Three Columns Blog

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or is it? Maybe all it takes is some well-meaning but insensitive family member asking, “When are you going to have a baby?” to send you away from the holiday dinner table and into a spiral...

If you are spending those two weeks on your dream vacation, those two weeks probably don’t feel anywhere near long enough. If you are spending those two weeks waiting to see if your embryos will become to start of a long-awaited pregnancy, those two...

Are you getting enough sleep? Awareness of the importance of sleep to overall health is growing, and researchers are beginning to make some connections to the role sleep plays in fertility. A 2018 study compared the infertility rates for a group of women with...

The causes of infertility split up fairly equally: One third of the time, infertility is rooted in problems with the woman’s reproductive system; one third is due to male factors; and one third is caused by issue with both the male and female partner...

For many of us, few activities are as anticipated as a good run. Just the thought of lacing up a favorite pair of running shoes, firing up that workout playlist and chasing a new PR (personal record) sparks joy. A wonderful sense of anticipation...

March 30 is National Doctor’s Day, and we thought it might be fun to get to know Dr. Chris Montville a little bit better. Dr. Montville began helping parents on their journey to growing their families in 2002 when he graduated from the University...

It only seems appropriate that February, the month that brings us Valentine’s Day, is also the month set aside to focus on heart health. But what does heart health have to do with fertility? Plenty. In fact, heart health and fertility go hand in...

In the quest to become parents, many couples turn to complementary practices like acupuncture for help. What is acupuncture? According to the Mayo Clinic, acupuncture is a traditional Chinese practice which involves the insertion of very thin needs into the skin at strategic points...

I know you mean well, but… I had just suffered through my second miscarriage. I shared the sad news with an acquaintance, who was quick to offer the reassurance that “God must have needed another angel.” I smiled and fought back tears. Inside, the...

Talking to your employer about health care coverage for fertility treatment Financing infertility treatment is a significant challenge for most prospective parents. Since most of us who are covered by health insurance have that coverage provided through an employer, the first step to financing...

For LGBT couples, getting pregnant is just one piece of the planning for parenthood. LGBT couples may face legal and reproductive challenges that require a thoughtful approach and additional resources. Are you considering taking the plunge into parenthood? Consider these thought starters as you...

Perhaps you are at the start of your fertility journey, and you are sorting through the treatments and options available to you. You’ve doubtless encountered a host of acronyms and medical jargon. What is invitro fertilization (IVF)? What is intrauterine insemination (IUI)? What’s the...

Spring has finally arrived in Tennessee and Summer is right around the corner. What better time than to hit the beach on your summer vacation. But you’re in the midst of fertility treatments and hoping to get pregnant within the next year. You remember...

When good tissue goes bad: dealing with endometriosis Many women experience discomfort around their period. Cramping, bloating and fatigue are just par for the course, right? Not always. Symptoms including heavy, painful periods, pain during or after sex, bloody or painful bowel movements and...

We often make resolutions at the start of a new year. Our resolutions often signal our hopes for the time to come, and our desire to reach our goals. They are promises we make to ourselves to grow, to pursue happiness, health and wholeness....

One in eight couples struggle with infertility, and in half those cases, male infertility plays a part. As couples work with us through the process of diagnosing and treating infertility, it’s important to understand the role of male health. What causes male infertility? Male...

If you’re like most women, you probably spend a fair amount of time focusing on your appearance.  A recent study found that women spend about an hour every day looking in the mirror—putting on makeup, fixing their hair, checking out the size of their...

If you’ve been diagnosed with a thyroid disorder you are not alone. Approximately 20 million people in the U.S. are affected by thyroid disease. According to the American Thyroid Association, more women than men suffer from too much or too little thyroid hormone. In...

Can you blame your parents if you’re having trouble getting pregnant? The short answer is probably not. Your family history is not the biggest factor—or even one of the biggest factors—that affects your fertility. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) defines infertility...

  Here are the facts about the Zika virus. What is the Zika virus? The Zika virus may have been making a buzz recently, however, it’s not a new disease. The Zika virus was first discovered in 1947 and named after the Zika Forest...

Once upon a time, a little girl with a big heart dreamed of being a princess and meeting her Prince Charming. In her dream she was surrounded by her very own little princesses and princes in a beautiful four-bedroom castle she shared with her...

It’s been 36 years since scientists successfully combined fresh egg and sperm in a petri dish to produce the first “test tube baby” born from in vitro fertilization (IVF). Although the technique seemed futuristic at the time, IVF has become a popular choice for...