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IVF Canada
Approximately 20% of Canadian couples experience difficulty in their attempts to
achieve pregnancy. There are many and various factors that may contribute to
infertility and can be attributed to either the male or female partner, or both.
One or both fallopian tubes, which carry the ovum from the ovary to the uterus,
is obstructed and/or does not function properly preventing the sperm and egg
from meeting. Can also include women who have undergone a tubal ligation. Tubal
ligation or patients with only one blocked fallopian tube do not qualify for
funding under OHIP.
Treatment Options
1) IVF - in vitro fertilization
2) Tuboplasty - surgical intervention to attempt to open the tube(s)
What You Need to KnowCurrently, the Ministry of Health, Province of Ontario,
will fund three lifetime IVF treatments for a female with blocked fallopian
tubes.
Therefore, before proceeding with surgery attempting to open the tubes,
consideration should be given to taking advantage of the OHIP funding since once
one of the tubes is open (partially opened tubes may not be functional) the
funding is no longer available.
www.ivfcanada.com
IVF Canada & The Life Program
2347 Kennedy Road
Suite 304
Scarborough, Ontario M1T 3T8
Fertility Clinic
During the course of IVF, eggs are obtained from the female after her ovaries
have been stimulated with infertility drugs. While under a short period of
sedation and with the use of ultrasound guidance, a needle is inserted into the
ovaries and eggs are aspirated. These eggs are then fertilized in the laboratory
(in-vitro) with the partner's sperm and the developing embryos are cultured from
three to six days.
Embryo transfer could be performed on day 3 of the IVF process or on day 5 at
the blastocyst stage of embryo development. The embryo transfer procedure is
performed with a tiny catheter, usually unperceivable to the patient, in which
embryos are placed into the uterine cavity.
This procedure has revolutionized the treatment of male infertility since it
allows couples to achieve fertilization, even when only a few sperm are
available. The procedure was developed to overcome male infertility problems
such as: low sperm counts, poor motility or movement of the sperm, poor sperm
quality, or sperm that lack the ability to penetrate an egg. Later, the
indication for ICSI has broadened and is performed to optimize fertilization in
cases in which few eggs are available and for cases requiring PGD for single
gene disorders. ICSI has revolutionized infertility management, to the extent
that most treatments previously used have been abandoned in its favor.
ICSI is performed by physically inserting one sperm into each egg using a
microscopic approach. Because only one sperm is needed per egg, even very small
numbers of sperm will do. Once the egg is injected with a single sperm, it is
observed approximately 18 hours later to see if fertilization has taken place.
www.repromed.ca
56 Aberfoyle Crescent,
Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario, M8X 2W4
416-233-8111 (tel)
1-877-317-6079 (toll free)
ASTRA (Infertility Treatments GTA)
Dr Essam Michael is the Clinical Director of Astra Fertility Group. He is
certified by the Royal college of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the
American Board of
Obstetrics and Gynecology. He finished his residency training from Queen's
University in 1994. Dr Michael joined ISIS Regional Fertility Centre in
Mississauga in 1999 as a founding partner and staff consultant. Dr Michael has
also been an active staff member in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
at William Osler Health Centre, Etobicoke Campus, since 1994.
Dr Michael manages and treats a wide range of medical and surgical fertility
problems. He is highly skilled in endoscopic procedures and is experienced in a
full range of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatments. His area of
interest is focused on uterine and pelvic factors (tubal disease and
endometriosis) related infertility. He is actively involved in clinical research
and has several publications in the field of reproductive medicine.
www.astrafertility.com
1 Kennedy Road
Brampton, Ontario
L6W 3C9
tel | 905 451 4333
fax | 905 451 4324
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