OVARIAN STIMULATION AND IVF
1. CONTROLLED OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION (COH) IVF success rates are dependent upon the number of the mature eggs and healthy embryos available for transfer. A patient undergoing IVF is given fertility drugs for two reasons: (1) to improve the growth and development of her ovarian follicles in order to produce as many healthy eggs as possible […]
Should I Use Donor Eggs Or Try IVF With My Eggs?
Using eggs from a younger donor can contribute to IVF success and significantly improve a woman’s chances of pregnancy. This is because the age of the egg is, in many cases, a more important factor than the age of the woman (if considered separately than her eggs) in influencing the likelihood of success from IVF […]
Alternative IVF Protocols
IVF is a constantly changing field that takes advantage of new research and technologies to help women overcome barriers in becoming pregnant. This has led to the development of a variety of protocols—processes or regimens—that IVF employs to help women, who otherwise could not, become pregnant and bear children. For many people, only when they […]
What Can I Do After a Failed IVF Treatment?
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) has improved by leaps and bounds over the last two decades. It has been reported that IVF treatment resulted in 61,740 live births in the U.S. in 2012, compared to only 20,143 in 1998. But not all IVF procedures are successful. And if yours was not successful, you may not know […]
How to Stay Positive on Your IVF Journey
You just learned that your IVF procedure hasn’t worked out. You had been so hopeful, and now you’re disappointed. That is a normal feeling that many, if not most, women experience. There are many ways you can do to help you go forward. Know that this is just temporary. An unsuccessful IVF procedure is only […]
Should I test my embryos for BRCA gene mutation during my IVF cycle?
A recent announcement by Angelina Jolie has brought attention to BRCA gene mutation again and the increased risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. She announced her “double mastectomy” to minimize the risk of developing breast cancer in the future. In the near future, she will also announce removal of her ovaries to minimize the […]
Failed IVF cycle: What’s next?
It’s frustrating to get the “negative beta” call from the IVF coordinator/doctor after taking injections for a few weeks, undergoing egg retrieval, and embryo transfer. Whereas most IVF failures are due to the abnormalities of the embryos transferred, other variables have to be carefully looked at prior to the next attempt. Both the embryo and the […]
DES Exposure, T-Shaped Uterus and Failed IVF Cycles
Diethylstilbestrol (DES) was developed in the late 1930s and prescribed to women at risk for having miscarriages and preterm labor. DES is a synthetic estrogen and acts biologically similar to currently available estrogenic compounds. It was initially reported to improve pregnancy outcome, but later studies did not report any difference, but despite such evidence, its […]
Sclerotherapy for Treatment of Endometriomas
In the era of assisted reproductive technology (ART), there are two reasons for the treatment of endometriosis. The first is to alleviate symptoms of pain. The second is in preparation for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Conventional surgical treatment of ovarian endometriosis involves either an abdominal incision or laparoscopic drainage of the cyst contents with subsequent […]
Dr. Bayrak Announces Milestone Birth in Southern California from Genetically Tested Frozen Egg
I am excited to announce the birth of the first baby in Southern California early this week as a result of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) using a genetically tested and frozen egg by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) (See the announcement at www.prnewswire.com) After treating the first CGH cases in Southern California with IVF for infertility, I […]