Many women give little thought about how to maintain good reproductive health, but it’s important to be proactive about taking care of this complex system. Many couples encounter challenges when trying to conceive, and may not realize that unhealthy lifestyle choices can have a negative effect on reproductive health.
The experts at the California Center for Reproductive Health help people learn about what they can do to be proactive about their reproductive health. What do you need to do to take care of your body, including your reproductive system?

Prevent or Treat STDs

Preventive care is an important part of taking care of your reproductive health. Having a regular gynecological examination is the best way to be sure routine screenings are done to ensure early detection of infections and illnesses.
Untreated sexually transmitted diseases can cause permanent damage to your fallopian tubes and uterus. Since STDs like gonorrhea and chlamydia may not cause symptoms and are a leading cause of infertility, taking care of your reproductive health means doing whatever you can to prevent contracting them.
Condoms reduce the risk of contracting an infection but don’t offer total protection, so sexual activity should be limited to a committed relationship with a partner who isn’t infected. If you do contract an STD, treatment should be started immediately.

Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Lifestyle choices have a big impact on your overall health, including your reproductive health. One of the first places to look is at the foods you’re consuming. Be sure to include healthy, nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains along with protein from lean meats or plant-based protein sources such as quinoa, tofu, or lentils. Limit caffeine and processed foods.
Work on being at a healthy weight since being either underweight or overweight can affect ovulation. It’s important to include physical activity in your life. Exercise can increase your strength and relieve stress, but don’t overdo it since over-exercising may inhibit ovulation.
Smoking is one of the most harmful things you can do to your body. Don’t smoke and if you’re a smoker, make it a priority to quit. Limit your consumption of alcohol or other substances and avoid exposure to toxins. Sleep can have a big impact on your overall health, so also try to get on a regular sleep schedule.
Know your own body and pay attention to signals your body may give you that something isn’t quite right. Talk to your doctor about signs that concern you such as fatigue, loss of appetite, or changes in your menstrual cycle

Reproductive Health and Infertility

Your reproductive health is important, whether you’re trying to get pregnant now or sometime in the future. When you do decide to get pregnant, you may find that getting pregnant isn’t always easy. Infertility is a very common problem, and there are many reasons couples struggle with being unable to conceive. While there are some factors that are beyond your control, there are some things you can do to make sure your reproductive system is as healthy as possible. Contact our office to work with our experts on developing and maintaining good reproductive health today.

The inability to get pregnant can be frustrating and stressful. The good news is that there are more options for treating infertility than ever before using assisted reproductive technology (ART). Options in fertility treatment include medication, surgery, and lifestyle changes. The team at the Center for Reproductive Health provides guidance and support throughout the process of seeking a solution to infertility challenges. So, which fertility treatment is most effective?

Diagnosing the Cause of Infertility

Before recommending options in fertility treatments, it’s important to look into the cause. When a couple is struggling to get pregnant, the cause could be female, male, or the couple together. The first step is a comprehensive evaluation which includes a physical exam, medical history, and bloodwork to identify hormone abnormalities. The health and motility of the sperm are analyzed as well as the health of the uterus and fallopian tubes.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

If no issues are found with the sperm or the female reproductive system, the most effective fertility treatment is often in vitro fertilization (IVF), which is the fertilization of the egg and sperm outside the body. Before trying IVF, some women respond to taking oral medication that’s prescribed to stimulate ovulation and are able to get pregnant just from taking this medication. A more effective form of fertility treatment is to combine fertility medication with IVF.
Fertility treatment with IVF may be an option for couples with a variety of challenges such as:
– Uterine fibroids
– Polycystic ovary syndrome
– Endometriosis
– Low sperm count
– Blocked fallopian tubes

If IVF is determined to be the best option, injectable hormones are given to induce several eggs to grow. An outpatient procedure is done under anesthesia to remove these eggs. IVF can also be done using eggs or embryos from an anonymous donor.
The eggs are fertilized with sperm provided by the patient’s partner or by a sperm donor in a lab environment. Once the eggs have been fertilized, they remain in the lab for a few days and are incubated as they develop into embryos. One or more embryos are then placed back into the woman’s uterus in a short outpatient surgery that doesn’t usually require anesthesia. Embryos that aren’t implanted can be frozen to be used in the future. Pregnancy happens if one or more embryos successfully implant inside the uterus.

How Effective is IVF?

