2014

Fertility Answers - When to See a Reproductive Endocrinologist

Many people are often surprised at the time it takes to conceive once deciding to start a family. Sometimes it can take several months, leading to stress and concern that there may be a problem. 

At IVF FLORIDA, we've created a list of common factors that can contribute to infertility. If you answer yes to any of the questions in our latest infographic, a reproductive endocrinologist may be able to help.

There are many potential issues that may contribute to infertility and a reproductive specialist can review your condition and provide options for having a baby. To contact the specialists at IVF FLORIDA, click here.

EmbryoScope Technology Now Available in Florida

The latest in cutting-edge technology, The EmbryoScope, is now available to couples seeking fertility treatment in Florida at IVF FLORIDA Reproductive Associates.

The EmbryoScope is a sophisticated and noninvasive technique that frequently photographs a single embryo's development from unfertilized egg to the blastocyst stage over a 7 day period of time.  Comprised of an incubator, microscope and time-lapse camera embryo development is monitored from the time of conception, allowing fertility specialists to select the most viable embryos during in-vitro fertilization treatment.

This technique allows for continual monitoring of the embryo's development without removing it from a perfectly controlled environment. Traditional embryo monitoring methods required fertility professionals to remove embryos from an incubator once a day to study development through a microscope.

"We are now able to select embryos with unprecedented precision," explains Dr. Wayne Maxson of IVF FLORIDA Reproductive Associates. "This new technology may help patients achieve their family by keeping a close eye on the embryo."

The EmbryoScope takes photos of each embryo every five to 20 minutes for the entire duration of the incubation period, allowing for comprehensive monitoring of embryo development. The data from each embryo's cell division and appearance are further analyzed by image analysis software, which also creates a unique time-lapse video for each embryo and allows embryologist to analyze hundreds of images compared to the current 2 images used to select embryos today. Abnormal embryo development can be detected without harming the embryo, allowing the most viable embryos to be selected during in-vitro fertilization.

"The EmbryoScope provides a technique that is on the leading-edge of fertility technology and we are proud to offer this service to our patients, continuing IVF FLORIDA's mission of providing state-of-the-art procedures in the treatment of infertility," adds Dr. David Hoffman of IVF FLORIDA Reproductive Associates.  

"This technology allows us to select embryos that may have a higher success of implanting & enables the laboratory to implement a more successful single embryo transfer program," explains Kathy Miller, Scientific Director at IVF FLORIDA Reproductive Associates. "This technology can also be used with comprehensive chromosomal screening."

The technology can prove particularly beneficial for couples who have done multiple IVF cycles or have experienced recurrent miscarriage. By watching the embryos develop, fertility professionals can also monitor abnormal cell splitting, potentially indicating an embryo with genetic abnormality.

Data gathered from other centers have shown a 30-50% increase in pregnancy rates and lower multiple birth rate.

There are currently an estimated 12 centers offering the EmbryoScope across the country, with IVF FLORIDA Reproductive Associates the first to offer this technology in the state of Florida.

Learn More About Fertility Preservation During National Infertility Awareness Week 2014

Knowledge and information are essential when dealing with fertility.  “It’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest technologies” states Dr. Marcelo Barrionuevo, a fertility specialist at IVF FLORIDA.  In honor  of National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), we at IVF FLORIDA, a leading south Florida fertility center, resolve to help you learn more about infertility and how we can help you start a family of your own.

Did you know that men have a biological clock too?  Age has only recently become a risk factor associated with men as well as women.  The “biological clock” has long been a cautionary tale for women, and it was thought that men had no similar concern, but scientists are learning that in fact, they do.  Studies show that older men have increased risks in fathering children with birth defects and developmental disorders.  Since many women and couples are choosing to delay having a family (past the age range of 35-40), it is important to be well informed and know your options and solutions. 

Often, women and couples do not know they have fertility problems until they try to become pregnant, but in some instances, it may be known ahead of time that their ability to reproduce is in jeopardy.  Whether you have been diagnosed with cancer or are just planning for later, the fertility specialists at IVF FLORIDA can help you explore treatment options.  One such solution is Fertility Preservation or Egg Freezing.  According to IVF FLORIDA fertility specialist, Dr. David Hoffman, egg freezing is “the new frontier in fertility treatment.”  The preservation process involves a relatively new technology called vitrification, a procedure where tissue is placed directly in liquid nitrogen and undergoes a flash freeze. 

If you’d like to learn more about when to seek fertility treatment, take a moment to watch the video below.  Let IVF FLORIDA open the door to the possibilities for you or someone you love.

IVF FLORIDA's Dr David Hoffman Discusses Latest Advances in Fertility Treatments

South Florida’s CBS4-Miami recently featured IVF FLORIDA in a story on the use of EmbryoScopes, a new incubator technology that dramatically improves the success of fertility treatment.  Fertility specialist Dr. David Hoffman talks about this “game-changing” technology that allows stronger embryos to be chosen, decreases the risk for multiples and provides new hope for couples struggling with infertility.  IVF FLORIDA is proud to be one of only 12 Fertility Centers nationwide and the only one in the state of Florida with EmbryoScope technology.

VIEW THE VIDEO HERE

What to Expect During an Egg Retrieval and Embryo Transfer

Often times the IVF cycle is preceded by a 3-week course of oral contraceptives.  Some literature has suggested that success rates are better following a 3-week course of ovarian suppression.  The stimulation always begins at the start of the cycle in which the eggs will be retrieved and usually is between the second and fourth days of the cycle. 

Typically a patient undergoing fertility treatment will be given instructions for injections for 4 days and then instructed to return to assess the response which we determine with an ultrasound to measure the size of the growing follicles, the small cysts which contain the eggs, and the blood estrogen level which is the primary byproduct of the developing cycles.  Once we determine that the eggs are mature with the ultrasound measurements and estrogen levels, we use a different hormone to trigger ovulation. 

The egg retrieval has to be precisely timed so that we can retrieve the eggs shortly before the ovaries would otherwise release them.  Once they are released into the pelvis it becomes much more difficult to recover the eggs and the usual time interval from the injection to the planned time of the retrieval is approximately 34 hours, but we do allow a few hours grace period.  The egg retrieval is done with IV sedation so you should be very comfortable through the procedure. You may experience some pelvic discomfort for a day or so after the procedure. Since it is surgery there are potential complications and these include bleeding, infection, damage to other organs, and problems with the anesthesia. In practice, all of these complications are extremely rare.

The eggs are removed using a vaginal ultrasound with a needle guide so that the ovary can be entered through the back wall of the vagina where it is very thin and the fluid within the follicles containing the eggs is then drawn through the needle, collected in a test tube, and given to the laboratory for identification of the eggs.  On the same day of the retrieval, the eggs will be fertilized either by adding a predetermined concentration of sperm to the dish containing the egg or by injecting a single sperm directly into the egg, ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection).

The following day we will be able to determine whether the eggs fertilized or not and they are then observed for 3 to 5 days after the egg retrieval.  Depending on how they are developing they may be transferred either 3 or 5 days after the retrieval.  The recommended number of embryos to be transferred depends on the patient's age and for most women, under the age of 35, we are recommending 1, or no more than 2 embryos be transferred.  For women over the age of 39, we will transfer up to 5 embryos.  This reflects the higher proportion of abnormal embryos in older women and even though more embryos are transferred, the pregnancy rates and multiple pregnancy rates are lower in older women.  The most common reason an IVF cycle is unsuccessful is that the embryos produced have the wrong number of chromosomes to develop into a normal embryo.

Additional information on both the egg retrieval and embryo transfer process can be found on the IVF FLORIDA website.

If you have questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please contact us today.