I’d like to introduce myself. My name is Kyle Tzanetis and I’m here to represent and support you; all the men involved in the fertility treatment journey. I feel honored to have 2 very special roles at RMA of Connecticut, I am both the Team Lead of Andrology and the Andrology Patient Liaison. Andrology is a field of medicine that is specific to male fertility and reproduction; a field in which I have been in for over 4 years now. As a firm believer that no person should be alone in infertility and family building process, these roles are a very good fit for me. Here’s what you should know...
Infertility is a broad subject, and it can mean different things whether you are a man or a woman. In fact, many men don’t realize that they may be a contributing factor to the difficulty in conceiving. In fact, 30% of infertility cases are male factor. What is male factor infertility? It means that there is some abnormal semen parameters which contribute towards the difficulty in conceiving a child. It cannot be overstated how crucial it is to have a semen analysis and schedule that first appointment.
I know having your semen sample tested can seem awkward or uncomfortable. In that, understand that you are not alone.
This is a vital step, completely necessary for building your future family. It completes the picture as you account for half the cells needed to create an embryo. You’d likely be surprised at the different factors and tests that can be done in a good andrology lab. The concentration of sperm, the percentage of motile sperm, pH, volume… these are all vital to your fertility and your success.
Being active in the field of fertility treatment and reproductive health means a lot to me. Having a helping hand with individuals like you, who are working towards being a parent is what makes my job meaningful. There are often so many questions that linger, even after comprehensive medical and financial appointments- I am excited to move into the role of being that resource who answers those questions and makes this process more fulfilling for you.
Men particularly can feel isolated as they don’t often speak to their friends about their infertility experiences. They also typically concentrate on how the women in their lives are managing fertility treatment and ignore their own feelings or struggles. As men, we sometimes feel like we should just button things up emotionally, and get what needs to be done, done. While not all men are “fixers”, many are; and with infertility, having a baby isn’t always achieved with the quick fix we’d like it to be.
If I could give one single piece of advice, it would be to get involved as much as possible. Do not hesitate to ask questions. The field of fertility treatment is so vast and it can be overwhelming sometimes. We know you may feel you’re the one who usually provides the shoulder to lean on, know that I’m here to provide a place for you to get your thoughts or concerns answered.
While we’re growing up, we often look to our parents to teach us what’s right and wrong. We rely on them to teach us all of life's lessons; to prepare us for the world ahead. From our first words, first steps, holding us through each mistake we make; we learn so much about life throughout our years. Many of us are taught that if we work hard enough at something, we’ll be successful. With all our previous experiences of working hard and the many accompanying successes we’ve enjoyed, we can be taken astounded to find that a fundamental goal, becoming a father, is so very difficult to achieve.
This journey of trying to conceive is one that requires more patience and understanding than you expected. It’s also a time where guidance from compassionate professionals will make the process much easier. You certainly are not alone in this, at RMA of Connecticut, you have a whole team working as hard as you are, at helping you try to conceive, including me.
Send me an email and say hello. Let me know if you have any questions or just open the conversation so that it becomes easy when a question does pop up. I am here for whatever it is you need.
You can reach out to Kyle at ktzanetis@rmact.com.