November 2, 2019 is World Fertility Day! Did you know that the first baby conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF) was born in 1978? Since that milestone more than 40 years ago millions of babies have been born through IVF assistance. Improved medical technology and ongoing research continue to help women and families achieve their goal of having a successful pregnancy.

One in six Canadian couples who are trying to get pregnant are diagnosed with infertility. Traditionally people jump straight to thinking they need IVF. As a family doctor, however, there are many things that should be investigated, factors that can be optimized and also options that can be considered before embarking strictly on IVF. Furthermore there are many options for women who are simply thinking about preserving their best fertility chances through treatments like egg freezing. If you would like to find out more about your best options make an appointment with us today!

References:

Wang J, Sauer M. In vitro fertilization (IVF): a review of 3 decades of clinical innovation and technological advancement. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2006 Dec; 2(4): 355–364. Available at: URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1936357/ 

Johnson, M. (2018). A short history of IVF. International Journal of Developmental Biology https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.34238