiving or maintaining pregnancy. 
 

§   Secondary Infertility

o   Secondary Infertility is the inability to conceive again after bearing the first child.
 

§ Are We The Only Ones Affected?

o It is estimated that as much as 15 percent of couples have difficulty conceiving.

II. Causes Of Infertility

§  Female Factors

o Experts agree that female factors account for 35-40 percent of a couple’s inability to conceive and bear a child. 
o Female Infertility usually stems from ovulation problems such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Endometriosis and other Uterine factors, age (which correlates with poor egg quality), and blocked fallopian tubes.
 

§   Male Factors

o Male factors also account for 35-40 percent of a couple’s inability to conceive and bear a child. 
o Male Infertility is typically a result of sperm problems such as low or absence of sperm cells, poor sperm motility (inactivity), and poor sperm quality. In some cases, it is also caused by a blockage in a male’s tube.
 

§   Unexplained Infertility

o Some couples still experience the challenge of conceiving even after being tested and their respective factors remain normal. This accounts for 25 percent. 
o Experts continue to study this condition and help couples learn and understand treatment options to successfully conceive a baby.

III. Fertility Investigation

§   Female Factors

o With the help of a fertility specialist, one must ensure that: 

§  The female is ovulating 
§  There are no problems with the uterus and ovaries 
§  The fallopian tubes are functioning
 

§   Male Factors

o In assessing the infertility of a male, a fertility specialist should be able to deliver diagnosis after a semen analysis or Semenalysis. 
o Semenalysis helps determine the normality of the sperm count. Semen is collected after 4-5 days of abstinence in a reputable laboratory facility. 
 

§ Other Factors

o There are also other underlying factors that affect infertility: 

§  Medical illnesses 
§  Family history of infertility 
§  Previous surgery 
§  Lifestyle factors 
§  Stress at work 
§  Sexual dysfunction

IV. What are the treatment options?

§  Ovulation Induction, Follicle Monitoring, and Timed Intercourse

o  What are the pre-requisites for this process?

1. There should be a good quality egg from the female.

2. The fallopian tubes have to be open.

3. There should be an adequate number of rapidly swimming and ‘good-looking’/quality sperms

o  The chances of getting pregnant are at:

1. 25 percent for those who are 20-30 years old

2. Less than 10 percent for those above 35 years old.

§  Ovulation Induction, Follicle Monitoring, and Artificial Insemination 

o  What are the pre-requisites for this process?

1. There should be a good quality egg from the female.

2. At least ONE of the fallopian tubes have to be open.

3. Total motile (active) sperms inseminated: 5 million

o The chance of getting pregnant is at 15-20 percent per cycle

§  In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

o This process involves the retrieval of the egg, fertilization, and embryo transfer. 

o What are the pre-requisites for this process?

1. There should be a minimum number of developing follicles.

2. The fallopian tubes are not required.

3. There should be a minimum number of good-looking/quality sperms

o  The chances of getting pregnant are at:

1. 41 percent for those younger than 35 years old

2. Less than 12 percent for those who are 41-42 years old

V. Notes: 

§  Depending on what factors are causing the infertility, specialists begin with the least invasive and most cost-effective way of getting couples pregnant.

§  What should a couple consider in going through these treatments?

o Years that the couple has been trying to conceive

o Types of investigations previously done

o Treatment options that have been performed

Source:

Anthony Marc B. Ancheta, MD, FPOGS, FPSREI

 Are you struggling to get pregnant?

About Starting Families Asia Research

The Starting Families Asia study is the largest of its kind. With 10 countries in Asia surveyed (China, India, Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand) 2011. Merck Serono commissioned the Starting Families Asia study to better understand Asian women’s decision-making considerations around having a baby.

