First, try to determine if your mother was given DES during her pregnancy with you. This may be hard to determine because it may have happened so long ago. Also, many doctors just told their patients that they were taking vitamins. The really sad part about this is that DES exposure can cause cancer and infertility in the women that took it, as well as their children. If you determine that you were exposed to DES, then you should inform your doctor or infertility specialist so that special care can be taken, especially during infertility treatment.

Being exposed to DES in utero puts women at a higher risk for pregnancy complications such as ectopic pregnancies, miscarriage or premature deliveries. This does not mean that you are incapable of becoming pregnant and carrying to term if you have been exposed to DES. Many women do become pregnant and carry to term despite their exposure. The reasons that DES has negative effects on women are not entirely clear. It is widely believed that the DES exposure affects the formation of the cervix. If this is true, then it can explain why exposed women have a higher number of miscarriages than non-exposed women.

If you suspect that you have been exposed to DES, then it is very important to work closely with your family physician or infertility specialist. Your doctor should order screenings to see if you have any of the negative health effects of DES exposure. Breast exams and mammograms should be performed regularly. Self breast exams should be performed at least monthly so that you can catch changes early. You should receive regular pelvic exams and PAP smears. Your doctor may do an extra type of PAP smear to check for clear cell adencarcinoma, believed to be caused by DES exposure.

Clear cell adencarcinoma is the type of cancer believed to be linked to DES exposure. This is a rare type of cancer that affects the vagina and cervix. Survival rates are very high for this type of cancer. The most common treatment for clear cell adencarcinoma is surgery. The surgery usually includes the removal of the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. Occasionally the vagina, or parts of the vagina, must also be removed. The surrounding lymph glands may also be removed. Radiation may also be used to treat the cancer.

Work closely with a caring physician or infertility specialist that understands what you could be facing. If it is determined that you were exposed to DES, then you will need special health care as well as special pregnancy monitoring in your quest to conquer infertility.

On occasion, patients of Dr. Daiter, Eric have offered their testimonials for other couples seeking quality infertility treatment. This testimonial may help you with your decision when you are choosing a reproductive endocrinologist for your infertility treatment.

Dr. Daiter, Eric was always discussing with us where we were and what our next options were. He explained all the various treatments from mildly aggressive to very aggressive and worked with us to come up with a plan that we all felt comfortable with. I always felt like he kept me very well informed so that I could make intelligent choices. He always personally called me when ever I had some tests done, as soon as he got the results and discussed them. This was usually within a day of the tests being done. That really stood out in my mind because, with all my other doctors, when I have lab work done, it takes a good week before I hear anything from them. Even then, many times their policy is to have the office staff call only when there is a problem. You can only hope that nothing was overlooked.

I spoke to other people who were going to other Infertility Specialists in the area and they said their doctors would only discuss the test results after a whole series of tests were done. The patients expressed that the doctors made them feel rushed and uncomfortable asking a lot of questions. They also expressed that the office staff was rude and abrupt with them when they called with questions. I was very fortunate – I never felt this way with Dr. Daiter, Eric or his office staff.

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Keep in mind that you are not an infertility specialist and you have no way of knowing what infertility treatment may be best for the ones you love. Be careful about finding a lot of information online and offering it up as a solution to all of their problems. Many couples experiencing infertility are very deeply affected by their problem and may react irrationally to suggestions from family and friends. Dealing with infertility is a very personal journey that couples must go through together.

Remember that the couple is probably having trouble dealing with their infertility. Men and women react differently to infertility and some may consider their partner’s reaction to be the wrong one. This can really cause the couple to be in an uphill battle with each other. You offering up solutions is not going to solve all of their problems. You may only be giving them more to deal with. This can severely impact relationships, so you should proceed carefully when offering support and advice.

