Fertility Diagnostics
Fertility Diagnostics and Optimization Overview
I offer a FREE initial evaluation for all incoming fertility patients to determine whether there is sufficient diagnostic information to proceed to a formal consultation evaluation.
Formal Fertility Consultation
$185 two hours
It's best to assemble as much of the suggested lab data as possible before scheduling a formal consultation meeting.
Insufficient diagnostic data may result in missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis!
The information gathered from lab testing allows us to have an informed discussion to create a meaningful treatment PLAN.
A cohesive plan allows us know which supplements, dietary suggestions, and even the actual timing of acupuncture treatments will give you the best results. This is true whether you are trying to conceive on your own, or with the use of reproductive technology.
Patients often believe their doctor has already "done all the tests", but in reality, this is SELDOM the case.
Updated labs in most cases mean < 6 months old.
Additionally, I frequently find that labs were not drawn on the correct day of the cycle (* please note that random lab testing for many of the required hormone lab tests can render the resulting data unusable/incorrect). If this is the case, there must be a testing redo for accuracy.
NOTE* fertility hormone testing results and thyroid panels will be affected if the labs are drawn while you are taking a prenatal vitamin with BIOTIN, also known as B7, or Hair/Skin /Nails vitamins, or a B Complex vitamin supplement that contains BIOTIN/B7.
Biotin supplementation is often a cause for flawed lab results and retesting, since many patients are unaware of the potential for lab testing inaccuracy due to Biotin supplementation. Ashwagandha is another commonly used supplement frequently utiized by fertility patients which can affect lab test accuracy.
Getting the fertility lab tests assembled can feel like a big hurdle, but it is THE most important first step to discover what needs to change in order to optimize fertility potential.
A comprehensive list of fertility lab tests is what you should be getting from the beginning, these are the diagnostic markers that put you on the map.
By the way, "unexplained Fertility", is NOT a "working diagnosis" that I am willing to accept, and neither should you!
Obstacles to optimumized fertility status are typically multifactorial.
Typically, we will see several things that need to be adjusted in these comprehensive lab reports. Often we discover diagnostic surprises that were underlying issues to subfertility all along.
The point of diagnostic labs is to investigate for SUBfertility and INfertility, and to get initial baselines to observe how the treatment is improving your status after a couple of months.
Fertility clinics are quick to suggest drugs and procedures with inadequate assessment as to whether you can benefit from treatment that they propose.
In addition to cost, the majority of these treatments (like chlomid, letrozole, and IUI) lead to disappointing outcomes in addition to potential damage to the reproductive system. This why, after a few medicated cycles, you will be escalating to IVF.
Even then, you may not receive comprehensive testing. This is often reflected in poor IVF outcomes.
Even if you are already engaged in treatments like IUI or IVF, the diagnostic lab review will allow you to discover how you might be able to improve the outcome of these efforts. Learning where you stand on the fertility spectrum will allow you to make actionable lifestyle changes (exercise, diet), learn which vitamins or herbal supplements would benefit you most, and even when you should schedule your acupuncture treatments for the greatest impact.
To arrange for a free diagnostic initial lab review, request a medical history form through the website contact email.
Typically I will review the form within 24 hours of receipt receipt, and we will discuss the next steps.
If your doctor is not on board with ordering the full diagnostic testing panel, I have referrals to doctors who will.
You also have the option of ordering labs online from companies like Quest Labs and LabCorp.
Find out where you stand, so you can use this information to strategically develop a plan with a positive outcome.
This is called "Fertility Optimization".
Comprehensive LAB TESTING is the foundation for creating a meaningful treatment plan. After many hours invested in continuing education on this subject and clinical experience working with one of the top fertility clinics in the country, I have learned that comprehensive lab testing will typically reveal more than one obstacle. It is quite common to see couples arrive with virtually no diagnostic information. It is no wonder that the doctor-prescribed medications and IUIs have very low success rates, without the diagnostics and corrections ahead of that, there is not a good foundation on which to build.
