By Dr. Andrea Peterson There’s now a new definition for infertility that’s helping doctors treat their patients more effectively. In this month’s blog, our own Dr. Andrea Peterson takes a closer look at how the medical community now defines infertility and why this is a good thing for all types of patients. On October 15th, 2023 the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) released a committee opinion updating the current definition for infertility. Infertility is now described as a disease, condition, or status that can be characterized in 3 different ways. The first way that it is c ..read more

Many men are interested in increasing their testosterone levels especially if they are experiencing symptoms related to “low T”, such as issues with erections or low sex drive. However, what they may not realize is that fixing one issue can result in another. One side effect of testosterone treatment is male infertility. Testosterone supplementation decreases sperm production by decreasing levels of another hormone called follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which is important for stimulating sperm production. The good news is for most men, once they stop taking testosterone, infertility is rev ..read more

The last week every April marks a very special event in the world of infertility, it is National Infertility Awareness Week. Here at Coastal Fertility, it is our mission to help couples create the family of their dreams but it’s also an incredibly important time to shine a light on this often disregarded condition. Millions of couples struggle with infertility, often in silence and shame. This week and all year long we are shining a light on this condition and letting couples know it’s ok to need help. To honor this important week, our doctors, with the help of ABC News 4’s Lowcountry Live, ha ..read more

In this month’s blog we are featuring a recently-launched live video series called Coastal Quickies. These are 30 minute videos by our Coastal Fertility physicians discussing a variety of infertility issues and treatments options.  Below we highlight a segment from Dr. John Schnorr about Male Factor Infertility. Many people don’t realize that 30% of all infertility issues are related to the male partner. Click to watch Dr. Schnorr give detailed information on the causes of Male Factor Infertility along with ways it can be effectively treated, resulting in a healthy pregnanc ..read more

National Infertility Awareness Week®, (NIAW) is a movement, founded in 1989 by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association.  Its mission is to empower patients and change the conversation around infertility.  So many people feel ashamed of their fertility issues and often aren’t supported by their employer or community. Many couples feel isolated when they struggle to build a family, so NIAW was created to empower them and help people find a community that cares. Coastal Fertility Specialist is dedicated to changing the conversation around infertility. This is what we hop ..read more

Over the past 40 years there has been a trend towards both men and women putting higher education and careers ahead of marriage and family. Advanced paternal age, generally considered over the age 50, has now been associated with decreased sperm quality and longer time to conception. A study in 2018 of more than 40.5 million births in the United States questions the notion that only the woman’s age is relevant to the health of the baby. This study, published in the BMJ Medical Journal, reveals that advanced paternal age may be associated with premature birth, low birth weight, low Apgar score ..read more

When it comes to supplements and vitamins, our physicians cite The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which suggest women looking to conceive should be taking at least 400 micrograms of folic acid daily to help prevent major birth defects of the fetal brain and spine both before and during pregnancy. They also mention vitamins such as Vitamin C and Vitamin D, as well as “adequate” amounts of Vitamin B-12, as these can help improve outcomes for both mom and child. Our doctors also recommend women take a calcium supplement because calcium helps to maintain the bone density that ..read more

By: Dr. John Schnorr Approximately one third of all patients with infertility have a male factor infertility component. There has been a considerable amount of discussion and research in the reproductive endocrinology community about whether or not male sperm counts have been declining over the last 40 to 50 years. The studies that have been done are confounded by different geographic regions which all tend to have varying sperm concentrations, and changes in the way we assess sperm quality over time. A recent publication in Human Reproduction Update in November of 2017 used meta-analysis data ..read more

The embryology laboratory is often the least understood part of a patient’s care despite having a critical impact on a patient’s success. Recognizing this, Coastal Fertility Specialists has made a sizeable investment in a state-of-the art embryology laboratory run by subspecialty trained laboratory personnel who help provide some of the leading pregnancy rates in the nation.  The focus on high quality embryology care, regardless of cost, has become one the greatest advantages for Coastal Fertility Specialists! Our outstanding team of embryologists achieve pregnancy rates well above the na ..read more

This year National Infertility Awareness Week® is April 23-29. During this week and all year long, our goal at Coastal Fertility Specialists is to share our knowledge and unwavering support to our patients and all those suffering from Infertility. “Unfortunately, over 18 million women in the United States suffer from infertility, holding them back from the greatest happiness life has to offer,” says Dr. John Schnorr, Medical Director at Coastal Fertility. “Fortunately, through simple and advanced medical treatments, success rates with persistence are over 95%. My hope is that Infertility Aware ..read more