While IVF is the most effective fertility treatment, it doesn’t work for everyone. Some couples are able to successfully attain pregnancy after one cycle of IVF. More than one cycle of IVF may be needed before pregnancy is attained in other couples. Women who are over 40 may have more difficulty attaining pregnancy than younger women, and using donor eggs may help increase the chance of success. Poor lifestyle choices can reduce a woman’s chance of success with IVF. Examples include smoking and excessive use of alcohol and caffeine.
Working closely with the fertility experts at the Center for Reproductive Health is the best way to find out whether you’re a good candidate for IVF or if a different form of fertility treatment would be better for you. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

The first frozen embryo transfer occurred in the 1980s, and since then the procedure has improved in its ability to successfully result in pregnancy. In fact, research shows the success rate of a frozen embryo resulting in a live birth is between 57% and 63%.

Here at California Center for Reproductive Health — with offices in Encino, Valencia, and West Hollywood, California — our reproductive specialists use precision and experience to successfully conduct frozen embryo transfers as part of many in vitro fertilization procedures.

Here’s why you might choose to freeze embryos and what happens during the process.

Why would I consider a frozen embryo transfer?

When you undergo in vitro fertilization, it can result in multiple viable embryos. You might choose to freeze any that are not used during a current cycle for future IVF cycles.

Freezing embryos also gives our specialists more time to make sure the woman’s uterus is prepared to successfully accept an embryo for implantation. We may use hormones or monitor her natural cycle to optimize the uterus.

When embryos are frozen, there’s less pressure to get the uterus ready on a specific calendar. The embryos are thawed when the woman’s system is ready to accept them. In some cases, this may mean months or years after the freezing process.

Embryos are often frozen when you decide to undergo PGT, which is preimplantation genetic testing, because it can take several days and up to a week to get the results. PGT helps you determine whether an embryo is viable, healthy, and free of genetic mutations.

Embryo freezing also helps a family preserve their future fertility. In couples in which one partner is undergoing cancer treatment, hormone therapy, or gender affirmation surgery, embryo freezing gives them a chance for a pregnancy that better fits their timeline.

What happens during a frozen embryo transfer?

An embryo is an egg that’s been fertilized in a lab and is ready to implant in the uterus. Freezing it halts the embryo’s developmental process.

Not all embryos are frozen at the same time. Some may be frozen the day after fertilization (Day 1), at cleavage stage (Day 3), or when they become blastocysts (Day 5). We determine when to freeze embryos, how many embryos to freeze at once, and when to thaw them based on several factors, including your age and general embryo health.

The time when we thaw the embryos for transfer depends on when and how your embryos were frozen. Some may need more time to grow in the lab before being placed in your uterus.

Prior to receiving the frozen embryo, we make sure the woman’s menstrual cycle is at a point that best supports a pregnancy. Often we give hormones that help to optimize the endometrium, or lining of the uterus. Blood tests and ultrasounds help us monitor how the woman’s body responds so we can pick just the right time for implantation.

We take careful consideration when transferring embryos to a woman’s uterus. The reproductive specialists want to transfer a number that gives you the highest chance of achieving a successful pregnancy but the lowest chance of pregnancy with multiples.

How successful is frozen embryo transfer?

Remember that no assisted reproductive technology (ART) can 100% guarantee a pregnancy or result in delivery of a healthy, full-term newborn.

The success of frozen embryo transfer depends on the quality of the embryos. Women younger than 35 tend to produce higher quality embryos, but if these embryos are implanted when a woman is older, they still have a high chance of successful implantation. If you choose to freeze your embryos after the age of 35, the chance of having lower-quality embryos increases.

At California Center for Reproductive Health, we want to do everything possible to help you achieve the family you desire. Please reach out to learn more about frozen embryo transfer, in vitro fertilization, and other ART.

At least 4.3% of adults in the United States population identify as LGBTQ. Modern reproductive technology means an LGBTQ couple has incredible options when they decide to add to their family.

Here at California Center for Reproductive Health, in Encino, Valencia, or West Hollywood, California, we help you achieve parenthood in a way that works with your relationship status and identity.

Our reproductive specialists offer numerous options so you can find the right choice for you. Learn your options and what to consider when starting your family planning process.

Initial consultation

At your initial consultation, our specialists at California Center for Reproductive Health meet with you to discuss both partners’ medical histories and potential treatments.

These potential treatments include:

• In vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Intrauterine insemination
• Sperm or egg donation
• Surrogacy

During your consultation, we can also order fertility tests for females and for male factor infertility. We’ll ask if it’s important to you to use a family member for sperm or egg donation or if you’d rather use an anonymous donor.

We can also help you navigate legal and financial matters associated with reproductive technology in a timely and considerate way.

All-female couples

Choices for pregnancy include intrauterine insemination, egg donation, and IVF.

