Fertility Preservation Before Cancer Treatment: Options for Women and Men
A cancer diagnosis changes priorities overnight. When chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery needs to begin quickly, future fertility may understandably feel secondary to immediate cancer treatment. However, some cancer treatments can permanently affect eggs, sperm or reproductive organs. For this reason, fertility preservation should ideally be discussed as early as possible and, when feasible, before treatment […]
Fertility Treatment for Regional WA: Can You Have IVF Without Living in Perth?
Living outside Perth should not automatically mean making repeated long-distance journeys for every stage of fertility treatment. Advances in telehealth, pathology, ultrasound services and treatment coordination have made it possible to manage parts of fertility assessment and IVF closer to home. Start With Telehealth The first fertility consultation can often be performed by video. A […]
Lifestyle and Fertility: Weight, Exercise, Alcohol, Smoking, Sleep and Nutrition
Fertility is influenced by age, reproductive anatomy, eggs, sperm and many medical factors. Lifestyle is another part of the picture—but it should be discussed without blaming patients for infertility. Smoking Smoking is one of the clearest modifiable reproductive risk factors. It can negatively affect female and male reproductive health and is also associated with pregnancy […]
Preparing for IVF: What Can You Do in the Three Months Before Treatment?
Patients frequently ask what they can do to improve their chances before IVF. There is no diet, supplement or lifestyle intervention that can guarantee IVF success. However, the months before treatment provide an opportunity to optimise general and reproductive health. Why Three Months? Sperm production and follicular development occur over weeks to months. This makes […]
Why Do IVF Cycles Fail? Understanding Embryo Quality, Implantation and Other Factors
A failed IVF cycle can be extremely disappointing. Patients often ask: “What went wrong?” Unfortunately, there is not always one identifiable cause. IVF involves multiple biological steps, and failure can occur at different stages. Not Every Follicle Contains a Mature Egg Ultrasound measures follicles rather than eggs. Some follicles may not yield an egg, and […]
Trying to Conceive: What Fertility Tests Should Both Partners Have?
When pregnancy does not happen, the fastest route to understanding the problem is usually to investigate both partners rather than sequentially testing one person at a time. Start With the History Good fertility assessment begins with medical history. For women this includes: For men it includes: Female Assessment Ultrasound Pelvic ultrasound provides information about the […]
Male Fertility and Age: Does a Man’s Age Matter?
Men can remain fertile much later in life than women, but this does not mean male fertility is completely unaffected by age. Sperm production continues throughout adult life, yet reproductive biology changes over time. What Changes With Age? Research suggests that increasing paternal age may be associated with changes in semen characteristics, sperm DNA and […]
How Age Affects Female Fertility: Egg Number, Egg Quality and Pregnancy
Age is one of the most important determinants of female fertility. Understanding why can help women make informed reproductive choices without creating unnecessary fear. Women Are Born With Their Eggs The ovarian egg supply is established before birth. The number declines continuously throughout life until menopause. Unlike sperm, eggs are not continually replenished. Egg Quality […]
Egg Freezing: What Is the Best Age to Freeze Your Eggs?
Egg freezing allows women to preserve unfertilised eggs for potential use in the future. It has become an increasingly important fertility-preservation option, particularly for women who are not yet ready to have children. Why Does Age Matter? Egg freezing does not stop you ageing. Instead, it preserves eggs at the biological age at which they […]
Recurrent Miscarriage: When Should You Investigate and What Tests Are Available?
Miscarriage is unfortunately common and can be emotionally devastating. When pregnancy loss happens repeatedly, patients naturally want to understand why. Recurrent pregnancy loss deserves structured, evidence-based assessment while recognising that sometimes no single cause can be identified. Why Do Miscarriages Occur? A major cause of early miscarriage is chromosome abnormality within the embryo. The likelihood […]