Trying for a baby?
Beacon CARE Fertility's satellite clinic on Barrington Street provides a wide range of fertility services for patients across Limerick and the wider region.
Whether you're just starting to think about having a family or have been trying for a while, it's natural to have questions. Understanding your fertility can help you make informed decisions about your next steps.
Dr Faiza Shafi, Fertility Consultant at Beacon CARE Fertility's Limerick satellite clinic, answers some of the most common questions about fertility, fertility testing, and treatment options.
If a woman is under 35, we generally recommend seeking fertility advice after one year of trying to conceive without success.
If she is 35 or older, we recommend seeking advice after six months of trying.
There are also situations where it makes sense to seek advice sooner, including irregular periods, endometriosis, previous pelvic surgery or known male fertility concerns.
Many people are surprised to learn that fertility can often be assessed with a few straightforward tests.
- AMH blood test to assess ovarian reserve.
- Ultrasound scan to assess the ovaries and uterus.
- Semen analysis, a simple, non-invasive test that evaluates sperm count, movement and overall sperm health.
These tests can often provide reassurance or help identify potential issues early, allowing the most appropriate treatment plan to be developed.
No. Male fertility is a sole or contributing factor in around half of all fertility cases. That's why we encourage both partners to be assessed.
No. That's one of the biggest myths surrounding fertility.
However, egg quality does gradually decline with age, and that decline becomes more noticeable after the age of 35.
For example, at the age of 35, approximately 50% of a woman's embryos are expected to be viable for a successful pregnancy. By the late 30s and early 40s, that figure falls significantly, largely due to chromosomal abnormalities in the eggs.
This means it can take longer to achieve a pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage also increases.
The good news is that fertility treatment has advanced significantly over recent years, giving many patients more options than ever before.
The most appropriate treatment depends on the underlying cause of the fertility issue. Following fertility testing, your fertility specialist will recommend the treatment best suited to your individual circumstances.
Some of the most common fertility treatments include:
A treatment where specially prepared sperm is placed directly into the uterus. It may be suitable for selected patients, although success rates generally decline with maternal age.
Eggs are fertilised in the laboratory before an embryo is transferred to the uterus. Where there is a male fertility factor, IVF may be combined with ICSI, where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg to assist fertilisation.
Sometimes recommended for women over 35, or for patients with recurrent miscarriage or previous unsuccessful IVF treatment. It helps identify embryos with the correct number of chromosomes, helping fertility specialists select the embryo with the best chance of resulting in a healthy pregnancy.
Egg or embryo freezing may be an option for people who are not yet ready to start a family but wish to preserve their fertility and keep more reproductive options open later in life.
Beacon CARE Fertility's satellite clinic on Barrington Street provides a wide range of fertility services for patients across Limerick and the wider region.
In most cases, patients will only need to travel to our Dublin clinic for egg collection and embryo transfer if IVF treatment is recommended.
Services available in Limerick include:
- Fertility consultations
- Fertility assessments
- AMH blood testing
- Ultrasound scans
- Semen analysis
- Treatment monitoring
Patients attending our Limerick satellite clinic have access to the full range of advanced fertility treatments and technologies available at Beacon CARE Fertility, with the convenience of receiving much of their care locally. We are also an HSE-approved fertility clinic for publicly funded IVF.
If you're concerned about your fertility, don't be afraid to seek advice.
Simple fertility tests can often provide reassurance or identify issues early, allowing you to make informed decisions about your next steps. Whether you've just started trying for a baby or have been trying for some time, seeking advice early can often make all the difference.
www.beaconcarefertility.ie/locations
