Posts Tagged: ivf

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3
Jul 11

Benefits of the 5-Day Embryo Transfer For IVF Procedures

In some IVF procedures, doctors may wait three days before transferring embryos to the uterus, while a five day transfer is used by others. The advantages and disadvantages may be debated by the scientific community, but understanding the pros and cons of such a procedure is important for infertile couples interested in the in vitro fertilization procedure.

Of course, a fertility specialist should be alongside when making such a decision, as their knowledge and experience is certainly something that couples should take advantage of when making such a decision.

Waiting five days before transferring embryos to the uterus allows the doctor to select the highest quality embryos for transfer. Choosing the best quality embryos for transfer is important for infertile couples, as it gives them a better chance of becoming pregnant.

An embryo that has been allowed to develop for five days is called a blastocyst. These embryos have developed two cell types and a center cavity filled with fluid. For more information about blastocyst embryos, patients should speak to a doctor in the field. In many cases, more educated patients turn out to be more successful patient, so consulting with a physician regarding this procedure may be beneficial to the couple.

One of the advantages of a five day transfer for IVF procedures is that five days is a more natural time for the embryo to make its way into the uterus. Many IVF procedures perform a transfer after two or three days, but embryos of this age are usually found in the fallopian tubes. Transferring after five days instead of two or three may reduce the risk of multiple births as well.

After two or three days, it may be more difficult to determine which embryos will be healthy enough to develop, while culturing embryos for five days will often give doctors a better idea of which embryos will be more likely to develop long-term. Therefore, fewer embryos may be transferred, which decreases the risk of multiple births.

The disadvantages associated with this method are minimal if the clinic performing the procedure is well-equipped and has quality control measures in place. Clinics with less than optimal culture environments may not have the same success rate as proficient clinics, making clinic selection an important task in this procedure.

Less than optimal clinics may have greater success with two or three day ivf transfer methods. Speaking to a medical professional at a proficient clinic is important for couples interested in this procedure.

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18
Feb 11

How to Overcome Recurrent Miscarriage – A Case Study Part 1 Of 2

*Susan and Peter Smith (names have been changed for privacy reasons)

FIRST VISIT:
Susan, BMI 21 (30 y.o, oil painter) came to see me on her own after having suffered her third consecutive miscarriage. She was understandably discouraged and very upset by this as her most recent miscarriage had only happened 5 days prior.

1st Miscarriage 1990–6-7 weeks–no D&C required
2nd Miscarriage 2002–8 weeks, blighted ovum–D&C, conceived again 1 month later.
3rd Miscarriage 2003–9 weeks, blighted ovum–D&C

Susan had regular periods that ranged from 32-35 days, normally would bleed for 5 days and considered her bleeding light, varying from bright to dark blood, with no clots. Ovulation was occurring in most cycles between days 17 and 18. She had been on the oral contraceptive pill from the ages 18-25yrs old and experienced an absence of periods for some time post cessation. Susan usually experience moderate to severe pre-menstrual symptoms such as fluid retention, PMT, fatigue and food cravings (sweets).

Other general symptoms she complained about included: palpitations, sinus congestion, numbness and tingling of extremities, occasional migraines (which had been particularly bad on the pill), skin rashes and hives (particularly following neurofen). In the previous year, she had had two elevated Gamma GT results (GGT–liver enzyme).

Susan had many investigations following her third miscarriage. I asked her to bring in those results with her next time. I also asked her to make an appointment with one of the doctor’s at the centre as we would need to do some further investigations for heavy metals and genito-urinary tract infections.

TREATMENT
Discussed the need to avoid radiation, electrical appliances in the bedroom, chemicals of any type, especially cleaning products and this included a break from painting for at least 120 days (fortunately she could do this) as well as flying (this would be more difficult for her husband as it was part of his job) and anything else that could be detrimental for general health. I advised her and her husband to avoid alcohol and caffeine completely (they didn’t smoke or use recreational drugs so, this was one less thing for them to do!)

Detoxifying, low allergenic (dairy and gluten free) organic diet wherever possible (particularly meats). She was to base her meals on vegetables and good quality protein sources and avoid processed, refined, fermented and sugary foods. Susan also needed to make sure she was drinking plenty of filtered water, at least 2L daily. She was already exercising and sleeping well.

