At the time a couple make an appointment at the Frisco Institute for Reproductive Medicine, we will begin to assemble any previous medical records for review that might pertain to the explanation for the delay in conception or why prior therapies may have failed to result in conception/ongoing pregnancy. If such information exists, it often proves invaluable in making a first visit very productive. Dr. Guerami has made a life’s work of giving couples an honest appraisal of the likely impediment(s) to successful reproduction and the options that exist for circumventing those obstacles.

Incorporated in this philosophy is the notion that treatments should be no more complex or expensive than required for a reasonable likelihood of success. An estimate of the likelihood of the success of any treatment option is a necessary consideration. Sometimes overlooked are the reproductive disadvantages inherent in seemingly irrelevant areas such as diet, body composition or lifestyle. Surprisingly, intelligent couples may misinterpret the optimal time in a woman’s cycle to achieve a fertile mating.

There are, of course, instances in which the “data base” will be very limited at the time of the first visit. Are ample sperm present and do they appear to complete their cycle of maturation? Does the fallopian tube, the address where the female and male gametes rendezvous seem qualified to achieve the multiple tasks essential for normal fertilization?

Relatively simple testing will often estimate whether the egg (oocyte) released in a given cycle is inclined to be optimal. A woman in the prime of reproductive life, in any given cycle, is more likely to ovulate a flawed egg than one that is optimal. For a more detailed explanation of some of the underlying causes of making flawed eggs, see Egg development and the brain.