15 Is Magic Number?

Last February, I wrote that there's no magic to getting pregnant. That post was specific to "miraculous" fertility supplements. Well, now the news is full of "magic" again. This time, it's a Magic Number.

It's 15.

What kind of magic does the number 15 do for infertile couples?

A study that looked at 17 years worth of data concluded that 15 eggs retrieved in one IVF cycle renders the best chance of a live birth. Retrieving more eggs than that was linked to higher incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

The study authors failed to clarify that they were looking at conventional IVF cycles, not at cycles using very minimal or no ovulation stimulation medication. They did, however, tease out and present their findings related to the different ages within the study subjects. Specifically, the number 15 (eggs) did not make the live birth chances for women over 40 much better than otherwise. But as this article in the Globe and Mail suggests, a chance of live birth boosted by 4 percent might be inspiring to fertility patients older than 40.

I would remind patients that this is statistics, although well done. I worry about patients hearing these sorts of numbers and feeling stressed because theirs haven't "hit". As with so many aspects to treating infertility, your mileage may vary. We do everything possible to make each cycle safe *and* effective, and always, the outcome -- a healthy baby -- is our focus.

There Really Is No Magic to Getting Pregnant

I'd really like to be able to give my patients an easy how-to for getting around their fertility issues. And people who are desperate to finally get pregnant and become parents are easy prey to reputed quick fixes. Fortunately, long gone are the old days of the tonic seller with ridiculous promises. But today's marketing techniques, finely-tuned with psychological research data, can be pretty convincing even to educated fertility consumers.

Take the idea of fertility supplements.

Granted, research studies linking nutrition and fertility have boomed in the last few years. What you eat is indeed a key factor in how you feel and how your body functions, even when it comes to fertility. Every qualified dietitian will tell you that the best source of health-promoting nutrients is food. Supplements are considered a back-up plan, and in some cases, their effectiveness is unproven.

In a Los Angeles Times article, Chris Woolston, aka The Healthy Skeptic, discusses two popular supplements: FertilAid for Men and FertilityBlend for Men. Both are promoted as providing nutritional enhancement for male fertility, specifically, sperm motility and count.

It's a good article that balances the claims of the supplements' makers with commentary by male fertility specialists. The important take-away message that eager-to-be-dads need to hear: supplements can be good for your health, but they aren't miracle cures.

And by the way -- the very same can be said for women, supplements, and fertility.