Introducing: Ms. Conceptions, MD (Dr. Rachel Danis)

Join Dr. Rachel Danis on IG live every month to debunk fertility’s most common myths! Below is a preview of what you can expect in this segment.

  1. Egg freezing hinders my future ability to get pregnant. 
    • Not true.  Egg freezing takes advantage of retrieving eggs from follicles that otherwise would have died naturally.
  2. Embryo freezing is better than egg freezing. 
    • Not true.  Since we have changed the way we freeze eggs, large data studies show similar live birth rates with egg and embryo freezing. 
  3. Reasons for infertility are usually female-related.
    • Up to 50% of couples with infertility have a component of male factor infertility.
    • 1 in 5 couples with infertility have solely a male factor reason for infertility.
  4. I’m too young to freeze my eggs/ I don’t need to think about this now.
    • Being in your 20s is not too young.  Your eggs are of better quality at this age than in mid-late 30s and early 40s.*
  5. Hormones for fertility cause cancer.
    • There is no evidence to show a direct relationship between controlled ovarian stimulation and cancer.*
  1. My mom had a baby at age 40, so I can too.
    • Realistically, natural conception at age 40 is quite low.*
  2. I have irregular periods, so does this mean I’m infertile?
    • No.  Having irregular cycles means you may not ovulate, or release an egg every 4 weeks, compared to a woman who does menstruate monthly. This lack of ovulation could be a reason for not conceiving in a given month, but this is fixable with fertility treatment.*
  3. I’ve been on birth control “forever.”  Does this impact my ability to conceive? 
    • Not true.  Birth control pills do not hinder future fertility.  
  4. AMH tells me how “fertile” I am.  
    • Nope!  AMH has no bearing on egg quality or one’s ability to ovulate.  AMH does not  predict one’s fecundity, or ability to conceive in a given menstrual cycle.  AMH is used as a marker for predicting/estimating one’s response to fertility medication.  AMH represents how “reactive” an ovary will be with stimulation/fertility medication. 
  5. I’m not ready to have a kid, or I don’t think I want to have kids, so I don’t need to hear about egg freezing.
    • Correction!  You’re never too young! In fact, your eggs are of better quality the younger you are so, once you’re ready, the younger the better.
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* Reference for ovarian reserve testing
*Age-related decline in fertility, See how age affects probability of live birth w/ X number of mature eggs frozen: Goldman et al. Human Reproduction. 2017;32(4):853-859.
*Hormones and cancer

*ASRM Practice Committee on age-related decline in fertility
*ACOG’s practice bulleting on age-related decline in fertility

*Tx w/ gonadotropins in anovulatory women

*References: Reproductive Medicine Network trials w/ oral agents to induce ovulation in women w/ PCOS- Legro RS, Brzyski RG, Diamond MP, Coutifaris C, Schlaff WD, Alvero R, Casson P, Christman GM, Huang H, Yan Q, Haisenleder DJ, Barnhart KT, Bates GW, Usadi R, Lucidi R, Baker V, Trussell JC, Krawetz SA, Snyder P, Ohl D, Santoro N, Eisenberg E, Zhang H; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Reproductive Medicine Network. The Pregnancy in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome II study: baseline characteristics and effects of obesity from a multicenter randomized clinical trial. Fertil Steril. 2014 Jan;101(1):258-269.e8. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.08.056. Epub 2013 Oct 21. PMID: 24156957; PMCID: PMC3899700.

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Kindbody
Kindbody is a new generation of women's health and fertility care. Providing you with the information you need to take control of your health and make the decisions that are right for you. We’re a community of healthcare providers, fertility specialists, and women who get it. We’re on a mission to democratize and de-stigmatize women’s health and fertility care, making it accessible, intuitive, and empowering.