SUPPLEMENTS:
Individually customised supplementation regime for Susan.

HERBS:
Individually customised herbal medicine prescription for Susan.

I asked her to bring her partner along next time and for him to have a sperm analysis through a specialist fertility clinic in the interim. I also asked for her to bring along any results she may have to her next visit. She would also begin charting her cycle.

SUBSEQUENT CONTACT:
Susan called me to let me know she had thrush. I dispensed herbs for her to taken internally and do sitzbaths/douches daily, followed by local yoghurt and acidophilous applications.

SECOND VISIT:
Susan brought in her husband and all results from previous investigations. She was starting to feel better now, felt unwell in the first 2-3weeks after her first visit. Susan was able to implement all the lifestyle changes I suggested to her in the initial consult. Her temperatures were good, mucus changes were undetectable and she was not ovulating.

RELEVANT FINDINGS FOR SUSAN:
- Normal chromosomal assessment of parents and products of conception post D&C
- High positive IgA + IgG for Candida.
- Positive IgM for Cardiolipin antibodies
- Positive Antinuclear antibodies (ANA)
- Very high prolactin levels (1886 mIU/L)
- Decreased haemoglobin
- Elevated globulins (GGT had gone back to normal) (liver function test)
- Low B12
- Low day 21 progesterone
- Positive Gliadin Antibodies (EIA) (gluten intolerance)
- High fasting blood mercury levels (later established mercury and lead–heavy metal toxicity)

Peter, BMI 30 (31 y.o. General Manager–Retail) accompanied Susan, he was able to bring his blood results as well as sperm analysis and completed questionnaire.

RELEVANT FINDINGS FOR PETER:
- Overweight
- Stressed
- Nutritional deficiency symptoms
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- High cholesterol
- High insulin levels (pre-diabetic state)
- Elevated liver enzymes
- TSH low end of the range
- Sperm analysis surprisingly good, despite some sperm clumping and low levels of sperm antibodies being detected.

TREATMENT:
They were both to follow the diet. Peter needed to detoxify, exercise, implement some stress management techniques, which were discussed and lose some weight. He was able to decrease the amount of interstate flying every month.

Susan and Peter needed to undertake some further heavy metal diagnostic tests and Susan’s integrative medicine doctor already started her on oral chelation therapy to detoxify from heavy metals.

SUSAN’S SUPPLEMENTS:
Individualised, high quality, therapeutic ‘practitioner only’ nutrients including and not limited to a good multi vitamin, fish oils, antioxidants, probiotics and more.

SUSAN’S HERBS:
Susan had lots of immune system related issues, and was given another customised herbal formula to address these issues in detail. In addition Susan as also prescribed another hormonal balancing mix focusing on liver health and eradicating high levels of candida from her system based on her blood tests and had had thrush soon after our last visit.

PETER’S SUPPLEMENTS:
Peter’s supplements were also Individualised, high quality, therapeutic ‘practitioner only’ nutrients focusing on overall metabolic health to optimise fertility including and not limited to vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, magnesium and chromium–these will also help to normalise his weight and blood sugar level issues.

PETER’S HERBS:
Peter’s customised herbal medicines were primarily focused on optimising liver health, prostate and sperm function, general wellbeing, energy levels and decrease stress.

Copyright(c) 2008 Gabriela Rosa and Natural Fertility & Health Solutions P/L.

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29
Sep 10

Get Pregnant & Conceive – An Essential Ingredient For Creating a Baby, Fertility & Getting Pregnant

Getting Pregnant- Essential Ingredient for Pregnancy

Getting pregnant has some core ingredients that are so obvious they are often overlooked. Let us focus first on the wisdom of the male body.

The male contribution to conception and pregnancy is very often undervalued. While a woman’s body is much more involved in the development of the baby, a man’s input is essential to allow this to happen.

But sperm alone is not what a man brings to the equation. He also brings a beautiful message from creation. In order for a man to contribute his sperm to create a baby, he must experience a high level of excitement.

Ejaculation will not occur unless excitement and pleasure are present in the experience. In other words, excitement and enjoyment of the physical are fundamental to creating new life.

They are not side effects, they are part of the energy of creation from which we all came.

