Hi friends,
Whether you’re still deciding if you should consider medical-based fertility care, or you’ve already had your first round of labs and left the appointment thinking, wait… what does all of this actually mean?, this issue is for you.
Today we’re starting a simple, practical conversation about the medical side of fertility care: what a first workup typically includes, what each test is looking for, and how to make sense of results that come back “normal” but still don’t feel like real answers.
We’ve pulled together trusted, easy-to-follow resources (plus expert-informed context) so you can walk into your next appointment feeling clearer, more prepared, and more confident about what types of questions to ask, and what next steps to take.
Let’s get into it.
In this Issue We'll Cover...
Your First Fertility Workup: What to Expect
If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I should get things checked out… but I have no idea where to start,” you’re in good company. A first fertility workup can feel intimidating, like you’re stepping into a medical black box where everyone else seems to know the rules but you.
This week’s feature is all about taking the mystery (and some of the anxiety) out of that first round of testing. From bloodwork and ultrasounds to semen analysis and hormone panels, we walk through the most common tests, what each one is actually looking for, and how they fit together to tell a story about your reproductive health. The goal isn’t to label you as “fertile” or “infertile,” but to give you clear, concrete information you can use to make decisions, ask better questions, and feel more in control of what comes next.
Science Spotlight: Eggs, Sperm & the Future of Fertility
Human fertility research is moving fast on multiple fronts, from “rejuvenating” eggs in the lab to understanding how everyday chemicals affect sperm, and what real‑world egg freezing outcomes look like for people in their mid‑30s and beyond. Together, these stories highlight a common theme: scientists are trying both to protect our existing fertility from harm and to expand what’s possible with IVF and egg freezing in the years ahead.
Human eggs “rejuvenated” to boost IVF success
Researchers supported by Australian and UK groups have used a lab technique to effectively “re‑energize” older human eggs by targeting their mitochondria, the tiny structures that act like batteries inside the cell. Early lab results suggest this approach could improve embryo development and IVF success rates for some patients in the future, but it is still in experimental stages and not yet available as a routine treatment.
READ ARTICLE HERECan vitamin C help protect sperm from environmental damage?
A new study from the University of Missouri used a small fish model to show that exposure to potassium perchlorate, a chemical used in explosives and fireworks, can damage the testes and sharply reduce fertility. When vitamin C was given at the same time, it helped counteract this oxidative stress and protect the sperm‑production process, raising questions about how antioxidants might one day be used to safeguard male fertility in high‑exposure settings.
READ ARTICLE HEREWhat egg freezing after 35 really leads to in real life
A large analysis from US Fertility followed more than 1,100 people who froze their eggs between 2013 and 2024 and later came back to use them. The data show that chances of a live birth drop with age at freezing, but many people 35 and older still had meaningful success, giving patients and clinicians better numbers to use when counseling about how many eggs to bank and what to realistically expect.
READ ARTICLE HERE
Unexplained Infertility: When “Normal” Labs Don’t Feel Like Answers
It can be incredibly frustrating to be told “everything looks normal” when you’ve been trying to conceive for and still aren’t pregnant. On paper, your labs and scans might check all the boxes, but your lived experience says something isn’t adding up, and that disconnect can feel invalidating and lonely.
This week’s feature digs into what “unexplained infertility” really means, why normal test results don’t always capture the full picture, and how subtle issues with egg quality, sperm function, timing, or implantation can still be at play even when the numbers look fine. It also covers what you can ask next, whether that’s deeper testing, a second opinion, or a shift in treatment plan, so you leave the “everything’s normal” conversation with more clarity, not less.
If you enjoyed this issue of Path to Parenthood, be sure to share with anyone you know who is currently on a TTC journey ❤
