On 5 March 2022, we held a “Your Fertility Matters” webinar for couples who want to fulfil their parenthood dreams. Our 3 IVF clinicians shared various topics relating to fertility. It was a cozy session with a QnA segment right at the end where the doctors answered all the attendees’ burning questions. For those who missed the webinar, here are a few key points that were shared!
1. Dr Lim on How Common Gynae Conditions Affect Your Fertility
Dr Lim started his talk by reminding ladies that the biggest factor affecting fertility is always age. He also shared more about conditions like endometriosis, ovarian cysts, polyps and problems in the fallopian tubes just to name a few.
He talked about what are the common symptoms and how a gynae can treat them to ensure fertility is preserved.If ladies face any symptoms, they should seek help early. He ended off his session by reassuring couples that they can still conceive even if the ladies have pre-existing gynae conditions.
2. Dr Chan on Your Fertility Options – Should I Choose IUI or IVF
As a MOH-accredited IVF clinician, Dr Cathryn Chan shared about when it is advisable for couples to try for Intra-uterine Insemination (IUI) and In-vitro Fertilisation (IVF). She also shared how both processes work and what they entail.
She then went on to share about some advances in IVF processes such as Intra-cytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection (IMSI), which allows the selection of better sperms, embryo cryopreservation and micromanipulation techniques like assisted hatching, to help improve the success of an IVF procedure.
3. Dr Fong Yang on Men & Their Fertility Too
Dr Fong Yang, an IVF Clinician who treats both female and male fertility, starts off his segment debunking the myth that fertility is a woman’s problem only. Often, ⅓ of the struggles couples face in having a baby are due to male infertility.
Men’s fertility can be easily assessed through semen analysis, which assesses 3 main qualities of the sperms – the sperm count), sperm structure or morphlogy and motility (sperm movement). If necessary, there are more detailed tests will be required. For men with any issues with their sperms, there are assisted reproductive methods such as Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) to help with getting pregnant successfully.
One key takeaway that all doctors emphasised was couples should seek help when:
- Unable to get pregnant the 2nd time
- Experience recurrent miscarriages
- Trying for 12 months (below 35 years old)
- Trying for 6 months (above 35 years old)
