Infertility

What is infertility?

Infertility occurs when you and your partner aren’t pregnant after a year of trying. About 80% of couples under age 35 conceive within six months, and 90% of couples get pregnant within a year of trying. After two years, 96% of all couples successfully conceive.

If you’re unable to get pregnant after 6-12 months of trying, the fertility specialists at Rocky Mountain Fertility Center can diagnose and treat your condition.

What causes infertility?

Numerous factors can contribute to infertility in men and women, such as:

• Not ovulating (20% of cases)
• Adhesions, scar tissue, or endometriosis (20-40% of cases)
• Abnormal sperm count (40% of cases)
• Unknown causes (15% of cases)

About one-third of the time, infertility results from a health problem in the woman. Another one-third of the time infertility occurs because of male infertility, and in one-third of cases, male and female problems are the cause or the cause isn’t known.

How is infertility diagnosed?

At Rocky Mountain Fertility Center, the specialists use numerous tests to evaluate the cause of infertility. Examples include:

• Ovarian function tests
• Basal body temperature (BBT) charts
• Ultrasounds
• Blood tests
• Hormone tests
• Hysterosalpingogram
• Saline infusion sonography
• Laparoscopy
• Semen analysis

During a semen analysis, your provider evaluates sperm concentration and mobility. Results are usually available within 48 hours. 

About 15% of the time, doctors find no obvious cause of infertility. Rocky Mountain Fertility Center has high success rates for treating unexplained infertility.

What is the treatment for infertility?

You and your partner’s personalized infertility treatment plan depends on the cause of infertility and your preferences. The specialists at Rocky Mountain Fertility Center might recommend:

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle changes may increase your chance of becoming pregnant. Examples include losing weight if you’re overweight, gaining weight if you’re underweight, not smoking, stress reduction, and avoiding excessive alcohol.

Medication

Certain medications can increase sperm count and improve testicular function in men, or stimulate ovulation in women.

Surgery

Surgery helps correct male infertility problems or endometriosis, pelvic adhesions, and fibroids in women. Your specialist uses minimally invasive procedures whenever possible.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI)

During intrauterine insemination, your provider places healthy sperm into your uterus when you’re ovulating to help fertilize eggs and increase your chance of getting pregnant.

In vitro fertilization (IVF)

During IVF, your fertility specialist retrieves eggs and sperm, combines them for fertilization in a lab, and implants a fertilized embryo back into your uterus.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injections (ICSI)

ICSI is a form of assisted reproductive technology (ART), in which your provider injects healthy sperm directly into a mature egg.

Assisted hatching

During IVF, your doctor may open the outer covering of an embryo to help it implant into the uterus.

Donor sperm or eggs

If there are problems with your eggs or your partner’s sperm, you have the option of using donor sperm or donor eggs during IVF.

Gestational carriers

If you’re unwilling or unable to carry a child, using a gestational carrier (surrogate) might be an option for you. Your practitioner places a fertilized embryo into your gestational carrier’s uterus.

Don’t put off infertility treatment, as success rates at Rocky Mountain Fertility Center are among the highest in the nation. Schedule an appointment by phone or online today.