Search Results for: blog paying for infertility treatments

Infertility Testing: Day 3 FSH Testing

Ovulation and the quality of the eggs is a critical component of successfully achieving pregnancy. The Day 3 FSH testing is done to help ascertain the quality of the eggs and the ovulatory cycle. This test measures the level of Follicle Stimulating Hormone present on day three of the menstrual cycle. This hormone is vital for stimulating the follicles in the ovaries to produce an egg each month. It is used in most injectable fertility drugs to help induce the development of several follicles to produce more eggs. This test is often done in conjunction with IVF procedures and the … Continue reading →

Infertility Testing: Hystersalpinogram

Beginning with this blog, I will be doing a series about common infertility testing. When you first visit a reproductive endocrinologist, you will hear about a myriad of testing procedures. This can be confusing and cause anxiety. I know it did for me. I’ll start this series by talking about a test called the hystersalpinogram. I had this test done twice, once fairly early in my six years of infertility and the second time just prior to undergoing IUI to conceive our first baby. The hystersalpinogram is a very long name for a fairly simple test. The test is basically … Continue reading →

Can Infertility Treatments Cause Autism?

As if worrying about getting pregnant isn’t enough, a new study suggests that infertility treatments may put children at an increased risk for autism. A study done at the University of California showed a four times greater instance of autism in women who had taken fertility drugs to get pregnant. Since I am a former infertility patient, this study caught my attention right away. I was injected with fertility drugs to conceive our first child. I’ll admit that I was so intent on having a baby that I didn’t know, or care, what was in the drugs. I just wanted … Continue reading →

Surprise Babies: Heather’s Story

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This month I’m talking about surprise babies. I’ve been looking forward to sharing with you the story of one special little girl named Lillian Rose, who surprised her parents and their family with her miraculous debut. Her story begins long before she was born in 2002, when Heather and Jeremy met while working together at a local tool store. The high school sweethearts started dating two years later. On August 6, 2006, they tied the knot. About three months after they got married, they decided to start a family, but it wasn’t long before Heather realized things weren’t going to … Continue reading →

Affording Fertility Medications

Fertility medications are expensive, especially the injectibles. A prescription for pills such as Clomid will cost about $50 per cycle. If this doesn’t work, your doctor will probably recommend one of the injectable medications. These are really expensive. For one cycle, the cost is approximately $2,000 per cycle. For many couples, the high cost of fertility medications is not in the budget. As the economy worsens, couples are finding it even more difficult to afford the treatments and the cost of the drugs needed for the treatments to work. The first step in affording fertility medications is to check with … Continue reading →

The Effect of Stress on Fertility

Infertility is a major life event for nearly all couples who experience it. As the months slip by without a baby, the disappointment is devastating. The six years my husband and I spent trying to conceive our first baby remains the most stressful period of my entire life. In most cases, stress does not cause infertility or make it worse. Your mother, friends and grandmother keep telling you to relax and you’ll get pregnant. Although this is meant to be helpful, it can make you feel more stressed and even blame yourself. This is not productive and not true. If … Continue reading →

Would You Choose Baby’s Gender?

The advances in reproductive technology in the last generation have been astounding. Doctors are able to treat infertility in an unprecidented way. Many women who would not have been able to conceive just a few years ago now have renewed hope of holding a baby. Some couples are using the technology in a new way. They are choosing the gender of their babies. Gender selection is the process of choosing the gender of the baby. It is not limited to infertile couples. People with more than one child are now electing to visit the local fertility clinic in an attempt … Continue reading →

What is Artificial Insemination?

If you have been trying to get pregnant without success, you may visit an infertility specialist. One of the methods used to help women conceive is artificial insemination. Unlike other reproductive technologies, this is not new. Artificial insemination has been around for a few hundred years. It has been used regularly since the late 1800s. Artificial insemination is one of the least invasive ways of helping a couple conceive when intercourse isn’t enough. Basically, the man’s sperm is artificially placed in the woman’s body by a doctor. The procedure results in a greater number of healthy sperm. As my doctor … Continue reading →

Common Fertility Drugs

If you haven’t conceived after 6 to 12 months of trying, you may visit a doctor to determine if there is a problem. Many women who seek treatment for infertility are prescribed fertility drugs. Some are taken orally and others are injectable. You may wonder what the drug does and how it can help you get pregnant. Here’s a little bit about the commonly prescribed fertility drugs. Many doctors start off by prescribing Clomiphene citrate. This is sold under the brand names of Clomid or Serophene. This drug is administered orally for five days, usually starting on day three of … Continue reading →