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 Fertility Center of Illinois
You will find below a general overview of what an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process entails. In this link entitled “The 10 Step IVF Process”, you will find more detail of how an IVF cycle gets started when you are a FCI patient. These details are meant as a general guideline only and serve as a reference only.
The actual timeline will depend on many factors, including your physician’s recommendation whether any more evaluation is needed or surgery needs to be done, how long testing takes to get completed, where you are in your menstrual cycle at the time of your initial consultation and how many IVF cycles are going at the same time as your desired timeline.
To maintain the highest quality care, FCI does not like to run too many IVF cycles at the same time but does run cycles continuously and does not batch them. FCI
upholds to the principle that every patient is important from the first visit to every embryo in our laboratory. We appreciate your understanding that the timeline may not fit your needs to do an In Vitro Fertilization cycle ASAP to maintain this principle.
In a normal menstrual cycle, just one egg/oocyte each month develops and matures. The egg matures with a fluid filled structure on the ovary called a "follicle" which can be seen on ultrasound. In an ART cycle, ovulation induction medications (typically daily self-administered injections) are used to stimulate the ovaries so that multiple follicles (eggs) will develop.
Depending on your stimulation protocol, you may begin your first medication in the menstrual cycle preceding the IVF cycle. Then, after your next period, the ovulation
induction hormones are begun. Exact instructions regarding their use will be given to you at that time by the FCI nursing staff. These medications will be used forapproximately 8 to 12 days, depending upon how your ovaries respond. These medications and their use will be explained in detail before each cycle.
When the majority of follicles have reached a mature size, another medication, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), will be given by injection. The hCG must be given at the appropriate time of follicle development to prepare the egg for removal from the body.
www.fcionline.com
5911 Northwest Highway, Suite 205
Crystal Lake, IL 60014
tel: 815/356-7034
fax: 815/356-7064
Crystal Lake chiropractor
You may be wondering... how can the same chiropractic treatment which effectively treats my back pain also optimize my health? The answer can be found by looking into the relationship between the spine and the nervous system.
As you may already know, the nervous system is the master controller of all living cells, tissues and organs; orchestrating and coordinating all cellular functions. The spinal column encases the nervous system (spinal cord and nerve roots) and is responsible for its protection.
Because of this intimate relationship, biomechanical and structural problems in the spinal column can irritate parts of the enclosed nervous system. This irritation can result from noxious inflammatory biochemicals released during tissue injury or may result from direct mechanical pressure. In either case, the functioning of the nervous system is negatively influenced as is the functioning of the cells, tissues and organs which are supplied by the affected nerve(s).
In short, because the body's innate recuperative powers are affected by and integrated through the nervous system, correcting spinal abnormalities which irritate the nervous system can lead to a number of favorable results in patients suffering from various, seemingly non-spinal health conditions.
A vertebral subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular (joint) changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.
Using a number of unique and highly refined skills, the chiropractor checks the patient's spine for any misalignments, fixations or other abnormalities (vertebral subluxations). If subluxations or other abnormalities are detected, the chiropractor will generally apply a gentle force in a corrective manner to the affected spinal area.
Chiropractors use many specialized techniques to identify and treat these spinal abnormalities and optimize overall health. In addition to spinal adjustive techniques, soft tissue techniques such as massage, dietary and nutritional counseling, physical therapies, and lifestyle modification programs are commonly employed.
www.dynamicfamilyhealthcenter.com
Crystal Lake Illinois chiropractor chiropractors
7105 Virginia Road, Suite 24 - Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014
Tel: (815) 477-8844 - Fax: (815) 477-2766
Reproductive Endocrinology Infertility
In general, the entire IVF process takes approximately two months once a decision is made to proceed. The first month ('preparation cycle') involves diagnostic tests and evaluations of the couple, consultations, and 'preparation' of the ovaries. The second month ('stimulation cycle') involves the actual hormone stimulation of the ovaries,
monitoring with frequent blood tests and ultrasound (US) exams, retrieval of the eggs, followed 3 - 5 days later by the transfer of embryos into the uterus.
The couple starts with a thorough IVF consultation with me in order to discuss the entire IVF process (diagnostic evaluations, ovarian hormone stimulation, egg retrieval technique, anesthesia, embryo transfer, risks, benefits and costs). Optional techniques such as cryopreservation of extra embryos and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) are also outlined. Questions are then answered and reading materials are provided to help the couple understand the process.
The 'preparation cycle' then starts with the next menstrual period. On cycle day 2, 3 or 4 several endocrine and infectious disease labs are drawn. Some of these endocrine lab tests (Estrogen and Follicle Stimulating Hormone) indicate the woman's "ovarian reserve" of eggs and determine the medication dosage and IVF protocol to be used for stimulation of the ovaries the next month. The labs for the man can be drawn at any time. The woman is often then placed on oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) or progesterone for the next several weeks in order to 'rest' the ovaries (by suppressing her pituitary hormones), making her more responsive to the fertility injections the following month. The uterine cavity is assessed for any abnormalities such as polyps, fibroids or adhesions (saline sonogram, hysterosalpingogram or office hysteroscopy) if it has not been checked within the previous 12 - 18 months. Next, an IVF nurse coordinator consultation takes place in order to help the couple understand the IVF process, schedule the actual IVF 'stimulation cycle,' sign consent forms and schedule an injection teaching session. Depending on the IVF protocol selected, many women begin Lupron injections later in the month (approximately cycle day 21) in order to prevent spontaneous ovulation during the subsequent 'stimulation cycle.'
Upon finishing the OCPs, a period begins, signaling the start of the 'stimulation cycle'. The fertility drug injections are usually started on cycle day 2, 3 or 4 and are given for an average of 10 - 12 days. During stimulation there may be 6 - 8 office visits needed for labs and ultrasounds in order to monitor the size and number of egg follicles developing and Estrogen levels. The fertility medication dosages are adjusted accordingly. When the largest follicles reach a certain size, another hormone injection is given to mature the eggs (within the follicles) and the retrieval is scheduled 36 hours later. The egg retrieval is done transvaginally with ultrasound guidance under anesthesia (conscious sedation) and takes approximately 20 minutes. The eggs are fertilized with the sperm in the IVF embryology lab. The development of the fertilized eggs (embryos) is carefully monitored by the embryologists for several days. Depending on the number and quality of the embryos, some are transferred into the uterus 3 or 5 days later. Extra normal appearing embryos may be cryo-preserved. The woman is instructed to rest at home (couch potato) for 1 - 2 days. Two weeks after the embryo transfer a pregnancy test is done and a consultation is scheduled.
www.infertilitydoc.net
5911 Northwest Highway, Suite 205 Crystal Lake, IL 60014 • 815/356-7034IVF Clinics Joliet : IVF Clinics Crystal Lake : IVF Clinics Rockford : IVF Clinics South Chicago :
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