FertilitySmarts - Get Smart About Your Fertility

Featured Experts

Kelly Park

Contributor

Kelly Park is the founder and editor-in-chief of FertilitySmarts. She is passionate about fertility education and shining light on the many ways people can become parents. Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and a Master of Education degree in Educational Policy from the University of Alberta. She is a firm believer in the FertilitySmarts mission to help people get smart about their fertility.

Rebecca Matthews, PhD

Embryologist

Dr. Rebecca Matthews has a PhD in embryo implantation and currently works as an embryologist. Rebecca is passionate about her work and about educating and empowering people to take control of their own healthcare decisions. With this in mind, she has written an IVF guidebook to help patients understand the processes and options involved in fertility treatments. Her book, IVF: A Patient's Guide, can be found on Amazon.

Dr. Lora Shahine

Infertility and Miscarriage Specialist

Lora Shahine, MD, FACOG is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist currently practicing at Pacific NW Fertility and IVF Specialists in Seattle. Dr. Shahine is an accomplished author of many blogs and articles as well as three books.

Q&As

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“How long do I need to wait after my first IVF pregnancy to undergo another cycle?”

It is not unusual for a patient at her last obstetrics ultrasound visit to ask me when she can come back for another baby.My answer is to make this pregnancy and this baby your priority for at least...

Answered by: Dr. Candice O' Hern Perfetto

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“How many embryos should you transfer during an IVF cycle?”

Because of age-related changes in fertility, the number of embryos transferred is directly related to the age of the mother or egg donor. There is a balance to strike between achieving a pregnancy...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“How do you block pregnancy, baby and parenting ads on Facebook?”

Experiencing infertility or loss is hard enough without the reminders and triggers that seem to exist everywhere.If Facebook is pretty sure that you want to see endless parenting-related ads and...

Answered by: Kelly Park
Contributor

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“Does thyroid function affect fertility?”

Hormonal testing that is part of a typical fertility evaluation includes screening for thyroid dysfunction. Overactive or underactive thyroid function can lead to issues with fertility and increased...

Answered by: Dr. Lora Shahine
Infertility and Miscarriage Specialist

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“What exactly is unexplained infertility?”

These are my thoughts on the topic: There is still so much we need to learn about reproduction, and it can be so frustrating when all the testing is “normal,” but you are still not having...

Answered by: Dr. Lora Shahine
Infertility and Miscarriage Specialist

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“What can I expect from an HSG test?”

The Hysterosalpingogram or (HSG) is an essential tool for evaluating fertility. Hystero (uterus) salpingo (tube) gram (study) is a test to evaluate not only whether the fallopian tubes are blocked or...

Answered by: Dr. Lora Shahine
Infertility and Miscarriage Specialist

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“Will my embryos fall out?”

A common question asked is, “Will my embryos fall out?” The answer is no, they will not fall out.Perhaps you are thinking of textbook illustrations that show uterine cavities as big open...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“Why are embryos transferred at different times?”

Embryo transfer can be carried out on any day of development, although most clinics do so on either day 3 or day 5 of development. The primary benefit of growing the embryos in the lab as long as...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“How are embryos selected for transfer during an IVF cycle?”

The easy answer to this question: the best embryos are chosen!There are a number of factors that determine which embryos are deemed best. On any given day of culture, the embryos are expected to have...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“What are the pros and cons of a day 5 embryo transfer?”

Pros of a Day 5 Blastocyst TransferBy leaving the embryos in the lab until Day 5, the embryologist is better able to choose the better quality ones, which will provide a higher implantation rate...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“What are the causes of recurrent miscarriage?”

Recurrent miscarriage is one of the most frustrating problems that I see in my practice. The chance of a miscarriage in women less than age 30 is about 10%, but it goes up to about one in three or up...

Answered by: Dr. Mark Trolice
Infertility Specialist & Author

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“What is the difference between IUI and IVF?”

It's common for patients to be confused whenever I talk about IUI or IVF. These are the alphabet soup terms in the field of reproductive endocrinology. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is when a...

Answered by: Dr. Mark Trolice
Infertility Specialist & Author

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“Are frozen embryo transfer (FET) success rates higher than fresh transfers?”

It is quite common for patients to ask if a frozen embryo transfer (FET) is likely to be more successful than a fresh embryo transfer.In medical literature, studies have shown that frozen embryo...

Answered by: Dr. Mark Trolice
Infertility Specialist & Author

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“Can I exercise after my IVF embryo transfer?”

Exercising before your in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment can help to improve your chance of conception. During your treatment though, there may be times you need to modify your physical activity...

Answered by: Dr. Cecilia Kitic
Exercise Physiologist

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“How do I know if my partners sperm count is low?”

When you go and see the doctor at the beginning of your fertility assessment, a semen analysis is one of the most important diagnostic tests. Semen parameters such as volume, count and motility all...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“Why did my in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle fail?”

Not all patients conceive with their first IVF procedure, which can be a devastating blow, both emotionally and financially. Couples undergoing IVF may need more than one cycle because of the...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“Can supplements improve egg quality for IVF?”

Several studies have shown that certain supplements may improve egg quality in older women or those with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). Although there is no magic formula to turn back the hands of...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“Will lying on my back with my legs in the air after intercourse help me get pregnant?”

There’s no strong evidence to suggest that lying on your back or tilting your hips for 20 minutes after intercourse improves the chance of getting pregnant. On the other hand, it won’t hurt your...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“How do I know if I've ovulated?”

Knowing the exact time to have sex when you are trying to get pregnant can sometimes be a mystery, especially if your cycles aren't regular. One of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to know when to...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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“What can you do to improve your sperm count?”

If you are found to have a low sperm count, usually no specific treatment or cure is available (unless surgery is required, for example, for a testicular varicocele or tubal blockage). Your doctor...

Answered by: Rebecca Matthews, PhD
Embryologist

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