Upon completion of fertility testing, and other tests that may have been conducted, a custom, just-for-you Fertility Treatment Plan is developed. Your specific Treatment Plan incorporates not only the findings of your Evaluation, but the combined knowledge and experience of over 70 years of doctors who apply only the foremost in advanced fertility services to help women realize their dream of becoming pregnant. No matter the type, treatment methods are based upon each client’s unique, definitive diagnosis.
Letrozole (Femara), a newer medication, is frequently prescribed due to its fewer and milder side effects. Pregnancy rates and the risk of twins are similar to Clomid, while the risk of triples is less than 1%. As with Clomid, a high order of multiple gestations have been reported.
FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone), commonly known as “fertility injections,” are just that – an injectable medication, unlike Clomid and letrozole which are taken in pill form. These injections typically have less side effects than oral medications, though they’re significantly more expensive. FSH is considered to be a more potent fertility medication and is well tolerated. The risk of twins and triplets with FSH is higher, at 30% and 10%, respectively.
A common misperception among couples experiencing fertility issues is that they’re destined for in vitro fertilization, or “IVF.” Fortunately, many other treatments can also be effective, and far less expensive. Such is the case with Intra-Uterine Insemination, also known as IUI, which improves the chances of becoming pregnant by introducing more sperm into the uterus than what normally occurs during intercourse. In essence, IUI separates the motile, or active “swimmers” from the non-swimmers. The procedure also hyper-activates the sperm, simulating a natural process that occurs in the vagina that facilitates the sperm’s ability to fertilize eggs. Also a well-tolerated procedure, IUI is performed at the Clinic.
With diagnoses such as endometriosis, tubal ligation reversal, and uterine fibroids or other uterine and Mullerian abnormalities, a surgical procedure may be the appropriate treatment. At the Center we conduct minimally invasive laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, and robotic (daVinci) surgical procedures, all at the hands of highly skilled doctors whose sole medical focus is a woman’s reproductive health and well-being.
Laparoscopy, often referred to as “scope,” is utilized to both diagnose and treat pelvic diseases such as endometriosis, and pelvic adhesions such as scar tissue. The procedure involves inserting a small scope through a 5mm incision just below the umbilicus (bellybutton). Endometriosis can be treated laparoscopically by fulguration (“electro-surgical burning”), resection (removal), and laser vaporization.
Hysteroscopy is called for at times to diagnose and treat uterine diseases such as polyps, Asherman’s syndrome (scar tissue), and fibroids. This is achieved by inserting a small scope through the uterine cervix so the inside of the uterus, or uterine cavity, can be visualized.
Robotic, or “daVinci” surgery involves laparoscopic surgery performed with the assistance of the da Vinci robotic system. This procedure is used to treat advanced endometriosis, ovarian cysts, pelvic scar tissue, and uterine fibroids.
Though the majority of our patients become pregnant without in vitro fertilization, there are instances where IVF is the recommended treatment and provides the best opportunity for pregnancy.
IVF is a process in which the ovaries are stimulated, allowing more eggs to develop to maturity. The eggs are first retrieved under transvaginal ultrasound guidance, then carefully fertilized in a laboratory, and allowed to grow in the Clinic’s specially designed Embryo Culture System - a critical component in the process, with an extremely sophisticated and programmatically controlled environment.
If you're interested in, or planning, in vitro fertilization, here's our 2016 IVF Calendar.
In situations where sperm count or motility is low, Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Insertion, or ICSI, may be utilized. ICSI is a procedure where a sperm is injected into the egg. Aside from a low sperm count and low motility, some couples experiencing unexplained or long-term infertility may also be candidates for ICSI.
Should there be a desire or medical need to determine if an abnormal chromosomal count exists that could indicate the presence of diseases such as Down syndrome, Turner syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities, a Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening may be utilized. Also called an “embryo biopsy” or “comprehensive chromosomal screening,” a PGS identifies embryos that don’t contain the standard, combined count of 46 chromosomes. PGS does not rule out autism, for instance, and other cognitive developmental disorders.
In some instances the couple may already know, or at least suspect, they might have a recessive gene disorder, and thus may be a silent carrier. With a Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis, or PGD, disease-free embryos can be identified for embryo transfer. This alleviates the chance for a genetic disorder, such as cystic fibrosis for instance, to be passed along.
Following the growing period, each embryo is graded and prioritized based on the quality of its reproductive potential. Using a catheter, the chosen embryo(s) are then transferred into the uterus. This embryo transfer occurs while the patient is fully awake, and with the assistance of ultrasound guidance. Normally, one or two embryos are transferred into the uterus. This lessens the chance of a high-order, or multiple, pregnancy.
To enable embryos to be transferred at a later date, a process called vitrification, or Embryo Cryo-Preservation, freezes the embryos in liquid nitrogen. This more modern, fast-freeze process is believed to enable cryo-preserved embryos to be stored for years.
As its name implies, Frozen Embryo Transfer is the process of systematically thawing and then transferring embryos into the uterus.