IVF Patient Asks: What Supplements Can I Take To Increase Implantation Success?

Question:

Good day Dr Ramirez,

I was wondering what supplements and vitamins can I take to increase my chances of implantation in an IVF cycle?

Thank you! V. from the U.S.

Answer:

Hello V.,

There are no natural supplements that I know of that can help with implantation. I do add aspirin 81mg per day, Heparin and Medrol to my patients that have had implantation failures or failed IVF cycles because these meds have been shown to increase endometrial oxygenation and decreased miscarriage rates. Before you use these, however, it should be done in consultation with your IVF doctor so that you are not going against any protocols that he/she may be using.

In addition to supplements, you may want to look into doing acupuncture. While I cannot endorse the procedure on a purely scientific basis, some research has been done to see if acupuncture does have a beneficial effect with IVF patients. My patients are always given this option and a referral to local acupuncturists who specialize in infertility.

One in particular here in Monterey, Rikke Blessing (http://www.blessingacu.com/), has referenced some studies you may want to look at. This one was published in 2002 in Fertility & Sterility, the medical journal of reproductive medicine. "Researchers in Germany have looked at acupuncture to determine its efficacy with the use of traditional TCM combined with assisted reproductive techniques with embryo transfer (IVF). The acupoints chosen were used to relax the uterus. The main purpose of the study was to evaluate whether acupuncture accompanying embryo transfer increases clinical pregnancy rates. The results showed that the pregnancy rate for the acupuncture group was considerably higher than the control (42.5% acupuncture group versus 26.3% control group)".Paulus, W., Zhang, M., Strehler, E. Influence of Acupuncture on the Pregnancy Rate in Patients who Undergo Assisted Reproduction Therapy. Fertil Steril 2002;77:4;721-24

Good Luck,

Edward J. Ramirez, M.D., FACOG

Executive Medical Director

The Fertility and Gynecology Center

Monterey Bay IVF Program

http://www.montereybayivf.com/

Monterey, California, U.S.A.

Increasing Sperm Count

In my capacity as volunteer infertility expert on About.com's All Expert site, I get questions from all over the world. Here is one from Egypt that many of you might relate to, regarding male infertility as a factor in reproductive failure.

Question:

Hi sir,

I am 28 years old man from Egypt. I got married from 7 months ago. My wife still not pregnant. So recently I did a semen analysis and I got the following result:

Sperm count is 18.4 million (regular is 20 million)
Abnormal morphology is 79% while regular is less than 70%
But sperm motility and volume is ok

My question is:
What is your suggestion or prescription to increase the number of sperms and to enhance the shape of it?

Thank you!

Answer:
Hello,

Unfortunately there are not a lot of options for the treatment of sperm defects, but here are a couple of suggestions. Sperm morphology is determined by the actual production of the sperm at the testicular level. Very little is known as to what controls that production, and therefore, what could be causing your sperm to be formed abnormally. It could be genetic predisposition or an environmental toxin such as pesticides, radiation exposure, medication or the like. Your count is probably adequate because it is borderline normal, but fertilization won't occur if most of the sperm are abnormal.
The ideal treatment would be to do IVF (in vitro fertilization) with ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) because a minimum amount of normal sperm will be required in that case. But if you want to continue to try naturally, here are two options:

1. Proxeed, Fertility Blend or Fertilaidmen which can be ordered via the internet (one such site is: http://www.fertilaid.com/male-fertility.asp ). These are vitamin supplements with ingredients that are supposed to enhance sperm production and motility, and possibly morphology. You will need to use it everyday, as recommended, for at least three months to see an effect since sperm production is in 90 day cycles (that is the sperm forming today won't come out for 90 days).
2. Clomiphene citrate, a fertility medication used mostly in women, can also be used in men. In general it is used to increase sperm count, which in your case, may get you to produce enough normal sperm to lead to pregnancy. You would need to take 1 tablet (50 mg) per day. Again, you will have to use it for a minimum of 90 days before you can see an effect.

Because of your sperm problems, you might want to consider insemination (IUI) as a treatment as well, again, to get the maximum number of normal sperm inot the tube for fertilization.

Good luck,


Edward J. Ramirez, M.D., FACOG
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility and Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF Program
Monterey, California, U.S.A.

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