When you think about trying to conceive, your age is probably one of the first things that come to mind. And it’s true that age is a major factor in fertility. But it’s not the only factor. Your age, combined with the age of your eggs, as well as your general health, all play a role in your fertility.
Age
Your age is the most important factor in your fertility. As you age, your eggs age with you.
In your early to mid-20s, you have about a 20% chance of getting pregnant each month.
By age 30, your chance of getting pregnant each month starts to decline.
Your chance of becoming pregnant each month by the age of 35 is only slightly higher than it was in your twenties.
Furthermore, your chance of becoming pregnant each month by the age of 40 is only about 5%.
Egg quality
In addition to your age, the quality of your eggs also plays a role in your fertility. As you age, the quality of your eggs declines. This is why your chance of getting pregnant declines as you age.
The quality of your eggs is measured by something called the anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). AMH is a hormone produced by the cells that surround your eggs. The higher your AMH level, the higher the quality of your eggs.
General Health
Your general health also plays a role in your fertility. Conditions like obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure can all impact your fertility.
Making lifestyle changes
There are things you can do to improve your fertility, no matter your age. If you’re a smoker, quitting smoking can improve your fertility. If you’re overweight, losing weight can also improve your fertility.
And if you have a medical condition that’s impacting your fertility, there may be treatments that can help. For example, if you have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common cause of infertility, there are treatments that can help you get pregnant.
If you’re having trouble getting pregnant, talk to your doctor. They can help you figure out what might be causing your fertility problems and what you can do about it.
Can you improve AMH levels?
Yes, you can improve your AMH levels. But unfortunately, it’s not as easy as popping a few supplements or taking some drugs.
The good news is that there are several things you can do to naturally boost your AMH levels, including:
- Get more sleep. A lack of sleep has been linked to reduced fertility in both men and women, so getting enough shut-eye is essential for maintaining a healthy hormone balance.
- Eat more protein and healthy fats. Protein helps build muscle, which releases growth hormones that help increase bone density and strength. Healthy fats like omega-3s are also important for brain function, which affects the production of hormones like AMH.
- Exercise regularly — but not too much! Moderate physical activity can help stimulate the production and release of growth hormone, which promotes the development of new cells and tissue growth throughout the body.
However, excessive exercise can actually suppress your body’s natural supply of growth hormone by releasing cortisol (the stress hormone). So make sure you’re getting enough rest between workouts! - Consider taking an herbal supplement that contains vitex agnus castus extract (VAC).
VAC has been shown to increase AMH levels by up to 88% in clinical studies, and it’s been used for hundreds of years to enhance fertility in both men and women.
VAC works by helping the pituitary gland produce more luteinizing hormone (LH), which is then released into the bloodstream and travels onto the testicles where it signals them to produce testosterone.
Final words
There are many factors that play a role in whether or not you’ll get pregnant, and AMH is just one of them. But before you try to conceive, it’s important to work with your doctor to find the right treatment plan for you based on all of your individual factors and preferences.
Here are the facts that you need to know:
- Sperm and semen are not the same : Sperm is a typical name given to the reproductive cell which looks like a tadpole. However, seminal fluid is the place in which tadpoles swim. They together form semen that carries for fertilization.
- Sperm is affected by what men eat : The quality of sperm and the sperm count is directly affected by what a person eats. Omega 3 fatty acid, vitamin C, and solid Vitamin B6 are some of the important vitamins and nutrients that improve sperm quality and sperm count. Changes in the diet can have a huge impact on seed and agility.
- Most of the sperms are not useful : Often it is seen that males focus on the number of sperms. However, that doesn’t work, for conceiving, it is important for sperm to swim and reach eggs for fertilization. Most of the sperm is of poor quality as they do not reach eggs.
- Sperms are perfect for your immune system : Sperms are not formed in a male body by the time the system develops to differentiate between what kind of cells are part of the body and which are not. This means according to the immune system sperms are invaders. That is why the testicles Shield the sperms in complex ways from the rest of the body.
- Sperm takes 75 days to grow in testes : Man makes sperms around 1500 in every second. However, it takes around 75 days for sperm to grow in the testis and reach the egg for fertilization.
- Semen contains all nutrients : Sperms contain Vitamin B12, citric acid, lactic acid, magnesium, zinc, calcium, fat, Sodium Potassium, and 100 detox routine all these multiple nutrients and proteins combine to form most of its simple water.
- Very less semen comes out : Many people have this misconception that semen released often is too much by anyone. However, on average, semen release ejaculation is between 1.5 to millimeters which is around a teaspoon. However, on average, your body produces 20 million to 150 million sperm.
- Semen quality changes with age : However, that’s not entirely to men at the age of 52 can produce more abnormal sperm than the younger couple ever on average. The production is higher in 20 as compared to later age but it can vary for different reasons.
