Dr. Turek's Blog

Sperm washing & fertility

Sperm Washing: What to Know

Why would anyone wash sperm? Are they like clothes that get dirty? Not exactly, but sperm washing can clean up the environment in which sperm find themselves. And it can concentrate the boys, so they pack a more powerful punch. On the downside, the act of washing sperm, which is literally putting them in tiny, […]

Dawn and sunrise

How to Overcome Failed Fertility Treatments

Failed again. Another month, another failed infertility treatment. Are you too frightened or tired or broke to keep going, yet unable to accept that end-of-the-road feeling? Here are some things to consider as the feeling of desperation sets in: Why didn’t it work? Find out more about what happened. If there is an explanation, and […]

How Sperm May Be Related to Autism Diagnoses

You see the headlines, “Autism increased tenfold,” “Autism 1 in 2 by 2025,” and you wonder if it’s really true and why. Well, the fact is that autism rates are increasing among children. In the 1970s, autism spectrum disorder was reported in 1 in 5,000 children. In 2009, it was 1 in 110. Currently, about […]

In vitro fertilization vs. intracytoplasmic sperm injection

In Vitro Fertilization vs. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

In vitro fertilization or IVF has been around for over 40 years and is a proven treatment for many forms of female and male infertility. It has even earned itself a Nobel Prize. Known as “test tube baby” technology, it is more aptly called “petri dish conception.” By putting half a million sperm and one […]

The Nitrous-Powered Vasectomy

Over the last 25 years and 2,500 no scalpel vasectomies that I’ve performed, I’ve have learned a lot about men. A famous cancer surgeon once told me that he thought that a well-done vasectomy under local anesthesia is “probably the hardest surgical procedure in the entire field.” Harder than taking out a bladder? Yep! Because […]

How Does the mRNA COVID Vaccine Alter Us Genetically?

Actually, it doesn’t. It’s not putting a DNA “genetic code” into our bodies. Instead, it’s an injection of the downstream instructions for protein-making molecules called mRNA. These molecules are quickly broken down by cells soon after being injected and don’t have the capacity to genetically “transform” cells like DNA can. Some other facts about the […]

Male infertility & semen analysis

There’s Hope: Maybe He’s Not Infertile!

They’ve been trying to conceive for almost two years with no luck. She’s been checked out and he’s been checked out and they’re both “fine.” That’s called unexplained infertility. It’s often at this point that I see couples, shoulders shrugged, saying: “We’re hoping you can figure out why we’re not conceiving!” And this scenario is […]

Fireworks

Is Trying to Conceive Giving You Performance Anxiety?

You’ve recently stopped using contraception. She has the timing of her cycle down and knows when she’s most fertile every month. Welcome to baby making time! At first glance, this seems straightforward enough: All those years practicing the art means that you know exactly what to do. Now it’s just a question of stepping up […]

Ice after a Vasectomy

How to Prepare for a Vasectomy

The COVID pandemic has been very clarifying for you. You really don’t want more/any children. She has “pulled the goalie” and it’s time for you to step up and take control of things. After a bit of online research, you realize that your options are pretty limited: pulling out, abstinence, condoms…and vasectomy. Luckily, vasectomy happens […]