Do not get discouraged, there are ways that you can offer support without causing more harm than good. You can still be a pillar for the couple to lean on. You can be supportive without intruding on personal matters. Let the couple come to you with information rather than constantly prying for the scoop. Let them know that you are here if they need you, but you understand that this can be a very personal matter. Be there when they want to talk. Don’t discount their fears because they can be very real. Being afraid and talking about it to a third party can be very therapeutic for a couple. Offer perspective whenever possible, but don’t pretend to completely understand, as every situation is different.

One thing to remember is that the couple you care about is feeling very much out of control in a lot of ways. You can offer constructive support by giving them control whenever possible. Asking how you can help and putting them in control of dictating your role can help them feel supported without giving them the impression that they need to be saved. If they would like for you to stay out of it, then stay out of it. Let them know that you respect that decision and that you will be there for them if they need you. Support the decisions that they make as far as treatments are concerned. Wish them well, but try not to speculate on whether certain treatments will work. Offer as much support as needed without going overboard and you will be a great asset to the struggling couple.

Patients of Dr. Eric Daiter have often offered kind words about the way that he handles their very personal infertility situations. If you are searching for a specialist to deal with the infertility treatment of the ones you love, you may want to take personal testimonials like the one below into consideration.

Let me share some examples of the kind of attention Dr. Eric Daiter’s patients receive. While his main office is in Edison NJ, he maintains a satellite office in Ocean Township NJ. The Ocean Township office is closer to my home. However, given the nature of his practice, timing is everything. Ovulation did not always occur when he had office hours in Ocean Township. Dr. Eric Daiter, therefore, arranged to see me in his Ocean Township office, outside his normal hours, to accommodate my schedule or that of my husband. He did this on several occasions.

I have had the occasion to call Dr. Eric Daiter’s office with questions and concerns. His office staff has always been kind and courteous. Surely, this is a positive reflection on their employer. Further, if he was not available to take my call immediately, he never failed to promptly return calls, even on Saturdays. Additionally, he always spent as much time as necessary explaining things and answering questions. Neither my husband nor I ever had the impression that he was in a hurry or a rush to move on to the next patient.

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Well, simply because a couple has proven they can already conceive a child yet trying for another and striking a road block such as this can be hard to come to terms with.

What Is Secondary Infertility?

In a nutshell, secondary infertility is being unable to conceive a child after already having had one child. Simply put, a couple will have their first child and let’s say it’s girl. So they then decide to try again for a boy to complete their family. Only problem is, nothing happens.

Despite having proven they are capable of experiencing pregnancy the first time around, the second time is proving a real challenge. What’s the problem? It’s frustrating and in many respects, just as stressful as trying to conceive the first time round.

What Can You Do?

If secondary infertility has been confirmed in your life here are some steps you should consider taking:

- Have a blood test done to check serum progesterone levels as well as levels of serum gonadotrophins and prolactin

- Visit an infertility specialist for diagnosis

- Consider other tests including pelvic ultrasound, hysterosalpingography and laparoscopy

- If the cause has been determined then take the necessary steps to overcome it. You made need to make lifestyle changes such as diet. Cut out things such as alcohol and coffee and refrain from taking unnecessary drug treatments. Even consider alternative treatments.

These are not the be all and end all but just some of the measures you might consider adopting. Your specialist will definitely help you in this regard and point you in the right direction.

Causes Of Secondary Infertility

Causes of secondary infertility can be a “dime a dozen.” Many of the medical conditions namely internal disorders, such as hormonal, ovarian and ovulation problems, tube or peritoneal causes, hypothalamic-pituitary causes, cervical, vaginal and uterine problems, and genetic causes apply here as well. Again, the problem can lie with both the woman’s reproductive system and the man’s reproductive system, or with both partners.

However, most of the times, these are not the only causes. A secondary infertility is commonly caused by age, new partners, stress, taking up alcohol or certain drugs that causes infertility, food, coffee, and many more reasons beyond these. Infertility starts to kick in slowly from age 30 and more rapidly from age 35 onwards in women.

