“Infertility Affects 15% of American Couples”

Excerpted from the Nashville Medical News
Volume VIII, Number V, November 1996

LaDonna and Allen Armstrong of Tullahoma tried for almost 11 of the 16 years they have been married to start a family. On July 16, 1996, LaDonna gave birth to triplets. Suzanne and Richard Morgan of Nashville were relative newlyweds when they sought treatment to help start a family less than a year ago. Their son was born on September 6.

The Morgan’s and the Armstrong’s are among the 15% of couples in the United States unable to start or expand their family as the result of infertility according to Jaime Vasquez, M.D., medical director of The Center for Reproductive Health in Nashville, where both couples sought treatment for their infertility.

LaDonna has polycystic ovary syndrome, which can result in lack of ovulation. More than 10 years ago, she sought medical help to get pregnant; but after several unsuccessful treatments, including laparoscopic surgery, she got discouraged. She and her husband decided to try adoption instead.

"We found that to be discouraging as well," said LaDonna. They were put on a waiting list and again found disappointment when no children were available. Finally in 1995, the Armstrong’s decided to try fertility treatment again. In the fall of last year, they had their first consultation at The Center for Reproductive Health.

"Dr. Vasquez reviewed my records from my earlier treatments and recommended a course of treatment involving 'high tech' medications followed by intrauterine insemination. In October, I began taking Metrodin followed by Leuprolide Acetate.

After 13 days of fertility medication, she was ready for the intrauterine insemination (IUI). " I was monitored very carefully," she said. "We had tried IUI years before, but this time, at Dr. Vasquez's recommendation, I was monitored almost daily to determine the estrogen levels and egg development. He even met us at his office on Saturdays and Sundays to check hormone levels. We had the procedure in early December and at the end of the month I had a positive pregnancy test!"

The couple found out in the second month of pregnancy that they were expecting triplets. "My husband was beaming when we found out. It took me a few months to get used to the idea." Her children were born this summer. Their names and birth weights are: Benjamin Stewart, 5 pounds, 1 ounce; Emily Nicole, 4 pounds, 6 ounces; and Hannah Grace, 3 pounds, 8 ounces.

"Infertility can result from many factors," Dr.Vasquez said. "It is important to work with both partners to determine the causes and develop treatment methods to facilitate conception. Often, there is not one single cause, but a combination of factors in one or both partners."

For the Morgan’s, the major factor in their infertility was a low sperm count. However, the treatment involved both partners. Richard was treated with medication and then the couple went through in vitro fertilization. Again, careful monitoring to determine the best time for harvesting the eggs and implanting the embryos was critical to the success of the treatment.

"After the embryos were implanted, we waited," Suzanne said. "Actually, Cody took his time in coming, and after 41 weeks, we had induced labor." Cody Morgan weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces when he was born in September.

Suzanne said she appreciated Dr. Vasquez's approach to patient care. "He is not only an excellent practitioner, but he is a nice person. I found him so approachable and accessible. I could reach him anytime with any questions."

"We try to put our patients at ease about their situation," Vasquez said. "By its very nature, fertility treatment can be stressful. And, although stress is rarely a pivotal factor in the cause of infertility, if both partners are at ease, it certainly can make the process easier on them."

One of the most common factors in infertility is age, he said. A women's chance of conceiving are greatest during her twenties. As she approaches 35, the probability declines and continues to decrease into the next decade. A man's fertility also declines as he ages, although not as quickly. "Of course, there are many other factors ranging from physical to medical conditions, genetic and hormonal problems, use of certain medications - even exposure to environmental elements can come into play."

Vasquez explains that several events must coincide in order for conception to occur. They are ovulation, the release of an egg from one of the woman's ovaries; fertilization, the uniting of the egg and the sperm; and implantation, the attaching of the fertilized egg to the lining of the uterus. A variety of problems and conditions may affect these events and prevent conception.

The Center for Reproductive Health, which has experienced a very high success rate since its inception over a year ago, works with both partners and offers a variety of treatments for infertility. Therapeutic procedures used in the treatment of infertility include intrauterine inseminations, follicular monitoring, ovum retrieval and storage, embryo cryopreservation, sperm cryopreservation, donor sperm insemination, ovum donation, and embryo transfers. 

Couples who have tried unsuccessfully for a year or more to conceive should contact their physician for information about fertility treatments, Vasquez advised.

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