Dr. Ndeye-Aicha Gueye, the lead physician at RMA Lehigh Valley, was recently featured on the women’s healthcare podcast “Hey Doc Let’s Chat!” discussing infertility.
“Hey Doc Let’s Chat!” is the passion project of two female physicians – Dr. Erika Chowa, in Emergency Medicine, and Dr. Carine-Ange Tagni, in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
The podcast focuses on health topics relevant to women, specifically women of color, and the potential health gaps prevalent in the community. It started as a resource to understand and bring awareness to health gaps such as maternal health, breast cancer, fertility and more in a candid, conversational format.
Dr. Gueye joined the doctors recently to discuss common fertility problems across patients groups – men and women of all ethnicities – and provided vital insights for listeners who may be wondering about their fertility.
She discussed male infertility, which accounts for 40 percent of infertility cases; the impact age has on a woman’s ovarian reserve (the quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs diminish after 35 and more significantly after 37); and the difference between the two main types of fertility treatment, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
She also touched on endometriosis, fallopian tube blockages and fibroids (learn more about the relationship between fibroids and infertility), which she said affect about 80 percent of African American women, and can cause heavy pain and bleeding.
Another important topic Dr. Gueye broached was egg freezing, which allows women to preserve their fertility now instead of waiting years down the road to try to conceive (eggs diminish in quantity and quality over time), and obesity, which can affect both fertility and a woman’s ability to undergo IVF.
As for when a couple should seek fertility help, Dr. Gueye said that women under 35 who have been trying for a year or more should seek the help of a reproductive endocrinologist, and women over 35 who’ve been trying for six months should also seek care.
The good news for women is that treatment can help overcome many different fertility issues, and the sooner you seek help, you better off you’ll be.
“It was a pleasure to be a guest speaker on Dr. Chowa’s and Dr. Tagni’s podcast,” Dr. Gueye said after the podcast taping. “This podcast is so unique and impactful because listeners are getting information directly from doctors. I was happy to discuss fertility openly because there are so many ways we can help women who are trying to conceive by lessening the stigma and normalizing fertility challenges. You may have this problem, but we want to help you fix it.”
Listen to the “Breaking the Silence around Infertility: Part 2” episode on Apple, Google, and Spotify now!