Getting Pregnant- How You Can Enhance Your Fertility

You can use this insight to support your fertility now. In your quest to become pregnant and have a baby you can make room for excitement in your fertility plan.

How about choosing to allow more excitement into your life and relationship so that this life giving ingredient becomes part of your fertility story. This might include allowing more fun and spontaneity into your love making but it would also include opening up to a little more adventure in life outside the bedroom. How can you begin to add more of that special ingredient for getting pregnant into your life now?

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1
Apr 10

Infertility Treatment Through in Vitro Fertilisation – Benefits and Risks

Different methods are now available for hopeful couples intending to have a child.  In vitro fertilisation or IVF is one of them.  It requires a healthy ovum, sperm that can fertilise, and a uterus that can bring and maintain pregnancy to term.  The procedure begins with the removal of an egg from the woman’s ovary and fertilising it with sperm outside the womb, particularly in a laboratory dish (hence the name in vitro).  The fertillised egg (zygote) is then transferred to the uterus of the woman with the intent of establishing a successful pregnancy.

IVF is commonly used as a treatment for infertility.  Although IVF has proven benefits the risks involved cannot be ignored.  Hence, before a couple decides on turning to IVF, it is wise to be aware of the benefits as well as the risks involved.

The benefits. In terms of pregnancy success, IVF has a high success rate.  That is why it remains as the major infertility treatment, especially when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed.  In fact, its success rate is so high that it is giving woman multiple births, such as twins, triplets, etc.

The risks. IVF is costly. In fact, it is only attempted when most less-expensive options have failed.  With regard to its risk on woman’s health, the most common is the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).  It is a complication in response to fertility drugs wherein the woman’s ovaries become enlarged, swollen and painful, and too many eggs are produced.  As for the health of the IVF-conceived babies, most of them do not develop birth defects but recent scientific evidence indicates an increased risk of birth defects, such as genetic disorders, low birth weights, and preterm births.  It was found that there are more birth defects in IVF-conceived children than in naturally conceived children.  IVF may help you to conceive but there are risks involved which you may not want to put yourself nor your baby into.

To get more tips on health and wellness visit Health and Fitness Tips or Health Information by Jesse Veluz

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20
Mar 10

Everything You Wanted to Know About IVF

Do you have a dream of having a baby laugh and play around you? Your own baby? Do you want to give birth and feel the essence of being a mother? The feeling of giving life is something that every woman should have at least once in her life. But there are some of us who are not that fortunate and have certain complications conceiving. There are various studies and procedures going on about how to solve this problem, a lot of women experience. Of course one could always go in for adoption, but there are lots of complications there and besides giving birth is not only a whole new experience it opens up a feeling in a woman that is so wonderful that one can’t help but feel overwhelmed by it. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a procedure from which the egg cell of a woman is fertilized by a sperm outside the womb. This method is the easiest way to have the egg fertilized if all the forms of normal conception fail. It is a well know treatment in infertility.

An informal expression for babies conceived as the result of IVF, is test tube babies, and that refers to the tube-like containers of glass or plastic called test tubes, that are frequently used in chemistry labs and biology labs. On the other hand, In vitro fertilization is usually performed in the shallower containers called Petri dishes. (Petri-dishes may also be made of plastic.) However, the IVF method is actually carried out on organic material, but is yet called in vitro. This is used when parents are having infertility problems or they want to have multiple births.

Here are a few things to know about In vitro fertilization Complications

The main complication of IVF is the danger of multiple births. This is directly associated to the practice of transferring multiple embryos at embryo transfer. Multiple births are related to bigger risk of pregnancy loss, obstetrical complications, and neonatal morbidity with the possibility for extensive damage. Limits on the quantity of embryos that may be transferred have been passed in some countries to decrease the risk of high-order multiples (triplets or more), but are not commonly used. Splitting of embryos at the same time in the womb after transfer can take place, but this is uncommon and would cause identical twins.

An additional risk of ovarian stimulation is the growth of ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome. If the infertility is connected to abnormalities in spermatogenesis, it is likely, but too early to examine that male child is at higher risk for sperm abnormalities.

There are many variations like PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis), ICSI (intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), ZIFT (zygote infrafallopian transfer) and GIFT (Gamete intra fallopian transfer).

