Kolbe Hancock

1 month ago | parentdata.org | Kolbe Hancock |Emily Oster

I had my first IVF transfer a few days ago, and the fertility clinic, along with several other online sources, says to refrain from intercourse or orgasm for anywhere from five days to “at least two weeks.” I have no history of miscarriage, bleeding, or other complications, and I successfully carried my first child to term two years ago. How solid is the research behind this recommendation?

1 month ago | parentdata.org | Kolbe Hancock |Emily Oster

Usually when you hear “everything’s normal” from your doctor, it’s a good thing. But if you’ve been trying to get pregnant for a long time, it can be frustrating to find out there is no explanation for your infertility. Up to 30% of couples who experience infertility receive a diagnosis of “unexplained infertility.” But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any treatment options available to you. So what does it mean? What can and can’t we explain in this diagnosis? Let’s break it all down.

1 month ago | parentdata.org | Kolbe Hancock |Emily Oster

We are in the midst of our secondary infertility journey, and I am curious to hear your thoughts on the data surrounding acupuncture, nutrition, Mayan massage, etc. on fertility. The practitioners I’ve gone to in this space have made pretty confident claims (“Come to acupuncture once a week and we’ll have you pregnant in three months!” to “Your uterus is leaning left! We just have to massage it into place regularly!”).