Dr. A. Toth - Infertility

**theworm**[$] · #1 11-21-2006, 11:48 AM

This might be a controversial topic, I'm really not sure.

I'm almost embarrased to admit it, but sometimes I listen to the Oprah channel on XM. I don't like some of whats on there, but the other day I heard a wonderful program with Maya Angelou, and the other day I listened to some other doctor, and it was really interesting.

Well, this morning they had on some Doctor and his guest was Dr. A. Toth. Dr. Toth is a fertility/infertility specialist who had some different views on fertility. His belief is that for both men and women, many fertility problems arise from bacterial infections and can be treated with antibiotics. He says that even with birth control, infections passed on from sexual activity can cause the problem.

He also defines feritility differently than I had heard. He doesn't define it as the ability to get pregnant and carry a baby through to term, but he devines it as a two-generational thing - where fertility isn't just having a baby, but having a baby who is also able to reproduce.

I can imagine that some people who are trying to get pregnant may not like some of what he said, but a lot of it made sense. Are any of you familiar with him and his practice?

I'm not asking because I'm seeking medical help, just because I found the discussion very interesting and thought provoking.

realtraveller · #2 11-21-2006, 12:37 PM

I know that infections are a big cause of infertility in women due to scarring of the Fallopian tubes. While the infection is ongoing, antibiotics would help. But once the scarring is laid down and permanent, the antibiotics are not going to help.

**theworm**[$] · #3 11-21-2006, 12:47 PM

Yes. He was talking about infections in the cervix and uterus. He says that he treats patients with antibiotics first and that "cures" a lot of infertility problems. He believes that IVF is very overused in this country.
I only heard a short bit of the interview, but it was interesting.

**jgibson2**[$] · #4 11-22-2006, 04:26 PM

I agree that IVF is overused. There are a lot of bacterial vaginitis and male infections that aren't classified as STD's, but which can doubtless be transferred between sexual partners. I'd love to see some actual research on this instead of anecdotal evidence, but some of what he says makes a lot of sense to me.

magenta321 · #5 11-22-2006, 08:27 PM

If you had these sort of infections, wouldn't they catch them when you went into your gyno each year?

**jgibson2**[$] · #6 11-23-2006, 10:25 AM

Most of the infections he's talking about are subclinical and not the traditional STD's although he did mention chlamydia in one case. I'm not buying into this completely, but I'd like to see if someone has done some real research.

magenta321 · #7 11-23-2006, 09:19 PM

I'm also thinking, most of us take an antibiotic like once a year for some infection or another. If you had some left over infection from a more carefree time in your life, wouldn't it have probably been unknowingly treated by however many years later that the fertility problems are showing up?

I know there are many different senarios, but, infertility seems as common as the common cold in my circle. I'm just not too sure about this theory.

I suppose all of them could have husbands that are cheating on them and bringing them new, thus untreated, infections?

**jgibson2**[$] · #8 11-23-2006, 09:35 PM

The antibiotics he mentions aren't typically given for the kinds of common illnesses most of us get. Erythromycin is, but at lower doses. Vibramycin isn't commonly used. Mycoplasma is one of the organisms he mentions. It's difficult to culture and can be difficult to treat. I would think that SOMEONE else would be working on this too if it's really true.

**Helen_B**[$] · #9 11-25-2006, 10:00 PM

This makes me think of the claims some make about problems caused by parasitical infestations in North Americans, when the docs claim no one has parasites anymore so they hardly ever diagnose or treat for them. With travel and a global economy, I'm not sure we're exempt. Look at giardia, for example--it used to be so unusual, and apparently it's much more common now with infant daycare.

**jgibson2**[$] · #10 11-26-2006, 03:49 AM

OK, I did what I should have done in the first place. I googled "mycoplasma, infertility" and found this:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pic...4&blobtype=pdf

To make a long story short, in one study where they used doxicycline to ERADICATE the mycoplasma in the genital tracts of fertile and infertile couples (where the percentages were the same within the limits of statistical error anyway) there was NO difference in the conception rate in the 2 groups afterwards.

So, there is mycoplasma. Fertile couples have it too. Killing it doesn't restore fertility.