I am 28 and I have just been diagnosed with the lowest AMH possible. I’m starting aggressive IVF. Is age on my side with good quality eggs?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF, Tests.

AMH predicts quantity, not quality. The best predictor for egg quality is being under 35 years of age. Yes! Age is on your side. Anti Mullerian Hormone is released by cells involved with the growth of antral follicles and correlated to the number of active antral follicles you have. Usually with IVF, we hope to… Read more »

Who’s at risk for Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome and what do you do?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF.

OHSS happens when ovaries become inflamed, sometimes because they’re stimulated with medications. To some degree, ovaries are always inflamed a little bit. But in some people, the inflammatory fluid becomes excessive. The fluid collects in the abdomen, making it very uncomfortable to breathe. Worse, that fluid shouldn’t be there. The end result is a real… Read more »

What are my chances of success with IVF?

Posted & filed under IVF, Tests.

The easiest and most obvious answer is to ask your fertility doctor. If you live in a major city in Canada, you’ll have access to a quality fertility clinic to provide you with an answer. Unfortunately, in many cities, there’s only one fertility clinic. Seeking a second opinion can be stressful and difficult. Here’s one… Read more »

Calgary’s controversy about mixed-race donor selection

Posted & filed under IVF, News, Sperm.

I’m sure you’ve read in the news this week about a Calgary fertility clinic that refused a patient the ability to select donor sperm from a different ethnic background than hers. Dr. Calvin Greene, the Regional Fertility Program clinic’s administrative director, was quoted by the Calgary Herald last week, “I’m not sure that we should… Read more »

It looks like Ontario will be covering IVF.

Posted & filed under IVF, News.

It hasn’t passed yet, but with a majority government and no changes to the proposed budget, Ontario plans to cover IVF. The devil is always in the details, of course. From the budget: “The government will provide additional support for people in this province who want to become parents by expanding coverage of infertility services… Read more »

Which embryo or embryos will give a woman the best chance at successful implantation and pregnancy?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF.

Dr. Richard T. Scott Jr., of Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey is helping to answer that question with chromosomal testing. Chromosomes are the structures in your cells that contain your genetic information like eye or hair colour. Your chromosomes direct how your body grows. We’re each born with 23 pairs of chromosomes – one… Read more »

Ontarians donating unused embryos from IVF

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF.

Our friend Erica Berman, PhD, sent us something interesting: a unique embryo donation program run by Beginnings. Essentially, embryos are donated by families who have gone through fertility treatments and no longer have a need for them. It works a lot like open adoption—biological parents choose intended parents as recipients of the embryos. The process… Read more »

IVF or Frozen Embryo Transfer?

Posted & filed under Eggs, IVF.

In my experience, frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles are not as successful as fresh. However, rates can vary from clinic to clinic; it’s possible that some teams may have frozen rates comparable to fresh rates. There are some theoretical advantages to frozen cycles: for example, hormone levels with FET can be much more normal (and… Read more »

When should you do IVF?

Posted & filed under IVF, Tests, The Basics, The Journey.

Nobody wants to do IVF. Whenever a couple or individual comes to a fertility clinic, the goal is to work as naturally as possible to maximize the chances for pregnancy. So IVF can feel like a scary direction, both financially and emotionally. But if it’s been more than six months of trying naturally together, there… Read more »