One should always consult a good doctor and if possible take two or three more opinions. This is a procedure from which one can benefit infinitely but the only thing to remember is to use it cautiously knowing the limitations of one’s body and consequences of the decision. If possible one can also go to a shrink to take a different opinion.

James Johnson has years of Experience in the field of Medical tourism and guides you through various treatment options available to help you.To know more about IVF, IVF clinics, IVF treatment, Surrogacy Overseas, Weight loss surgery and more, Visit http://www.surgeryunlimited.com

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19
Feb 10

What Is IVF – Your Questions Answered

It may be hard not to ask what is IVF when we hear about it on the news, pertaining to scientific breakthroughs, from our pre-menopausal family members, and the couples who have tried in vitro fertilization. And perhaps it really worked for them so curiosity is rising. So what is IVF?

What is IVF: In vitro fertilization, a method of conception when the old-fashioned way isn’t working for whatever reason. Perhaps the woman is not as fertile as she once was and perhaps the man’s sperm count is dwindling. Either way, in vitro fertilization takes the egg and the sperm outside to play in a lab where a scientist can bring them together in a much more effective way. Sitting in a dish in a lab, the egg is fertilized by the sperm. Once this takes place, the egg is implanted into the woman’s uterus. Nine months later and voila, little baby Abby joins the world.

What is IVF: A highly effective way to conceive without surgery if a tubal ligation or vasectomy had been performed. Since the egg and sperm can be reached without having to alter the state of the fallopian tubes or the vas deferens. In other words, it is an easier way to conceive if you have already made a decision in the past not to.

What is IVF: A method of conception that works best when the woman is 35-45 years old since the older a woman is, the less likely she is to conceive. Likewise, the man’s age and health could play a part if his sperm count is extremely low or unable to successfully fertilize an egg. In vitro fertilization is generally best for couples who are interested in conceiving and who are healthy.

What is IVF: A method of conception that can lead to a positive pregnancy test in about 10-14 days from the date of implantation into the uterus. If the initial attempt was unsuccessful, a repeat attempt can be made with 2-3 embryos which were frozen in case the initial attempt failed. If the woman is not pregnant within two weeks, the initial attempt failed.

What is IVF: An attempt to manually insert embryos into a woman’s uterus who is fertile to secure pregnancy which may result in multiple births. In 10-25% of cases, a couple may be parents of twins. Multiple births is always a risk with IVF and must be monitored carefully. The risk of multiple births depends on how many embryos are implanted to secure the chance of conception. Usually 2-3 embryos are used to secure that one will attach itself to the uterine wall and become a child. This of course can result in twins or triplets even if the environment is ideal.

What is IVF: A method of conception which is generally variable in that its success rate varies from case to case. Usually, the younger the woman, the higher the chances are of conceiving since the uterine wall is perhaps better able to support an embryo and the egg itself is younger. Age certainly plays a factor since the aging process decreases fertility in many ways. In vitro fertilization is however, a viable option for those seeking to have children, who believe they may be fertile and able to carry a child to full term, and who may have had previous surgical procedures to prevent conception.

Visit FertilityProRegistry.com to locate a fertility clinic in your area that can answer your questions and help with your fertility concerns. To ask a doctor what is IVF and how it may work for you, find a fertility doctor you can trust.

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8
Feb 10

Donor Egg Decision – Considering Difficult Options in Your Fertility Journey

I was invited to participate on a parents panel as a donor egg recipient at the RESOLVE of the Bay State Donor Egg Conference held on Feb 7th in Waltham, MA. It was an honor to have the opportunity to share my experiences and thoughts with the other panel members and conference participants who are considering donor eggs as a family-building option.

Everyone has a different story, different perspective, and different reasons for making the choices they did.

As I drove away from the conference, I realized that I felt drained and had a slight headache. Interesting…. I had felt fine all day. Could it have been that talking so publicly, hearing others’ stories and fielding the participants questions I was reminded of the time when I was dealing with these same issues, same concerns with the same emotional exhaustion?

The questions from the participants reflected their personal situations, concerns and points of view. My heart goes out to them. These decisions are so difficult and without any guarantees. It is not like buying a car. You know you will always end up with a car. You may not get the color you wanted but all that seems inconsequential when compared to making fertility treatment decisions. You put all your wishes and dreams into the donor egg or adoption decision but there is still a great part of the journey left after making the decision. I got to the point that I would dread the phone ringing, wondering what news was coming my way.