The partner who is carrying the baby undergoes blood work to test hormone levels and a hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to evaluate the health of reproductive organs, including the uterus and fallopian tubes.

A female couple also needs to decide how to obtain donor sperm. You may choose a loved one or friend or opt for anonymous donation from a sperm bank. We guide you through this process, whatever your choice is.

Intrauterine insemination places the donor sperm into the intended mother’s uterus using a small catheter that passes through the cervix.

If you go the route of IVF, you may decide that one partner contributes the egg while the other partner carries the pregnancy. Partners sometimes take turns when more than one pregnancy is planned. You may also opt for a donor egg or a surrogate, depending on medical issues.

During IVF, the donor sperm and egg are united in a laboratory to create a viable embryo. The embryo is then placed in the uterus of the partner who is going to carry the baby.

All-male couples

All-male couples who add to their families use in vitro fertilization, egg donation, and surrogacy.

Usually, the partners decide together who will provide the sperm. You can also elect to have both partners provide sperm for the IVF procedure and allow us to select the most viable embryo, regardless of the donor.

We have a comprehensive egg donation program in which we review and screen each donor carefully. You can review the egg donors we offer or choose a relative or friend to potentially donate her eggs. This potential donor will have to go through a special screening process, however, to ensure she has optimal hormone levels and is free of infection.

The team at California Center for Reproductive Health also helps you arrange an appropriate surrogate – a woman who carries the baby to term. Of course, you may have a preselected surrogate, and we can help you with contracts and screening her health.

Once you’ve selected all the participants in your pregnancy, the IVF procedure begins. Sperm and egg come together in a lab to create an embryo, which is then placed in the surrogate’s uterus.

At California Center for Reproductive Health, we want families of all types to enjoy parenthood. Call one of our offices or use the online tool to set up a consultation to learn more about LGBTQ reproductive options.

Determining the gender of your baby is the topic of baby shower games and old wives tales. Parents don’t have to wait very long to find out their baby’s gender anymore. Prenatal blood testing can reveal your baby’s sex at 11 weeks gestation.

Some parents don’t want to wait that long or leave biological gender to chance. They desire to determine the baby’s gender at the time of conception. With advancements in reproductive technology, it’s entirely possible to choose your baby’s gender.

At California Center for Reproductive Health, our specialists help parents who want to select their baby’s gender for medical or personal reasons. Here’s how the process of gender selection works.

Reasons for gender selection

Many parents look forward to the 20-week (or so) ultrasound at which gender can be determined. Others wait until delivery day to get the ultimate surprise.

But, many parents don’t joyfully anticipate this surprise. Choosing a baby’s biological gender allows parents to enjoy knowing the sex of their baby long before delivery day.

Parents may want to select their baby’s gender to:

• Determine the biological gender of their only or firstborn child
• Have ample time to prepare for baby
• Balance the sexes of children in the family
• Eliminate the chance of sex-linked diseases

Talk to our team about your family goals to determine if gender selection is right for you.

Methods of gender selection

Our team offers two methods of gender selection. Each type varies in accuracy.

Ericksson sperm washing

Ericksson sperm washing involves taking a sample of the male’s sperm and “washing it in a special solution. We then spin it in a centrifuge for several minutes. This process separates X-bearing (female) sperm from Y-bearing (male) sperm. The sperm with the desired gender is then artificially inseminated into the mother with hopes of fertilization and implantation in the uterus.

The Ericksson method gives you a better chance of having a baby of one sex over the other, but is no guarantee. There can be overlap between X-bearing and Y-bearing sperm.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)

Parents undergoing in vitro fertilization have embryos created in a lab. The sex of each embryo is determined using PGD, a type of preimplantation genetic testing. PGD also detects any genetic abnormalities, which allows us to select the healthiest embryos of your desired sex.

We then place the embryo(s) in your uterus with hopes of implantation and a healthy pregnancy. PGD has a 100% success rate in sex determination. While PGD does come with some risks, our procedure is quite safe and effective.

PGD can also detect abnormalities in an embryo that could lead to pregnancy loss, especially in women of advanced maternal age or those who experience recurrent pregnancy loss. The testing makes it more likely that you’ll have a successful IVF cycle as well as a baby of the gender of your choosing.

Our team at California Center for Reproductive Health wants to give you the best chance to have the family of your dreams. Whether you’re struggling with infertility, desire gender selection, or need egg or sperm donation, we have the technology, expertise, and compassion to help. Call one of the offices in Encino, Valencia, or West Hollywood, or reach out via this website to schedule your appointment with our specialists.