Nova Fiv Fertility Centre

What should I do if I don’t get pregnant?

novafiv — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 11:06:31 +0000

When motherhood comes knocking at the door, your life begins to revolve around the idea. You watch your diet, track your menstrual cycles, have sex and look at baby clothes, wanting to get pregnant.

You try really hard for months, but you still can’t get pregnant. And time goes by and the excitement wears off because that longed-for pregnancy doesn’t come.

At this point, believe us when we tell you that desperation is not the best company. That’s why in this article we’re going to tell you what care you should take during the pre-pregnancy period.

We will also explain the steps you need to take to get pregnant, the reasons why you are not succeeding and where to go to get pregnant. Take a pen and paper, and take note because these simple tips can help you achieve what you want most: to start a family.

Why can’t I get pregnant?

Believe it or not, infertility is very common and is usually diagnosed when you have been trying to conceive for more than a year. This inability is not only a woman’s problem, as there are many factors that directly affect men. Here are some of them.

Possible causes of infertility in women:

Lack of ovulation, chlamydia, gonorrhoea or any untreated STD, blocked fallopian tubes, poor quality eggs, endometriosis, benign tumours in the uterus or being over 35 years old, tubal ligation or some genetic diseases.

Possible causes of infertility in men:

Malformed sperm or low sperm motility, chlamydia, gonorrhoea or an untreated STD, increased semen viscosity so that sperm cannot move easily, lack of sperm or low sperm count, varicocele, having an undescended testicle or a failure of testicular development, vasectomies or some genetic diseases.

Although there are factors that can affect men and women separately, there are also factors that can affect men and women together, such as being overweight or underweight, a very sedentary lifestyle or poor nutritional habits, chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatments and excessive consumption of alcohol, tobacco, drugs or food supplements based on hormone preparations.

Pre-pregnancy: steps to follow

It’s that moment in your life when your biological clock has sounded and you’re ready to enjoy the incredible world of motherhood. If you didn’t know how the menstrual cycle worked until now, you will become an expert during pre-pregnancy.

Every woman’s menstrual cycle consists of two phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase. And in between are the ovulation days, i.e. the days on which a woman can become pregnant.

One of the main reasons why a woman does not get pregnant is because she does not know her fertile days. It is therefore necessary for every woman to be aware of this so that she can become pregnant in the shortest possible time.

In order for pregnancy to occur, it is necessary to have sexual intercourse during the fertile days or during the days before, as sperm can remain alive inside the woman’s body for 2/3 days after sexual intercourse. Therefore, fertilisation could occur.

The first step would be to keep track of your menstrual cycle. You can record the days of your menstruation, either in a notebook or on an app, to estimate your ovulation days.

Another step is to identify the signs of ovulation that will help you know which days you are most likely to get pregnant. There are three main symptoms: the basal temperature (you need to take it as soon as you wake up and without getting out of bed), observe the vaginal discharge and the opening of the cervix (which is much softer and more open on fertile days).

Finally, ovulation tests can be used. These devices are able to identify the days of ovulation through the luteinising hormone. It increases in the woman’s urine until ovulation occurs.

What should I do to get pregnant?

Once we know what our fertile days are, we must do what will favour the conception of the baby: have sex.

First of all, you should know that the average time to get pregnant is 6 months. Although there are many couples who need much more time. It is said that if a woman takes more than a year to get pregnant, or six months if she is over 35 years old, that is when she should see a fertility specialist.

Finally, another important issue is related to orgasm. It is said that it is important for a woman to have an orgasm during sexual intercourse, as the contractions generated in the uterus facilitate the arrival of the sperm to the egg.

And if I still can’t get pregnant, what should I do?

As we have said, you should not despair in this type of situation. It is time to consult specialists.

At NOVA FIV we have a team of professionals in artificial insemination and in vitro fertility that will help and advise you throughout the process. Make a free initial consultation with us, we are specialists in all treatments.

Visit our website and find out more about the services we offer in assisted reproduction and fertility.