It must be bittersweet for the participants to hear us speak about our stories, struggles and disappointments knowing that we eventually built our family successfully. How many more people out there have their story with a different ending?

It is difficult to make such a huge decision, facing the unknown. There were a couple of great points made at the conference.

It is important to really understand and get down into the details of what being a parent means to you and your partner. Naturally we think that starting a family will be easy – isn’t that what it is meant to be? We may have our minds so firmly set that nothing else seems possible. Is the biological option the only way to get what you want? Sometimes these discussions are not easy or pleasant but need to happen. It is important to give each other space so that these discussions can be on-going and allowed to evolve, possibly revealing an option that you had thought at one point was an impossibility.

It may be that working with a professional at this point in the process could be useful. It is common that one person feels they aren’t being heard and is not able to fully participate, fearing that they will be steam-rolled into a decision if they shift their stand even a little bit.

Is the whole process of choosing an egg donor seem so foreign and strange to you? It certainly is different, that’s for sure. Here’s a thought that I tried to keep in mind myself. When we fall in love with someone, our first questions aren’t about their family health issues, school marks or educational achievements. We are married to people who have diabetes, a family history of heart concerns or cancer in their family, or didn’t have the best marks in school and so on.

Life happens all around us and this is no different for the egg donors. There is no such person as a perfect egg donor. Do your homework, find a great agency who you like working with, and if you are motivated, there will be a donor that will suit you. Before you choose your donor you might be thinking that anything is possible. After you choose a donor, you have in a sense put “all your eggs in one basket”, so to speak. You may feel excited and relieved that you have made a decision and at the same time you may feel scared because you have a made a decision. It is no wonder they call it the “infertility roller coaster”.

How much will you tell those around you? Does your immediate family know or just a select few? Will you tell your child or children and if yes, when will the right time be? I heard something I had not heard before but it was profound – “privacy leads to secrecy.” Family secrets like this can lead to the child having feelings of shame and may have a difficult time dealing with the situation when they find out about their origin.

The options that you are considering are all tough. Go ahead with donor eggs, choose to go down the adoption road or decide to stay childless. Even as I type this I am taken back to a time when I was considering these options and my heart still skips a beat.

Do you want find out more about easing your journey through donor egg selection and infertility? Download your free copy of my report, “Three Great Ways to Ease the Journey Fertility Treatment” at http://www.andreacinnamond.com

You’ll learn the 6 most common reasons for your stress, plus 3 proven techniques to keep your mind and body strong. These tips can help you develop a whole new level of resourcefulness with respect to infertility and to life in general.

Andrea Cinnamond is a Certified Professional Coach who has had three children through IVF and donor eggs. She is ready to help you access your own innate wisdom and be patient as you make the journey from infertility to parenthood.

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5
Feb 10

How is it Possible to Get Successful IVF Results?

When a couple gets married, it is usually after a considerable amount of effort on their part to make sure that they are in a relationship that will work for the long term. Some married couples are thus ready to start having children as soon as possible. While some couples are successful in naturally conceiving, there are others who, for a variety of different reasons, cannot naturally conceive.

So, these couples seek specialized IVF treatment, in which they place all of their hopes on the IVF results. At the beginning of the entire IVF process, the first thing that is usually done is examinations of both the male and the women in terms of their reproductive health. This way, variables can be isolated, and the chances of obtaining the best IVF results are thus increased.

As with any other fertility procedure, there are many variables as to how successful IVF results can be obtained. First of all, the eggs that are harvested from the woman must be the healthiest eggs possible, and many of them should be extracted, fertilized, and gradually re-inserted in the hopes that one will attach itself to the womb. Of course, the sperm of the man must be healthy in order to properly fertilize the egg as well.

To further increase the chances of favorable IVF results, the woman will be given a series of fertility drugs to prepare her body for receiving the fertilized eggs. What it all really comes down to is lots of patience, and the specialized expertise of the fertility clinic’s qualifications.

More information on IVF or in vitro fertilization and a fertility clinic in your area is just a click away.