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 Center For Reproductive Health
Quite simply, IVF is a process whereby a woman's ovaries are stimulated by a series of hormone shots, causing the ovaries to produce multiple eggs (in a normal menstrual cycle, a woman produces only one egg). These eggs are then "harvested" or "retrieved" from the ovaries. The retrieval is a minor surgical procedure in which the eggs are removed from the ovaries by inserting a needle through the vagina with ultrasound guidance.
After the eggs are retrieved, the embryologist prepares them for fertilization. The husband's (or partner's or donor's) sperm is then used to fertilize the eggs, after which they are now put in a specialized media. After 2 days, the fertilized eggs, now called embryos, are examined. Based on the number and quality of the embryos, Dr. Springer will recommend either a day 3 transfer or a day 5 transfer (commonly called a blastocyst transfer). In either case, a select number of embryos are then chosen and transferred back into the uterus by a procedure similar to a pap smear. There are many individual considerations in determining whether a day 3 or day 5 transfer will be best for you. Please discuss this with Dr. Springer.
Originally, IVF was designed for the treatment of severe tubal disease. Infections, inflammations, endometriosis and other conditions may cause irreparable damage to the fallopian tubes. Since the fallopian tube is the only place in the female body where normal fertilization can occur, if both tubes become blocked, pregnancy becomes difficult or impossible. IVF allows for successful fertilization outside the fallopian tube, thus bypassing the problem area. Tubal disease remains one of the most common indications
for IVF.
Our office gets frequent phone calls asking the best way to get pregnant following a tubal ligation. In the days prior to IVF, the only possibility for pregnancy after a tubal
ligation was to go through a lengthy operation. This procedure, called a microscopic tubal reversal, takes several hours to perform, requires an inpatient hospital stay, has a relatively long recovery period and is rarely covered by insurance. Although there is still the occasional patient for whom tubal reversal may be the best choice, IVF is
generally less expensive and can achieve higher pregnancy rates in patients whose tubes have been tied.
Another common indication for IVF is low sperm counts. Because IVF allows us to super concentrate sperm during fertilization, successful fertilization can occur even when a male partner has a low count. In recent years a process has been developed where a single sperm can be injected into an egg to cause fertilization, a procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, commonly referred to as ICSI. ICSI enables fertilization in even the every lowest of sperm counts.
crhivf.com
Center for Reproductive Health | Joliet IVF
2246 Weber Road • Crest Hill, IL
351 Delnor Drive, Suite 210 • Geneva, IL
Jarrett Fertility Group
Once a couple decides they are concerned enough about their ability to conceive that they want to at least talk about it with a professional, the first step is to make an appointment with a physician. This doesn't necessarily have to be a specialist in fertility; many obstetrician gynecologists and family practitioners are comfortable initiating a work up. Sure, there are other things you can do. You can read a book; it may provide some useful information. You can talk to a friend, but be very careful! Sometimes the most well-intentioned advice from a friend such as don't worry, just relax, it will happen, can hurt far more than anticipated and be worth just what you paid for it. And you can certainly continue to try on your own. But if you're worried, it will help to get some answers.
There is no substitute for a good history and physical exam. Every investigation into the cause of a couple's infertility must begin with a thorough history and physical. The physician is almost playing detective, looking for some information or a finding that will suggest a particular problem. Often a clue or clues will be discovered that can direct the initial investigation in a particular direction. No physician can begin to formulate the plan of evaluation appropriate for a couple until the physician becomes familiar with the perspective of the couple, taking a history of their attempts to conceive as well as of their general medical health, and doing a physical exam. Remember: Not every couple needs every test. Evaluation must be tailored to the couple.
One thing the physician needs to try to understand is "where the couple is coming from. How long have they been married? How long have they been trying to get pregnant? Have they used contraception in the past, and if so, what kind(s)? What, if any, evaluation have they had so far? How anxious are they? How frustrated are they? How aggressive do they want to be? How much do they feel that they can tolerate? The point is this: The approach for a twenty-five-year-old couple who have been trying for one year is going to be different than that for a thirty-eight-year-old woman and her forty-year-old husband who have been trying for three years.
www.jarrettfertility.com
Jarrett Fertility Group
11725 Illinois Street
Suite 515
Carmel, IN 46032
317-814-4110
317-814-4114 fax
888-674-0101
Tiny Treasures Egg Donation Agency
Tiny Treasures coordinates both in-state/local and out-of-state/area egg donation arrangements. An out-of-state/area egg donation refers to an arrangement in which the Egg Donor resides in a state or area other than that in which the Prospective Parents' IVF clinic is located, requiring the Egg Donor to travel for the egg donation cycle. Clinics vary greatly with regard to their out-of-state/area Egg Donor protocols. Many clinics allow for an out-of-state/area Egg Donor to be medically and psychologically screened, as well as initially monitored, at a clinic local to the Egg Donor. In this case, Tiny Treasures will coordinate all the necessary arrangements with a IVF clinic local to the Egg Donor. Some clinics require that the Egg Donor travel to their site for one or two days to complete all of the medical and psychological screening. Most clinics require that the Egg Donor travel to their site as she approaches her retrieval time, such that the last week or so of monitoring is carried out by the Prospective Parents' clinic. Typically,Egg Donors are required to travel for approximately 5-7 days for the egg donation monitoring and retrieval. Travel requirements vary greatly from clinic to clinic, however, and may range from 2 to 10 days. In addition to coordinating all the arrangements with the local screening/monitoring clinic, Tiny Treasures will coordinate all travel arrangements necessary for an out-of-state/area egg donation.
We are an egg donation facilitation agency that helps guide Prospective Parents and Egg Donors through the egg donation process, from start to finish. Our agency
matches Prospective Parents with Donors and manages all the complex arrangements associated with an egg donation cycle. We are in the business of helping families conceive children that they are unable to conceive on their own due to a wide variety of reasons. We are here to be your "helping hand" throughout your egg donation cycle.
Tiny Treasures, LLC emphasizes the importance of confidentiality, sensitivity, communication, and support with our clients. Our agency works with a wide variety of clients, including single, gay, and lesbian Prospective Parents, as well as traditional couples. With offices based in Massachusetts and the Washington D.C. area, Tiny Treasures works with Egg Donors and Prospective Parents throughout the United States and offers specialized services for international Prospective Parents.
www.tinytreasuresagency.com
Tiny Treasures New England
35 Corporate Drive, 4th Floor
Burlington, MA 01803
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