What is an embryo transfer?

novafiv — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 10:53:45 +0000

Trying to conceive by natural methods and not succeeding is not only frustrating, but also painful and exhausting. For many women, it can mean the end of their desires and a renunciation of motherhood. However, they should know that there are other alternatives that can be done in order to conceive their own child and carry the pregnancy to term. One of them is embryo transfer, which can be performed right here in Spain and with a high success rate. That is what we will talk about on this occasion, what embryo transfer is, how it is performed and where.

Assisted reproduction to achieve pregnancy

In the past, when a woman, for whatever reason, was unable to conceive naturally, she had only three options: keep trying, adopt or give up. With technological advances, assisted reproduction emerged, which encompasses various treatments and specialised techniques to achieve pregnancy by alternative methods to the natural way. The problem may be due to infertility, either male or female or both, but there are also cases of sterility of unknown origin, which complicates matters further.

Nowadays, thanks to assisted reproductive techniques, not only heterosexual couples are helped to conceive, but also single people or homosexual couples. These techniques include artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation, as well as ovodonation, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, the ROPA method and frozen embryo transfer. And we will talk about that today.

What does embryo transfer consist of?

Before we talk about it, let’s go back a bit and talk about in vitro fertilisation or IVF. As mentioned before, it is a method of assisted reproduction in which an egg and a sperm are joined in the laboratory to give rise to an embryo that will later be transferred and implanted in the patient’s uterus. To achieve this, a controlled ovarian stimulation is performed in order to obtain several mature eggs in a single cycle, which are then extracted by follicular puncture. The semen is prepared and fertilisation is performed, where the embryos will be cultivated and developed for their subsequent transfer.

Now, going back to the embryo transfer, it starts right where IVF left off, because those embryos that were not transferred are kept under special storage conditions, that is, at low temperatures and very well protected. When you have been through an IVF process, you understand very well why it is a delicate and very valuable process, so if not all the embryos were used, it is necessary to save them for later use. Either because pregnancy was not achieved or even if it was successful, if you want to get pregnant again they are ready for implantation.

Therefore, embryo transfer consists of depositing the embryos in the uterus so that they can be implanted and the pregnancy can take place under the best possible conditions.

Does an embryo transfer hurt?

Not at all. The embryo transfer is carried out in a room next to the laboratory where the frozen embryos are kept to avoid any type of alteration as much as possible. It is a quick, simple and painless process, so much so that it does not require anaesthesia. Of course, before the procedure, the state of the embryos is checked to select the best quality and most viable embryos for a successful pregnancy.

When is it best to do an embryo transfer?

In addition to the quality of the embryos to be transferred, it is important that the patient is in optimal health, the state of the endometrium and its level of receptivity must be verified, so it must be thickened and perfect. To this end, she will receive medication beforehand to guarantee correct embryo implantation. This may be at the zygote stage, on the second day of embryo development or when it is already a morula.

Under the guidance of an ultrasound scanner, the obstetrician will perform the embryo transfer. The number of embryos to be transferred can be up to three, but preferably one to two is suggested. You will be rested for several minutes before you can get up and leave, and relative rest is recommended for the following days. After two weeks, a pregnancy test will be performed.

NOVA FIV: Achieve your dream pregnancy with us

We are an assisted reproductive clinic in Jerez with the most cutting-edge treatments and techniques to achieve that pregnancy that has not been able to materialise. We have specialists in reproductive medicine and in our clinic we have all the infrastructure, conditions and equipment necessary to achieve your pregnancy from beginning to end without having to go anywhere else.

We are located in Calle Jaén, local 2, Travesía de Gualdalcacín, in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz. You can call us on 645 96 01 30 / 956 15 82 25 or email us at hola@novafiv.com. You can also fill in the contact form with your details and we will be happy to contact you as soon as possible. Our first fertility consultation is free, there we will evaluate you and discuss the best options to achieve your pregnancy, as well as answer all your questions about assisted reproduction.

