In today’s society, many individuals are choosing to delay starting a family — whether for career progression, travel, or simply not yet having met the right partner. While these choices are deeply personal and often empowering, they can also present challenges when it comes to fertility later in life.
For women, fertility preservation is an important option to consider. As women age, egg quantity and quality naturally decline — with a more rapid deterioration typically occurring after the age of 34. The optimal time to freeze eggs is generally between the ages of 24 and 34, when egg health is at its peak and success rates for future use are higher.
While male fertility tends to decline more gradually, age and lifestyle factors can still affect sperm quality, DNA integrity, and overall fertility potential. Sperm freezing is also a viable preservation method, particularly for those undergoing medical treatment, facing fertility-impacting conditions, or planning for future parenthood.
Fertility preservation is not only beneficial for individuals or couples planning to conceive later — it also offers important options for same-sex couples and gender-diverse individuals. Whether used for surrogacy, donor programs, or to allow time for future planning, preserving eggs or sperm can support a wide range of family-building goals.
At CIS, we support a proactive and inclusive approach to reproductive planning, helping all individuals — regardless of relationship status, gender identity, or sexual orientation — make informed decisions about their fertility and future.
For most heterosexual couples, the process of conceiving and giving birth happens very naturally. However for one in six couples, it is a journey in bravely dealing with reproductive problems, overcoming barriers to becoming pregnant, and finally putting an end to the heartbreak and distress of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) or recurrent implantation failure (RIF).
A heterosexual couple is deemed to be infertile when they have been unable to conceive after 12 months of regular intercourse without the use of contraception.
If you are among the 15% of Australian couples who are still unsuccessful in achieving an ongoing pregnancy after 12 months, it is time to begin your personal search for answers. It is important to be aware of the realities regarding age and fertility, and how this may impact on the potential challenges you will face.
IVF Treatment is a great solution for LGBTQIA+ relationships where patients may require donor eggs, donor sperm and/or a surrogate to achieve their family. We can assist with the required investigations and preparation for this.
More and more women are opting to have a baby as a single woman These women can pursue a pregnancy using donor sperm and also the use of donor eggs if required.
As effective as IVF can be, we need to know in advance if it is right for you. Once CIS has established whether fertility treatment represents your best course of action, we look to ensure that it also offers a truly viable path for you to follow.
What Is PCOS? How It Can Affect Fertility? Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder in reproductive age women. Depending on nationality, it is present in up to one-in-five women and even more frequently in women with fertility problems. PCOS is also one of the most common causes of menstrual irregularities.
A simple analogy that we refer to as the “Seed/Soil Relationship” can help shed light on embryo implantation. Just as a successful garden needs a “good” seed properly planted in fertile soil to produce healthy plants, successful embryo implantation requires a good seed (genetically “normal” embryo) and fertile soil (receptive uterine lining) to make a healthy egg.
The uterus is composed of a thick layer of smooth muscle (myometrium) surrounding thin lining (endometrium) into which the embryo implants and which serves to protect and nourish a growing pregnancy. Approximately 20% to 40% of all reproductive age women will develop benign growths of the myometrium, referred to as fibroid tumors (leiomyomata).
Ovulation factors responsible for infertility are generally related to a woman’s inability to regularly release eggs from the ovaries or produce sufficient progesterone. Without effective production of progesterone, the uterine lining isn’t prepared to host an implanting embryo. Absent or irregular periods generally indicate that a woman is not ovulating.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) refers to conditions that affect pelvic structures including the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, bowel, and the smooth membrane that lines the surface of the pelvic cavity (the peritoneum). PID follows infection which reaches pelvic structures as a result of: sexual transmission via the vagina and cervix contamination from other inflamed structures.
A woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have. After menstruation starts, a monthly process of using up numerous eggs continues until menopause, when most of her eggs have been used up and both ovulation and menstruation cease. When the number of eggs remaining in the ovaries falls below a certain level the ability to conceive becomes more difficult .
Endometriosis is a condition where the uterine lining (endometrium) grows on pelvic structures outside the uterine cavity. In the early-stage of endometriosis there is usually little, if any, visible evidence of anatomical distortion sufficient to compromise the release of an egg (ovulation).
Endometriosis is a condition where the uterine lining (endometrium) grows on pelvic structures outside the uterine cavity. In the early-stage of endometriosis there is usually little, if any, visible evidence of anatomical distortion sufficient to compromise the release of an egg (ovulation).
To find answers that respond to each patient’s fertility challenges, we are not afraid to think and look outside the traditional box. We explore the use of leading edge medical technologies that we believe make a real difference. These investigations include:
• Natural Killer Cell assessment of the endometrium (NKC)
• Tissue Compatibility (DQ Alpha Genotyping)
• Autoimmune and Thrombophilia screening
• Diabetic screening
• Carrier screen
• Comprehensive Genetic screen
• Chromosome Karyotype
• Thyroid Function
• Chronic Endometritis and Lactobacillus assessment
Currently, with few exceptions, practitioners of assisted reproduction tend to attribute “unexplained” and/or repeated IVF failure almost exclusively to poor embryo quality. They advocate adjusting the protocols for ovarian stimulation and/or gamete and embryo preparation as a potential remedy. Their thinking is that, all it takes to ultimately succeed is to keep trying over and over again.
At CIS we are not afraid to think outside the box. We believe Reproductive Immunology plays a big part in a patient’s infertility and therefore ensure that we investigate every patient for immune related issues as part of our standard investigations.
Though many people assume that infertility is largely a female problem, the truth is that approximately half of infertility cases involve the male to some extent. The good news is that male infertility can be treated effectively in the overwhelming majority of cases. The treatment of male factor infertility is one of success.