Generic fertility treatments that have missed the DIAGNOSIS are the most frustrating for all concerned. Time and resources are often totally wasted without adequate investigation of diagnostic parameters.Lab testing reveals where improvements are essential to attain optimal fertility.
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How should I prepare for the consult appointment?
After a brief initial discussion of your goals and concerns, Anne will email you medical history forms for each parent to complete in order to see if there is sufficient information to develop an applicable treatment plan. These forms will include lab testing values, and/or suggestions about which labs would be helpful to have based on your reported medical history.
There are many ways to get baseline lab tests if you have not had any. Getting these tests is vital to creating a meaningful treatment plan that will allow couples to maximize their fertility potential.
* If you have recent basal body temperature graphs, upload the last three months to www.fertilityfriend.com. Register for a free account at FertilityFriend from a desktop computer in order to record and share login and password with me. BBT graphs are very valuable for diagnostic purposes
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My diagnosis is ”unexplained infertility."
Clinical experience has proven to me that there is almost never “unexplained infertility”!
It is more often that important comprehensive diagnostic labs have not been done.For some couples, the right description of their situation is "SUBfertility", where everything truly does check out fine on the labs, but that there may be a few lifestyle situations ( for example high emotional stress levels, erratic schedules, and poor nutrition ) that are contributory to inhibiting conception.
Taking multiple rounds of fertility drugs without proof of NEEDING them subjects you to what might be unnecessary procedures that waste time, money, have detrimental side effects, and worst of all, leaves patients disheartened and feeling victimized.The most economical and efficient path to fertility/pregnancy includes evaluation and correction as the FIRST steps.
Fertility optimization is best backed up by lab results, however, its not only lab tests, a careful look at lifestyle choices, including nutrition, exercise, supplementation, and state of mind are also of vital importance.
The discussion we have after I have evaluated your completed forms will give you a better understanding of how I can help you achieve your goal. It will also include what you can do to contribute to the process.
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Only one of us has been identified as having a fertility problem. Do both parties have to attend this conference?
Facing the challenges of fertility issues takes a toll on one’s emotional well-being, including the health of the relationship, no matter which party (and frequently it is both) needs to improve their status.
Getting support from your partner is very important, along with both parties’ awareness of food and lifestyle issues that may be hijacking your success. Since a discussion about these factors, in particular around food is critical, it's suggested that both parties are informed on the reasons lifestyle or dietary recommnedations are suggested. Partners are always welcome to listen in on the review after your forms have been evaluated.
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and in a long term effort, it's important that everybody puts in their best effort in a team-like fashion.
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I am in the process of taking fertility drugs and having IUI, what do you offer to help me along?
If you have already completed a few rounds of drugs, or drugs with IUI’s, without success, I encourage new to take a break from this and allow me to re-evaluate their fertility potential in all aspects.
Suggestions may be made about additional lab work or monitoring during the iui cycle, in order to gauge your response, or lack thereof to these medicalized procedures. Treatment with acupuncture during the medicated cycle MAY help, but this is evaluated on a case by case basis. Overall success rates for IUI are LOW. This is FACT, so patients need to realistic about their expectations regarding such procedures. Check with your doctor to see what rate of success is documented in order to gain realistic perspective on this procedure. Correcting hormonal dysfunction, egg and sperm quality are important to do BEFORE resorting to IUI for BEST results.
It takes three menstrual cycles/90 days to improve egg quality, as a woman has three stages of eggs maturing inside her at any given time.
For men, sperm turnover time is 75 days. Since fertility drugs have cumulative negative side effects, some of them long term, it is my opinion that everything should be sorted out BEFORE using them!
After a consult appointment, many couples elect to take a break from these treatments in order to optimize their fertility potential, and then resume treatment with their doctor later, depending on their diagnosis.
If you are already in an IVF cycle, please refer to the IVF support page.