Tips for coping with the Beta wait

novafiv — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 19:12:31 +0000

For many women or couples who have to rely on assisted reproductive treatments because their pregnancy does not come naturally, all the waiting time can be an anxious situation.

One of the first “waits” that assisted reproduction patients encounter, and possibly the one that generates the most uncertainty and fear, is the so-called “beta wait”.

Beta wait refers to the time between the artificial intrauterine insemination or embryo transfer (depending on the treatment performed) and the dreaded blood pregnancy test. It usually lasts between 11 and 14 days and is so called because the beta HCG hormone is what we analyse in fertility clinics on the day of the test. That long-awaited date, when a pregnancy test at the fertility clinic will confirm that, in the best case scenario, everything has proceeded successfully.

What to expect when using assisted reproduction to achieve pregnancy

Resorting to assisted reproduction is a good decision, but it is often accompanied by a certain degree of anxiety.

It is normal that questions arise such as “will I manage to get pregnant this time”, “when will I succeed”, “will it take a long time”, “won’t there be complications and will I be able to carry it to term”. At the same time, these kinds of uncertainties are accompanied by periods of great hope, but also pessimism, which will be influenced by the particular situation of each woman or couple, previous attempts made or previous diagnosis.

Some couples share their doubts and fears and there is mutual support, but not all women experience it in the same way. There are women who share this situation with those closest to them, but other times there is not enough empathy, which can increase these feelings of loneliness or fears.

This roulette of emotions during this period will affect daily life, however, we must try to minimise these effects that bring us high levels of anxiety.

These tips can help you cope with the beta wait.

1. Don’t read everything on the internet

In the past, we only had information from books, as well as from doctors, on how assisted reproductive treatments are carried out. Nowadays, we have the Internet, with an infinite range of texts, options, opinions (be careful with this), and information… which is not always reliable.

We end up becoming experts on the subject, don’t we? It all depends on how you look at it. You should be aware that too much information can be even more harmful because of the anguish it generates, than beneficial.

It can be good to have support networks, of course, from people who are or have been in your situation, but you should never forget that each case is unique and that the only person who can resolve any doubts associated with your specific case is the medical staff who will be in charge of your treatment.

2. Don’t be on the lookout for possible symptoms

During the beta wait, it will be common for you to be overflowing with enthusiasm and believe that you feel, even from the first day, signs of being pregnant. You should be aware that the medications used in assisted reproductive treatments can cause certain side effects that can lead to a misinterpretation of reality.

If you feel nausea, cramps, or any pregnancy-like symptoms, take it easy. Just as the absence of symptoms is not associated with a negative outcome.

3. Do activities that make you feel good

Do relaxing activities that you enjoy and focus on them. Mindfulness techniques will help you stay in the here and now through breathing and other relaxation techniques. Meditation or yoga can help you keep nervousness and anxiety at bay, even help you accept that an outcome you don’t want may occur.

Go for a walk, go to the beach, to the mountains, paint or do any hobby that brings you wellbeing.

4. Keep people around you who bring you positive things

Go out with your friends, don’t always talk about the same subject. Communicate with your partner, but choose your moments. Listen to each other and respect each other’s emotions, as everyone can deal with it differently.

5. Accept how you feel

It is completely natural to go through emotional ups and downs, especially if you have undergone assisted reproductive treatment before. This is all part of the process and you should accept it. Allow yourself to feel sad, nervous or pessimistic, but don’t blame yourself for it. Even say it out loud, release it. After that, think about what you can do to improve your mood.

Eat healthy and balanced meals (there are no magic foods that will make you pregnant) and get enough sleep, it’s important to rest. Do something that makes you feel good while you get the results.

At NOVA FIV we accompany you during the beta waiting period

We are an assisted reproduction clinic in Cádiz and we will help you achieve your pregnancy with the help of specialists in reproductive medicine and state-of-the-art treatments and equipment. We are located in Calle Jaén, local 2, Travesía de Gualdalcacín, in Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz. You can call us on 645 96 01 30 / 956 15 82 25 or email us at hola@novafiv.com. You can also fill in the contact form with your details and we will contact you.