We need to talk about (in)fertility!!
Every year, the 2nd of November marks World Fertility Day. A separate day dedicated to fertility? But why? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 186 million people worldwide are affected by infertility. In Germany, one out of 7 couples is reproductively challenged.
Defining infertility
According to the WHO, a woman is considered infertile up to the age of 35 if pregnancy does not occur after 1 year despite regular, unprotected sexual intercourse at optimal times. For women over the age of 35, this applies after only 6 months. There can be numerous reasons for infertility. While 3 diagnoses (number, shape, motility) can be made in the fertility analysis of the male partner based on the sperm analysis, understanding the root cause of female infertility is much more complex. At LEVY Health, we screen women for over 65(!) (suspicion-) diagnoses.
The importance of reproductive health
Female fertility is extremely complex and it takes years for common diseases affecting a woman’s fertility, such as endometriosis or PCOS, to be diagnosed. Although 1 in 10 women are living with endometriosis, it takes an average of 7 years for an appropriate diagnosis to be made. Women’s health, and especially infertility is still a huge taboo and highly stigmatized. However, as a symptom of hormonal imbalances and chronic diseases, infertility is an important marker of a women’s overall health. This is why it is so important for women and girls to address their reproductive health early on.Â
The fertile window: The first step toward a better understanding of your fertility
Getting to know and observing your menstrual cycle better is an important first step to understanding your fertility better. A normal menstrual cycle can last between 21-35 days. The first day of your period represents the first day of a new cycle. There are only six days within your cycle where it’s possible to get pregnant, which is known as the fertile window.Â
Sperm can live in your reproductive tract for up to five days. Once an egg has been ovulated, there’s a period of less than 24 hours where it can be fertilized. So, the five days leading up to ovulation and the day of ovulation itself make up your fertile window. Fertility peaks right around ovulation. Your most fertile days are the two days before ovulation and the day that ovulation happens. In the meantime, in addition to traditional ovulation tests, there are numerous innovative methods for determining the fertile window. Getting to know your cycle and the fertile window is an important first step. In case you are trying to conceive, the correct diagnosis can bring further clarity on your path to parenthood.
The correct diagnosis brings clarity to women and couples trying to conceive
Every woman and couple should be able to decide for themselves if and when they want children. Women and couples struggling with infertility, however, lack this freedom of choice. With LEVY Health, we want to empower women and couples to decode their fertility. The fertility analysis with the LEVY Fertility Code enables you to receive individual diagnoses and therapy recommendationsÂ
How does the LEVY Fertility Code work?
Step 1: Sign-up
Create your free LEVY Health profile
Step 2: Reproductive Health Assessment
Answer in-depth questions about your medical history with our smart online questionnaire. You can do that from the comfort of your home or your clinicians office.
Step 3: The recommendation of your biomarkers
Based on your risk profile, We recommend a custom set of biomarkers to test.
Step 4: Blood test
You go to one of LEVY Health’s partner laboratories to have your blood drawn. No appointment required.Â
Step 5: Diagnoses & recommendations
Supported by LEVY Health, your doctor screens you for 65 medical conditions that impact fertility and creates a personalized care plan
Step 6: Your fertility at a glance
In your LEVY Health profile, you can access your results, diagnoses and recommendations anytime. You can also easily download them as a PDF if you need them for a doctor’s appointment or anything else.**
