HEALTH & MEDICINE :: OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
Hope and Help For Achieving Pregnancy
The miracle of conception is not always easy. Around the U.S., about 5-6 million couples (about one in seven) struggle with infertility, defined as the inability to achieve a pregnancy after 6 to 12 months. Specialists in fertility care focus much of their attention on infertile couples, in addition to helping individuals who wish to build their families through sperm and/ or egg donation. Women who have achieved pregnancy but suffer from miscarriage often have common problems evaluated and treated by fertility specialists. Lastly, many men and women wish to restore their fertility after elective sterilization (e.g. vasectomy and tubal ligation) with the use of assisted reproductive technologies or tubal reversal surgery.
For couples with infertility, it is vital to seek a comprehensive evaluation. The male partner should always be tested by a certified lab for sperm abnormalities; male factor infertility affects 40% of couples. The female partner should be tested for common problems that interfere with conception, including a lack of ovulation, irregular menstrual cycles, irregular bleeding, painful menstrual cycles, pelvic pain throughout the month, and painful intercourse. These symptoms could be signs of well-described clinical problems, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, pelvic scarring, fibroids, polyps, and scarring of the fallopian tubes from prior infections such as Chlamydia.
Most patients seeking fertility evaluation want to know why they aren’t able to conceive, and at Reproductive Associates of Delaware we are able to provide an explanation in most instances. More importantly, most cases of infertility are treatable. Our successful strategies often include a combination of minimally invasive keyhole laparoscopy and careful use of fertility medications to optimize ovulation timing. Most couples are able to conceive with this approach. However, many couples can benefit from office-based in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is successful for a majority of women under age 40.
The biggest risk an infertile couple faces is delaying their evaluation, hoping that their fertility problems will correct themselves. Others are worried about affordability and insurance coverage. All of these issues should be addressed squarely at an initial consultation, where the path to new miracles is initiated everyday at Reproductive Associates of Delaware.
Reproductive Associates of Delaware is home to three nationally recognized reproductive endocrinologists:
Dr. Barbara McGuirk
Medical Director, Reproductive Surgery
Board Certified: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Ronald Feinberg
Medical Director, IVF Program
Board Cerfitied: Reproductive Endocrinology and Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. George Kovalevsky
Medical Director, Academic Affairs
Board Certified: Obstetrics & Gynecology
Board Eligible: Reproductive Endocrinology
Reproductive Associates is proud to have some of the finest and brightest endocrine and andrology lab staff, Linda Morrison, M.T. Stacey Carney M.T., Rohsan Modi B.S., Cai Wang MD, Caitlin Boylan B.S. and Danielle Steele who are lead by our Lab Director, Marc Portmann, M.T.
Our facility is also home to four of Delaware’s finest practitioners: Peg Brown, CRNP, Nancy Lorber, CRNP, Melissa Aiken PA-C, Rhonda Wright PA-C.
For your conveniece we have 3 locations across Delaware to serve you: Medical Arts II Pavillion on the campus of Christiana Care, Down-town Dover and in Concord Plaza in North Wilmington. Please call 302-623-4242 to make an appointment. You can also visit our website at www.ivf-de.org or email us at miracles@ivf-de.org.
