Thank you Nicole for the patient feedback! We appreciate the kind words :)
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
How Can Weight Affect Your Fertility?
Can a person's weight affect their chances of getting pregnant? Living a healthy lifestyle is often encouraged for those trying to get pregnant. It isn't easy for everyone to work out and choose to eat healthy. However, there are studies that have shown that being underweight or overweight can impact someone's ability to conceive. Men who are very overweight or obese had lower sperm counts than men who are of a normal weight. One explanation for this is that men with greater fat storage end up turning testosterone into estrogen causing lower sperm production. On the other side, men who are underweight also had lower sperm counts compared to men who are of a normal weight. Hormonal issues can be a cause of this for men who are underweight.
Women who are considerably overweight or underweight can also have hormonal disorders that can effect ovulation. They may ovulate very infrequently or maybe not at all. Fat cells create estrogen and in overweight women there can be an overproduction of estrogen that stops adequate ovulation from occurring. Also, women who are experiencing inadequate ovulation are more likely to have a luteal phase defect. The luteal phase is the time between ovulation and menstruation. Usually, a woman's luteal phase is between 12-14 days. Women who suffer from luteal phase defect have a luteal phase that is too short to carry on a pregnancy (less than 10 days).
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)is another common cause of infertility. It is usually found in women who are overweight and/or have a tough time losing weight. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that makes women create more androgens (male hormones) than usual. This can cause irregular ovulation or no ovulation at all.
For more information about the effect of weight on fertility, call us at (248) 619-3100 to set up an appointment with one of our fertility doctors in Michigan.
Women who are considerably overweight or underweight can also have hormonal disorders that can effect ovulation. They may ovulate very infrequently or maybe not at all. Fat cells create estrogen and in overweight women there can be an overproduction of estrogen that stops adequate ovulation from occurring. Also, women who are experiencing inadequate ovulation are more likely to have a luteal phase defect. The luteal phase is the time between ovulation and menstruation. Usually, a woman's luteal phase is between 12-14 days. Women who suffer from luteal phase defect have a luteal phase that is too short to carry on a pregnancy (less than 10 days).
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)is another common cause of infertility. It is usually found in women who are overweight and/or have a tough time losing weight. PCOS is a hormonal disorder that makes women create more androgens (male hormones) than usual. This can cause irregular ovulation or no ovulation at all.
For more information about the effect of weight on fertility, call us at (248) 619-3100 to set up an appointment with one of our fertility doctors in Michigan.
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Deciphering IVF Success Rates
When a patient is confronted with needing IVF one of the first things that they think about is finding a Michigan fertility center that has the highest IVF success rates in Michigan. Who wouldn’t want to go to the best clinic, right? When reviewing IVF success rates there are a few guidelines that can help you understand and interpret this information.
First, look for the clinic that you have a feeling of interest in and make sure their success rates are published on either the Society for the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) websites or Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART.) These organizations supervise fertility clinics and ensure they are reporting birth outcomes. If a center is not listed on either website that is a big indicator that something could be amiss. You should definitely ask why their success rates are not listed.
After you have found the fertility centers success rates that you are interested in, you may be wondering, where are this year’s success rates? The most recent IVF success rates will always be published two years later. For example, the success rates that were published in 2016 were actually from 2014. Why? You ask. Since these figures are based on live births you have to give time for fertility centers to acquire the birth stats, collect the data, turn it into SART or the CDC and have them reviewed and approved.
How many IVF cycles the clinic performed is one of the first things to look at. You may not see a total number of cycles listed on the report but you will see the number of cycles done under each age category. Why are how many cycles the clinic performed significant? For some people they want to go to a center where they perform a lot of IVF. For those individuals, it may indicate the experience of a fertility clinic or their physicians. The number of cycles a fertility clinic performs can also affect their success rates. For example, take a fertility center that does 12 IVF cycles in women younger than 35. If eight of them get pregnant and have a live birth that gives them a success rate of 67%, which is well above the national average. Now take a clinic that does 125 cycles in the same age category and their success rate is 50%, which is also above the national average but much lower than the clinic that did 12 cycles. Does that mean that the clinic performing 125 cycles is not as good as than the clinic that performed 12? It depends how you look at it. Clearly, a clinic that does well over a hundred more IVF cycles are going to have to get a lot more women pregnant than the center that does 12 to increase their success rate.
The majority of people who want to have a baby want just one baby. That brings up another statistic that you will want to look at, multiple rates. You will want to know what your chances are of having twins or triplets or more at a particular center. For each age category, it will tell you this information. Something that can affect multiple rates is how many embryos on average the fertility center is putting back. If the average number of embryos is higher than another clinic, that may increase the chances of multiples.
If for any reason you don’t understand the success rate information bring it up to your physician. He or she should be able to explain their rates to you.
