Get Started on Your Fertility Journey

A fertility evaluation is the first step on one’s fertility journey and may include a medical history, physical exam, specialized fertility tests, lab work, and ultrasounds. Learn more

Let’s discover your fertility potential together and chart a treatment plan that is evidence-based and aligned with your personal values. Then, you can embark on your journey to parenthood with the reassurance that you will have access to the latest technologies in fertility health while working with a caring team dedicated to helping you build the family of your dreams. Learn more

Fertility preservation involves the cryopreservation of sperm or eggs for future use. Fertility preservation is typically done in cases when natural fertility is threatened, such as with ovarian or testicular cancer or due to aging. Learn more

Many patients throughout the Raleigh area turn to in vitro fertilization to make their dreams of growing their family a reality — and when they need premier doctors capable of handling this procedure with care and experience, they choose our fertility clinic in Raleigh, NC: Atlantic Reproductive Medicine. Learn more

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, otherwise known as ICSI, is an option for couples battling male infertility. Atlantic Reproductive Medicine has years of experience completing this procedure successfully and has done so in more than 5,000 cases. Learn more

Intrauterine insemination (IUI), or artificial insemination, is a fertility treatment that places sperm directly into the uterus using a catheter to improve the chances of fertilization and pregnancy. IUI is a simple outpatient procedure performed at peak ovulation that enhances fertilization chances by increasing sperm-egg contact. Learn more

The cost of fertility treatment can be a barrier between patients and their plans for a family. The INVOcell, an FDA-approved gas-permeable vaginal culture device, allows patients to incubate eggs and sperm themselves, decreasing costs and increasing access to fertility treatment. Atlantic Reproductive Medicine is happy to be the first practice in the Raleigh area that offers intravaginal culture with INVOcell in the hope that this treatment will allow more patients to afford fertility care. Learn more

Controlled Ovarian Stimulation, or hyperstimulation, is, by definition, a mix of medications designed to stimulate follicle development, resulting in greater egg production in patients. It’s frequently used as the first step of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Our Raleigh, NC, fertility doctors hope to obtain as many healthy eggs as possible before introducing sperm, as some eggs don’t survive the transfer process. Learn more

Have you thought about genetic testing? Prospective parents have been able to get genetic testing for themselves for a long time, but carrying a recessive gene does not mean you will pass it on to your child. Some conditions arise spontaneously, too, and testing the parents will not reveal any risk of some genetic problems.

Today, it’s possible to test an unborn baby for many conditions. However, people who have struggled to conceive would prefer not to wait until they are pregnant to learn that their child might have a genetic condition. Read more

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects both females and males. It can often impact their fertility. While some individuals with CF are able to conceive naturally, others may need assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), to have biological children. Learn more

One out of every eight couples struggles with infertility, and for many infertile couples, there may be more than one cause. A common misconception is that an infertility problem usually lies with the female. The reality is that half of all infertile couples have a contributing male factor.

If a couple has been trying to conceive without success for one year (six months if both are over 35), there are likely to be fertility issues. It is typically helpful for both individuals to see a fertility specialist for analysis, and it is important to note that it may take a number of tests to determine the cause of infertility.
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“No-scalpel, no-needle vasectomy is the least invasive form of vasectomy. My patients experience minimal pain as the anesthesia is delivered by a spray rather than a needle. Patients are able to drive themselves home after this 20-minute procedure. I am proud to be the only fellowship-trained specialist in the region offering a true no-scalpel, no-needle vasectomy. I have been doing this procedure for over 10 years and have the utmost confidence in it. I can recommend it unequivocally to my patients.” – Matt Coward, MD
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Vasectomy reversal is a surgical procedure to undo a vasectomy. Male fertility is restored by reconnecting the tubes that sperm travel from the testicles to the semen. About 15% of men who undergo a vasectomy regret it. About 5% will desire a reversal. After a successful vasectomy reversal, a male’s sperm will again appear in the ejaculate, allowing for potential fertilization with a female egg. Reversal success rates are high when a fellowship-trained surgeon does the surgery.

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Microsurgical testicular sperm extraction (microTESE) is the gold standard surgical approach for sperm retrieval for men with non-obstructive azoospermia (sperm count so low that no sperm is visible in the ejaculate).

In this surgical procedure, a specialist retrieves sperm from the seminiferous tubules of a male’s testes using a surgical microscope. Learn more

A semen analysis evaluates the quality and volume of a man’s sperm in a man’s semen (the fluid that comes from a man’s penis when ejaculation occurs). It is one of the first steps to detecting male infertility issues.

The semen sample is viewed under a high-powered microscope. Sperm analysis is sometimes referred to as a sperm count test or a male fertility test. The analysis is done by examining how the sperm are shaped (morphology), how well they move (motility), and how many sperm are released in an ejaculate of semen (count), among other factors. Learn more

One of the first steps in assessing infertility is an analysis of the male partner’s sperm. Semen analysis may uncover below-average sperm abnormalities in sperm concentration, sperm size, shape (morphology), or movement (motility) of sperm.

Once analysis is complete, sperm preparation for fertility treatments can separate highly motile, normal sperm from those of lower quality. This can be critical for treatments such as intrauterine insemination ( IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF), or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Learn more

Sperm harvesting is done to find and retrieve sperm in men who want to achieve pregnancy but have no sperm in their ejaculate (azoospermia). Sperm is retrieved directly from the testis or epididymis.

There are many different techniques used for sperm retrieval, each dependent upon the patient’s specific situation as determined by an infertility specialist.

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Azoospermia is the medical term for the absence of sperm in the ejaculate. Abnormal semen quality in a man’s ejaculate refers to quality issues with sperm in the semen that can make the sperm unable to achieve fertilization of an egg.

These conditions are not uncommon and are frequently the reasons for male infertility. Approximately 10% of infertile men and 1% of all men have azoospermia. Imagine a stadium filled with 50,000 men — approximately 5,000 to 7,500 will have infertility, and 500 will be azoospermic. Read more

Varicocele is a common disorder, affecting 15-20% of all males, 1 in 5. It is the most common cause of an abnormal semen analysis. Varicoceles often form during puberty and grow over time. They can cause periodic or chronic discomfort or pain, but sometimes they have no symptoms or complications. A male may not even know he has a varicocele for many years. However, varicoceles can cause poor development of a testicle, low sperm production, or other issues that can lead to infertility.

Varicocele repair can improve sperm quality for over two-thirds of men, and one-third of couples conceive naturally after varicocele treatment. With repair, assisted reproductive technology (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intrauterine insemination (IUI) are more likely to be effective due to improved sperm quality. Learn more

Ejaculatory dysfunction can be characterized as premature, delayed, or absent ejaculation. The causes of absent ejaculation may include obstruction, retrograde ejaculation, or anejaculation.

Most men with ejaculatory dysfunction who seek an evaluation are younger patients desiring fertility.

Fortunately, there are many solutions for ejaculatory dysfunction. With a careful evaluation from an experienced male fertility specialist, treatment of ejaculatory dysfunction affords options to couples attempting to achieve pregnancy. Medications, assistive neurostimulatory methods for ejaculation, such as PVS and electroejaculation, and even surgical sperm retrieval are available. All of these options provide hope to a couple that wants to have a family of their own.

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Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder that affects both females and males. It can often impact their fertility. While some individuals with CF are able to conceive naturally, others may need assisted reproductive technologies (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), to have biological children. Learn more

Meet Dr. Matt Coward and hear from him about the male fertility procedures at Atlantic Reproductive Medicine.

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