Written by: Dr. Eva Littman, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
I just recently returned from an IVF meeting in Santa Barbara and they had some really exciting new studies that were presented which show promising improvements for infertility patients. Looks like vitamin supplementation may help both female and male fertility. For females important components are Coenzyme Q10 (liquid form if you can find it) at least 600 mg daily and DHEA 25 mg two to three times daily in women over 40. For men, supplements which are high in antioxidants and minerals such as the Coast Science Male Fertility Supplement or Fertility Blend for Men are both good options.
The Coast Science brand is more experience but is more potent than the Fertility Blend for men. We have both available in our office, just ask the receptionist for it or you can purchase supplements at www.coastscience.com. For men, it is helpful to be on supplements at least 1-3 months before undergoing therapy, for females it seems it is helpful that the vitamin is in the follicular fluid which should be reflected as soon as the supplement is started. Other new improvements are some of what we have already been doing. Of course, Red Rock Fertility Center is at the frontier of the fertility world but now everyone is playing catch up and incorporating Pre-implantation Genetic Screening into the IVF cycle in order to pick out the best embryos first and increase success rates. Several studies showed improved success rates with PGS. The only other new information I gathered is concerning hydrosalpinges (dilated fallopian tubes). It used to be thought to only remove hydrosalpinges if they can be seen on ultrasound but recent studies presented at this meeting show that it may be useful to remove all hydrosalpinges regardless of size. Well, those are the main points of interest that were covered at the recent conference. I hope to continue to stay at the forefront of offering the latest and greatest for all of our patients.
