When is the optimal age (medically and financially) to freeze my eggs?

Posted & filed under Aging, Eggs, News.

Many women are curious about freezing their eggs — preserving their fertility because they aren’t ready or able to start a family, but want to keep the option open for the future. This Chatelaine article delves into new research with regards to timing your egg freezing. The analysis found that women who pursue egg freezing in their early or… Read more »

3 situations where you’ll want to consider IVF

Posted & filed under Aging, Eggs, IVF, Sperm, Tests, The Basics.

Nobody wants to do IVF. Whenever a couple or individual arrives at a fertility clinic, the strong goal is to work as naturally as possible to maximize the chances for pregnancy. My suspicion is that this comes down to two reasons. Financial, yes, but importantly, emotional: For all of us, the plan was to achieve… Read more »

Smoking, illicit drugs, alcohol and fertility

Posted & filed under Eggs, Sex, Sperm.

Such a difficult topic, of course, because the very clear-cut, medically/legally safe answer is entirely straightforward: never drink, smoke or use illicit drugs. As physicians, it’s our duty to inform all patients that this is accepted dogma and that there is no minimal dose that is known to be safe and, therefore, no one should… Read more »

New data on non-donor egg freezing success rates!

Posted & filed under Aging, Eggs, IVF, Uncategorized.

Egg freezing is a relatively new procedure where a woman’s eggs are collected, frozen, and stored with the intention of later use. Women who are not yet ready to start a family may choose to freeze their eggs to keep the option on the table for longer. There has been significant promise, but also significant… Read more »

Assisted Hatching: When is it necessary?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF.

Assisted hatching is often offered as part of an IVF process. It’s a procedure and as such has its risks. Let’s explore why you may want to do this. The process of assisted hatching refers to procedures done to the zona pellucida. The zona pellucida is the shell that surrounds the egg. Its clearest purpose… Read more »

How do I improve my chances for embryo implantation?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF, Sperm, Tests, The Basics.

Embryo implantation is complicated, as you can imagine! But here’s a breakdown of some of the key elements that can help you maximize your chances: 1. Oocyte (egg) quality Implantation is more likely to happen when a healthy embryo is present, and the best predictor for a healthy embryo is a healthy egg. Egg quality… Read more »

Why do you want 12 to 20 eggs for IVF? Isn’t that a lot?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF, The Basics.

You can run a modified natural cycle IVF. That would mean retrieving one egg and hoping for ongoing pregnancy. Success rates vary, but are likely between 4% and 15% per cycle. This is the best case scenario for women with good-quality eggs. If the same individual were to add in medication, she may have success… Read more »

Will pre-implantation genetic screening improve my IVF chances?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF, Tests.

Pre-implantation genetic screening, or PGS, is when we analyze individual cells of embryos prior to embryo transfer. It holds great promise for maximizing pregnancy rates. Most IVF failures can be attributed back to embryo quality. Is PGS right for you? Perhaps, but it’s a highly personal choice. It depends a lot on your circumstances and… Read more »

Should I have one or two intrauterine inseminations?

Posted & filed under Eggs, Sperm.

If your underlying concern is around serious male factor subfertility, or blocked/compromised tubes (as can happen with endometriosis), or serious concerns around egg quality, then IVF is by far the better choice for achieving pregnancy. Not everybody needs IVF. Many patients may benefit from intrauterine inseminations. IUI, where sperm is washed and placed high within… Read more »

Is there a connection between vitamin D levels and IVF success?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF.

This is a guest blog written by Dr. Kim Garbedian   There’s been an increase in talk about the role vitamin D plays in our health. Vitamin D has been linked to a variety of autoimmune diseases and cancers (breast and colorectal). Recent studies suggest that vitamin D may play a role in fertility. It… Read more »