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?
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?
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?
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?
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 »
Is there a connection between vitamin D levels and IVF success?
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 »
IVF: choosing the best embryo, and the best day for embryo transfer
An IVF cycle should result in the retrieval of mature eggs. The eggs will be allowed to settle for a few hours, and then, that afternoon, fertilized with sperm. Choosing the best embryo The next day -day 1- each healthy embryo will still be a single cell, now at the two-Pro-Nucleii (2PN) stage. It… Read more »
What’s the difference between my ovarian reserve and egg quality?
Your egg quantity is also known as your ovarian reserve. It’s not quite the same thing as egg quality. But when you have a good ovarian reserve, you most likely will have some good quality eggs in there too. You were born with millions of immature eggs. Most of the immature eggs will be housed… Read more »
Is there hope with my own eggs using the estrogen priming protocol or is it truly time to consider donor eggs?
There is no universal “best” protocol. However, there may be a best one for you. You can run a natural start cycle, which simply means that you come in at the beginning of your menstrual cycle, say on day 3, and if there are no cysts, you start taking stimulating medication. This simple approach is… Read more »
So what is happening with IVF funding in Ontario?
We are still in the phase of rumour and hearsay. “Funded IVF” requires a number of institutional structures to work properly. Is this going to be a tax credit, or through OHIP? Will there be age or diagnostic criteria? How does the funding apply if couples wish to transfer more than one embryo? There are… Read more »