First, look for the clinic that you have a feeling of interest in and make sure their success rates are published on either the Society for the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) websites or Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART.) These organizations supervise fertility clinics and ensure they are reporting birth outcomes. If a center is not listed on either website that is a big indicator that something could be amiss. You should definitely ask why their success rates are not listed.
After you have found the fertility centers success rates that you are interested in, you may be wondering, where are this year’s success rates? The most recent IVF success rates will always be published two years later. For example, the success rates that were published in 2016 were actually from 2014. Why? You ask. Since these figures are based on live births you have to give time for fertility centers to acquire the birth stats, collect the data, turn it into SART or the CDC and have them reviewed and approved.
How many IVF cycles the clinic performed is one of the first things to look at. You may not see a total number of cycles listed on the report but you will see the number of cycles done under each age category. Why are how many cycles the clinic performed significant? For some people they want to go to a center where they perform a lot of IVF. For those individuals, it may indicate the experience of a fertility clinic or their physicians. The number of cycles a fertility clinic performs can also affect their success rates. For example, take a fertility center that does 12 IVF cycles in women younger than 35. If eight of them get pregnant and have a live birth that gives them a success rate of 67%, which is well above the national average. Now take a clinic that does 125 cycles in the same age category and their success rate is 50%, which is also above the national average but much lower than the clinic that did 12 cycles. Does that mean that the clinic performing 125 cycles is not as good as than the clinic that performed 12? It depends how you look at it. Clearly, a clinic that does well over a hundred more IVF cycles are going to have to get a lot more women pregnant than the center that does 12 to increase their success rate.
The majority of people who want to have a baby want just one baby. That brings up another statistic that you will want to look at, multiple rates. You will want to know what your chances are of having twins or triplets or more at a particular center. For each age category, it will tell you this information. Something that can affect multiple rates is how many embryos on average the fertility center is putting back. If the average number of embryos is higher than another clinic, that may increase the chances of multiples.
If for any reason you don’t understand the success rate information bring it up to your physician. He or she should be able to explain their rates to you.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
RMA of Michigan Patient, Michelle Wager, a Veteran Fighting for Change
Local news station, WDIV, did a story on our patient, Michelle Wager, a veteran who was wounded while serving. She is fighting for change when it comes to fertility benefits for veterans. Click on the link below to watch the story.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local-veteran-fighting-for-change_
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
Free Infertility New Patient Seminar - April 28, 2016
RMA of Michigan is hosting a free new patient seminar on Thursday, April 28 at 6:00 p.m. at our office in Troy. Dr. Brad Miller will cover basic information in regards to female and male infertility. Everyone that attends will receive a free consultation for a later date. RSVP to Jean at 248-619-3113, space is limited. Light refreshments will be served.
http://www.rmami.com/news-events.html#events
http://www.rmami.com/news-events.html#events
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Becoming an Egg Donor FAQ's
Egg donation can be a solution for many individuals and couples attempting to create a family. At RMA of Michigan we thought it would be helpful to include some of the most frequently asked questions concerning egg donors and egg donation.
How old do you have to be to become an egg donor?
Women between the ages of 21 to 30 may qualify.
What are the steps to the egg donation process?
First, a potential donor must complete a two-part online application. Through this application, we can identify if you are a good candidate to be an egg donor. The online application, Click Here
If you meet the criteria, an appointment will be scheduled with you and one of our donor coordinators. During this visit, the egg donation process will be discussed and all questions will be answered.
How long is the screening process?
Screening process can vary due to scheduling but our goal is for you to be screened in three appointments.
What medical tests are required to qualify as an egg donor?
Tests including blood work, a psychological evaluation, and detailed reports concerning family medical history.
Do I have to pay for anything?
No, the recipient is responsible for all costs associated with the cycle.
Is an egg donor financially compensated?
Yes, egg donors are financially compensated. We offer a tiered compensation program, which would be discussed during the screening process.
What happens once I am approved as an egg donor with RMA of Michigan?
Once you are approved an online profile will be created. This profile highlights the donors' personality traits and features for potential parents to view.
What should I expect with the egg retrieval process?
The egg donation cycle begins with medications (injections) that stimulate the production of multiple eggs in the ovaries. You will give yourself these injections three times a day (at the most) for two weeks. These injections are relatively painless. At a later appointment, you will be under IV sedation while the eggs are retrieved through a transvaginal ultrasound.
Could being a donor affect my future fertility?
No, donating your eggs will not affect your ability to have a baby in the future.
References:
RMA of Michigan. Becoming an Egg Donor.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Military Discounts at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Michigan
With the Fourth of July approaching we wanted to remind everyone that RMA of Michigan offers military discounts to patients. This includes active duty and veterans. Please call our office for details at (248) 619-3100. www.rmami.com
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