Fertility rates are declining globally and in Asia, it is happening at a faster rate than in other regions. Yet, the majority of couples with infertility remain untreated. The Starting Families Asia findings indicate that critical knowledge gaps about fertility, social and personal barriers and limited treatment access are key factors contributing to this.

o   Key findings:

§  Desire is strong – 77% of women in Asia have a high level of desire for parenthood BUT they are in the dark about infertility

§  Despite trying to conceive for 6 months, 62% of respondents do not suspect any fertility problems

§  Close to 80% of women across Asia do not suspect that their husbands have a fertility issue

§  Less than 50% of the women and men who suspect a fertility problem have been diagnosed by a professional

§  Only 43% of women understand that a couple would be classified as infertile if they fail to conceive after one year of trying

§  Only 36% realise that a woman in her forties has a lower chance of getting pregnant as a woman in her thirties.

§  Only 32% know that a healthy lifestyle does not necessarily guarantee fertility

§  Only 30% recognise that obesity can reduce fertility

§  Half of respondents wrongly believe that a woman who never menstruates is still fertile

§  Yet, approximately half of these women who have been trying to conceive for more than 6 months are unaware of where their nearest fertility centre is located

§  Out of all the factors measured, the single greatest barrier to seeking help is the perceived high costs associated with fertility treatment.

§  77% of women surveyed perceived fertility treatments being too expensive

o   Key Actions to be taken as a result of findings:

§  Help couples understand what infertility is and how it can be treated

§  Education around the causes of infertility

§  Increase knowledge around men’s fertility issues

The findings, which have been endorsed by ASPIRE, will be shared with healthcare professionals and policy makers in the region to help them better understand the challenges we need to overcome to address declining fertility rates in Asia. We will work across the region to promote greater awareness of fertility issues and close knowledge gaps so that couples are empowered to conceive and start families. It is our hope that insights from this study will assist healthcare professionals and policy makers in addressing this acute challenge.

Source:

Ramonito Tampos, President & Managing Director (Merck Inc. - Philippines) & General Manager (Merck Serono Philippines)

Announcing Fertility Awareness Campaign in the Philippines

Merck Serono and the medical community would want to help women improve chances of conception through awareness programs about infertility & treatment options in the Philippines.  As such, Merck Serono, with the help of the community of fertility experts in the Philippines, has undertaken a campaign to raise awareness on infertility, called the Hope for Starting Families campaign.

o   Currently, 1 in 10 Filipino couples are suffering from infertility, according to a survey commissioned by Merck Serono and conducted by Synovate in 2011 among 100 households in the Philippines (GMA, Cebu, Davao) in the A, B and Upper C segments.

§  Infertility incidence breakdown in cities surveyed: GMA 10.7%, Cebu 3.8%, Davao 5%

§  7 out of 10 fertility cases consult with an OB or Fertility specialist about their condition. They are primarily motivated by their desire to have a baby and the need to treat the condition which prevents them from conceiving.

§  Respondents said that financial (86%), time constraints (27%), limited education (15%), fear or embarrassment of possible outcome (24%), & patient’s belief (17%) were the leading reasons why some fertility patients do not consult/seek treatment.

o   It was further discovered that majority of them have a low level of understanding of the causes of infertility and how this can be treated; and that patients seek websites, lay fora and other resources to aid in their research about infertility.

§  Sixty nine percent (69%) of the fertility patients are aware of Infertility treatment. Patients learned about it mainly from their consultations from their OB-Gyne. Some patients also learned about it from their family, relatives and peers, as well as from different media such as television and the Internet.

o   Through this campaign, Merck Serono has established a dedicated website at www.fertilityphilippines.com wherein Filipinos can learn more about infertility, its causes, and treatment. The first 100 people who subscribe to the website will receive a fertility planner from Merck.

o   Other efforts include a series of lay fora conducted by Merck Serono in select cities across the country, distribution of a fertility planner to patients, and workshops for OB-GYNs.

Source:

Joy Mauricio, Biotech Unit Head, Merck Serono Philippines  

 Are you struggling to get pregnant?