- Semen is not supposed to smell bad or can be yellow : Semen should not smell bad or yellow in color. If semen is a stinking indicator of larger issues such as infections or transmitted infections. There are chances that the change in color is due to food or eating u healthy food.
- Semen is not for nourishment : Despite girls, semen is not a source of nourishment. So, do not use nutritional content to convince someone otherwise.
- Conclusion : These are some of the interesting facts about semen. Whether you are trying to know more about semen for conceiving or not, these facts will help you know how semen plays an important role in our body.
An embryo transfer is a part of IVF procedure in which a fertility specialist uses an ultrasound to guide a catheter containing the IVF-produced embryo(s) to transfer the embryo(s) directly into the uterus. The process of embryo transfer takes only a few minutes. The process does not involve anesthesia and only short recovery period is required.
[Image of the embryo transfer process in IVF]
Prior to the transfer, embryos are graded and the type of grading depends on the stage of the embryo. For cleavage stage embryos, typically on day three, the number of cells and a grade (A – D) will be assigned. For blastocysts, there will be a number and two letters assigned. The number refers to the amount of expansion of the fluid (the “cyst”) in the blastocyst. The two letters (A – D) that follow refer to the inner cell mass (destined to become the baby) and the trophectoderm (destined to become the placenta), respectively.
Cells from an embryo can also be tested for genetic anomalies prior to an embryo transfer. Scientists have a choice of two genetic tests for embryos. In preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), an embryologist removes a group of cells to test for a specific genetic abnormality, such as cystic fibrosis. Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) tests for the proper makeup in all chromosome pairs, as missing or additional chromosomes lead to disorders and diseases. An example of such a disorder is Down syndrome, in which there is an extra chromosome in pair number.
Types of Embryo Transfer
Blastocyst Transfer
A blastocyst transfer includes developing embryos in a laboratory for five days before transferring them into the uterus. When the embryo has reached the blastocyst stage (day five), it is more fully developed with multiple cells. At this point the embryo resembles the stage of a natural embryo when it enters a uterus for implantation, which increases the chances of attaining a successful pregnancy. However, it is not necessary that all embryos are able to develop to the blastocyst stage. Studies show that blastocyst transfers result in higher implantation and pregnancy rates as compared with cleavage stage embryos. Blastocyst transfers may be of particular benefit for patients who develop many good quality embryos, who have failed to achieve a pregnancy with a day three transfer in the past, or who have poor quality embryos at day three.
Cleavage Stage Embryo Transfer
A cleavage stage embryo transfer refers to embryos that are transferred at an earlier stage of development when they have fewer cells, typically six to eight, and occurs on day two or three after fertilization. Cleavage refers to the division of the cells in an early developing embryo. Cleavage stage embryo transfer is a good option for patients who have fewer good quality embryos. Also, transfer on day three is less risky than allowing the embryos to go to day five.
When Embryo Transfer is Needed
IVF and embryo transfer is required in cases where there is difficulty in natural conception or difficulty occurring. There are many reasons for embryo transfer, including:
- Ovulation disorders: If ovulation is infrequent, fewer eggs are available for successful fertilization.
- Damage to Fallopian tubes: The Fallopian tubes are the passageway through which the embryos travel to reach the uterus. If the tubes become damaged or scarred, it is difficult for fertilized eggs to safely reach the womb.
- Endometriosis: When tissue from the uterus implants and grows outside of the uterus. This can affect how the female reproductive system works.
- Premature ovarian failure: If the ovaries fail, they do not produce normal amounts of estrogen or release eggs regularly.
- Uterine fibroids: Fibroids are small, benign tumors on the walls of the uterus. They can interfere with an egg’s ability to plant itself in the uterus, preventing pregnancy.
- Genetic disorders: Some genetic disorders are known to prevent pregnancy from occurring.
- Impaired sperm production: In men, low sperm production, poor movement of the sperm, damage to the testes, or semen abnormalities are all reasons natural fertilization may fail.
What to Expect before, During, and After an Embryo Transfer
Around 2 or 3 days before the embryo transfer, the doctor will choose the best eggs to transfer to the womb. There are many processes available to aid selection, though non-invasive methods such as metabolomic profiling are being tested. Metabolomic profiling is the process of selecting the most beneficial eggs based on a number of different factors. This could limit the need for invasive procedures in the future. These eggs will then be fertilized in a lab and left to culture for 1-2 days. If many good quality embryos develop, the ones that are not going to be transferred can be frozen.
After the Embryo Transfer
A follow-up appointment after 2 weeks to check if the embryo has implanted well and the transfer was successful. After the procedure of embryos transfer, women may experience some cramping, bloating, and vaginal discharge.
Schedule Your Consultation
Take the final step toward parenthood with expert care. Reach out to Dr. Pankaj Talwar for advanced embryo transfer techniques.
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