Clinic Corner: At-home fertility tests
Fertility testing assesses sperm appearance/motility, how the uterus and ovaries respond, and that the fallopian tubes are open. Direct-to-consumer tests only evaluate a portion of this.
Read moreDr. Clay’s Story: Vasectomy Day
G7P2143. That’s what Nicole’s chart reads when looking at her (our) obstetric history. For those of you not used to ob/gyn shorthand, for us, it means seven pregnancies, two full-term deliveries, one preterm delivery, four miscarriages and three living children. As I sit here with an ice pack and recover from my vasectomy, it’s weird to think that just four years ago, I would have assumed this procedure was entirely unnecessary for me.
Read moreAsk Sofia: What is the real difference between IUI and IVF?
Sometimes getting pregnant is more difficult than you hoped or anticipated. In that case, your pregnancy journey might include intrauterine insemination (IUI) and/or in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
Read moreVaccines and Fertility
There has been a lot of discussion (and some confusion) about vaccinations this past year, particularly among those who are pregnant or trying to conceive. Clinic Sofia shared an article about the safety of the COVID vaccine for pregnant women that you can find here. In addition, we recently asked Dr. David Clay, who has a special interest in fertility management and has been closely monitoring the latest information related to the vaccine, to shed some light on the topic of vaccines and fertility and help to dispel some of the misinformation that may be online.
Read moreFertility Treatments Today
Throughout 2020, Dr. David Clay has reminded his patients seeking fertility treatments that “you are not alone.” While some have chosen to stop or delay treatment for infertility, many individuals and couples are choosing to move forward with the support of Dr. Clay and Clinic Sofia.
Read moreSupporting a Friend through Infertility or Pregnancy Loss
While more women today are open about their struggles with infertility or pregnancy loss, it is still hard to find the right words when one of your friends or loved ones shares her challenges in getting pregnant or maintaining pregnancy. Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month can open our eyes and hearts wider to these issues: 1 in 8 couples has difficulty getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read moreFertility Preservation
Originally developed to help young cancer patients who wanted preserve the possibility of having biological children after treatment, fertility preservation is the process of saving eggs or sperm for potential future use. In addition to cancer patients, it is chiefly used by women with endometriosis, fibroids, genetic issues affecting fertility or autoimmune diseases as well as those who delay having children for personal reasons. With advances in technology and medicine, more and more fertility preservation options are available today.
Read moreRESOLVE Family Building Summit
If you experiencing infertility or if you are interested in learning more about adoption, we hope you will join Clinic Sofia for the 34th Annual Infertility, Adoption and Family Building Summit taking place Nov. 10 at Normandale Community College in Bloomington.
Read moreAll About Ovulation and Fertility
Ovulation is probably something you don’t pay much attention to until you’re trying to get pregnant, when it suddenly becomes a hot topic.
Read more“Be Your Best Self” Event
Clinic Sofia is so proud to be working with TeamWomen, a Twin Cities-based leadership organization that brings women together for unique networking and educational events. We recently hosted the first of two “Be Your Best Self” events where Physician Assistant Allie Nowak, Dr. Amy Hammers and Dr. David Clay discussed “common concerns among young professionals.”
Read moreGetting Help with Infertility
During National Infertility Awareness Week, we want to remind those of you in our Clinic Sofia community who may be struggling with getting pregnant that you are not alone. About 1 in 8 couples struggle with infertility yet so many are uncomfortable speaking up and seeking help. At Clinic Sofia, we see a lot of couples having difficulty getting pregnant based on a wide range of factors.
Read moreFinding a Funny Side to Infertility
f you’ve struggled with infertility, you know it is not especially fun or funny. However, when one Clinic Sofia patient found herself laughing about certain aspects of her own experience, she sought to create a community to share some of the more humorous aspects to what she and others endure on their path to parenthood. Lisa Tuttle recently founded a nonprofit and website called Farcical Fertility—a place where couples can come to “laugh instead of cry” and share their own experiences or read others’ stories. The site also accepts donations, which will be used to provide fertility grants that will be given to help relieve the financial burden of infertility treatments for couples in need.
Read moreHope and Help for Infertility
The 33rd Annual Midwest Infertility and Adoption Family Building Summit, a daylong event with speakers, information and resources to help those struggling to get pregnant, took place Nov. 17. Clinic Sofia’s Dr. David Clay had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion, “Infertility 101,” as well as a couple of TV interviews leading up to the event.
Read moreFertility
Fertility can be affected by a number of factors. Today, there are many different treatment options for couples hoping to conceive including medication, insemination, surgery or assisted reproductive technologies. What works for one couple may not work for another.
Read moreArtificial Insemination and In Vitro Fertilization
Now acronyms that most people are familiar with, artificial insemination (AI ) and in vitro fertilization (IVF) have come a long way since the “test-tube babies” of the 1970s. Artificial insemination or intrauterine insemination (IUI) involves placing sperm directly into the uterus whereas IVF is a procedure where eggs and sperm are combined in a laboratory, and then placed in the uterus once embryos form.
Read moreWhen to Seek Help with Infertility
When you’re ready to start or add to your family, even a month or two can seem like a lifetime when it comes to conception. However, if you have been having unprotected sex for a year or more with regular periods and are not able to conceive, you may want to schedule an appointment with your doctor
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