Some women develop hormonal problems which affect the ovulation process, or having not enough mucus to allow the sperm to move freely, or it is too thick and sticky, or the mucus is unreceptive to the partner’s sperm.  The mucus, which is supposed to help the sperm to swim up to uterus to meet the egg, fails.

Or it is also possible that a dormant health problem which may have existed when you conceived before but did not affect the pregnancy is active now and it interrupts the current conception. This may include damage to the uterus or fallopian tubes caused by endometriosis, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), fibroids, diseases such diabetes, or any other ovarian or ovulation problems.

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In most cases, infertility issues would be the last thing on their minds but when a couple has been trying to conceive for six months to a year without success, then it’s time to at least make an appointment to see the family doctor.

The Initial Assessment

Sure, it’s an upsetting time when your most profound fears are realised and you’re told a fertility problem is present however, on a more positve note, up to 85 percent of problems are established during this first visit. Infertility becomes emotionally challenging when a reason cannot be identified and couples are left wondering why.

Further good news is when a problem is detected after that first assessment, they are usually rectified reasonably quickly. However, the question many ask is should they visit their family doctor first or search for an infertility specialist?

While your local physician isn’t trained to handle the more complex issues of infertility it’s a good idea to visit them first. Either way, if they can initially detect a problem or if they find nothing, they are the best “go between” or reference point to an infertility specialist.

What Is An Infertility Specialist?

In a nutshell, infertility specialists are trained specialists in the field of reproduction and infertility. They have undergone extensive medical training and they can accurately diagnose and treat many complex conditions that can cause infertility better than normal physicians.

An infertility specialist is known to be a reproductive endocrinologist, an obstetrician or a gynecologist who has completed three additional years of training in reproduction and fertility and has become board-certified through examinations and research projects.

At the same time, an infertility specialist also acts as an advisor and a reproductive medicine specialist. That is why the doctors who diagnose the infertility would suggest the specialist immediately, especially if the parties with problems severely need advice. Do not wait to see a specialist if the doctor prescribes a visit.

This article wasn’t meant to go into the absolute specifics of treatment methods via an infertility specialist but is designed more to make those who think a problem exists, aware that there are a couple of very important first steps to take before you really begin to worry.

Remember, if you think you have a fertility issue, don’t jump to any conclusions until you first visit your family doctor. It could more than likely just be a temporary setback which could easily be remedied following that first consultation.

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Those who are unable to conceive then begin the sometimes long struggle of firstly, trying to identify their problem and then beginning more advanced forms of treatment. The first step is to identify whether an infertility problem exists and a trip to your doctor, a reproductive endocrinologist is recommended.

Figuring Out The Problem

It’s not unusual for to suspect the woman in a relationship may be suffering the infertility problem however, it’s a two way street and no conclusions should be drawn until the necessary steps have been completed. Your doctor will complete an in depth analysis of both you and your partner’s history and will want to follow the history up with a physical examination. Following the examination, the next step will probably involve some diagnostic testing from which the correct treatment steps will be developed.

Age could be a vital determining factor when trying to establish an infertility problem. In the case of the woman, this is very important. The older a woman gets, the more likely their fertility abilities will decline and for women over 35 years of age, enlisting the support of a infertility specialist should be one of the first steps. If it’s determined the infertility problem lies with the woman, then the doctor will begin by measuring the fertility potential of the eggs with a simple blood test.

Infertility Problem – Men

In men, the analysis to determine an infertility problem will usually involve two tests. Two semen samples will be taken to assess things such as sperm count and sperm structure. If these initial tests cannot reveal any abnormality then there may be a case for further analysis with other specialists. Lifestyle habits such as smoking, alcohol or even drug use may be determined as the likely cause. Medical conditions could also be the underlying problem.

It’s important not to panic initially when you suspect an infertility problem may be present. Once the preliminary testing has been completed in many cases, a simple adjustment in lifestyle may be all that’s required. Whatever the problem, your doctor will help you plan the necessary steps you need to take.

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