Whether you are looking to start a family or trying to expand the one you have, struggling to have a baby can take an emotional toll on any couple. If you have exhausted most traditional conception processes, it might be time to consider fertility treatments. For many years, Reproductive Fertility Center has been successfully performing in vitro fertilization (IVF), which offers hope to many infertile couples who would not otherwise be able to have children. IVF may be the treatment you’ve been looking for to help you conceive the best gift life has to offer.
Schedule an appointmentWho Is an IVF Candidate?
Age-Related Infertility
Unfortunately, the older a woman gets, the less viable her egg stores become. At Reproductive Fertility, we have a high success rate in helping women over the age of 35 become pregnant. For our age-related fertility cases, we also consider egg donation, which can dramatically improve your chances of a successful conception.Medically Infertile
If you are under the age of 35 and haven’t been able to conceive for over a year, it is more likely that a medical issue is the cause of infertility. We work with a variety of medically infertile couples, including those with absent or damaged fallopian tubes, endometriosis, tubal and pelvic adhesions, or recurrent intrauterine insemination failure.Unexplained Infertility
For some women, we simply cannot find a reason they cannot conceive a child naturally. However, unexplained infertility shouldn’t be a reason you can’t have the family you want. Our IVF process has helped a number of families with unexplained infertility create the family they’ve always wanted.Patient Testimonials
"Dr. Saadat was able to harvest 17 eggs... 15 of which became healthy embryos. Since I had been over stimulated, Dr. Sadaat thought it was best to freeze the embryos and let my hormone level return to normal prior to performing the embryo transfer. One month later, he performed the frozen embryo transfer using three of our embryos. My husband was working quietly in his home office two weeks later when I came in and told him that he was going to be a daddy. Against seemingly overwhelming odds... we were successful on the first attempt! Today we have a beautiful, healthy two-month old baby girl. She is more than we ever could have hoped for."
“We just celebrated our son’s first birthday, and thought we should send out warm wishes to Dr. Saadat and his team as well. Without them this would not have been possible. We had “unexplained” infertility issues and the first clinic we went to was not very friendly and we felt like we were just another “cycle”. Dr. Saadat was always willing to answer questions and the nurses there were terrific. I felt like everyone in the office was on our side, and that makes a huge difference. So thank you to everyone from Anna, Michael and Alex”
IVF Procedure
Ovarian Stimulation
Ovarian stimulation is the first step in the IVF process. We use fertility drugs that stimulate the ovaries to procedure several high-quality eggs that we will retrieve. Multiple eggs will increase the potential for producing multiple embryos, which betters your likelihood of a successful conception. During the 7- to 14-day stimulation period, ultrasound exams and lab tests are performed to track the development of the follicles.
Egg Retrieval
Your egg retrieval is performed in our surgical suite once the follicles are ready. A fine needle is inserted into the ovaries, with ultrasound guidance to locate each follicle. Fluid from the follicles is drawn into a test tube to retrieve the eggs. You will be provided pain medication to alleviate any discomfort, and the procedure lasts about 15 minutes. You should be able to go home within a couple hours of your egg retrieval.
Sperm Collection
The male partner typically collects a semen sample at our surgical suite while the egg retrieval is being performed. The semen is examined in our lab, and the best quality sperm is selected. If you feel that there may be difficulty producing a semen sample the day of, sperm can be collected ahead of time and cryopreserved.
Embryo Culture
We add the best quality sperm to the eggs that have been retrieved to achieve fertilization. In cases with low sperm count or when the eggs are not fertilized using conventional IVF procedures, physicians will choose to fertilize via ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). Eggs are examined the next day for evidence of fertilization.
Embryo Transfer
One to five days after fertilization, your doctor will transfer the embryos into the uterus via a thin catheter through the cervix. This process is similar to a pap smear and is generally quick and painless. A blood pregnancy test is performed two weeks after embryo transfer, and an ultrasound will occur two weeks after a positive pregnancy test.
IVF Cycle Practices
Women
- Do not use drugs, consume alcohol, smoke, or consume more than two caffeinated drinks a day for three months before treatment and during the IVF cycle
- Maintain a stable diet with little weight fluctuation during the IVF cycle
- Avoid hot tubs and saunas for the duration of your IVF cycle
- Abstain from having intercourse for three to four days before egg retrieval and the time leading up to your pregnancy test
Men
- Inform your doctor if you have had a fever within two months of the IVF procedure, as sperm quality can be affected by a fever
- Avoid hot tubs and saunas
- Do not use drugs, consume alcohol, or smoke for three months before treatment and during the IVF cycle
- Avoid excessive exercise
- Abstain from intercourse for at least three (but no more than seven) days prior to semen collection
Frequently Asked Questions
Egg donation is often considered for women who are over 35 years of age. Egg quality begins to deteriorate when women are in the mid-to-late 30s, and most women see more success with egg donation as they get older. We can discuss this option during your consultation.
ICSI is a process where a single sperm is injected directly into the egg to achieve fertilization. This process is used during an IVF cycle to increase the chances of fertilization.
No. The decision is based on a number of factors. By choosing to transfer a single embryo, you are giving yourself the best possible chance for a safe pregnancy and healthy baby. The goal at RFC is to help patients deliver one healthy baby at a time. However, there may be times when two or more embryos must be transferred to achieve a pregnancy. This will always be a joint decision with the patient, the physician, and the embryologist’s input. Embryos that are not transferred can be cryopreserved and used for later transfers.
The cost of your IVF treatments will vary depending on a number of factors. You can find detailed prices on our IVF cost page.
Yes, your embryos can be genetically diagnosed for gender selection as well as chromosomal abnormalities.
At Reproductive Fertility Center, we offer a wide range of fertility treatments. If you don’t see success with IVF, our doctors will help you determine another course of treatments to help you create your family.
