Monthly Archives: November 2017

Vitrification Method of Fertility Preservation

Many studies have shown that the vitrification method of cryopreservation increases the chances of pregnancy for women and men opting to preserve their fertility through the several cryopreservation alternatives being offered by New Hope Fertility Center.

What do we offer?

Egg freezing
Embryo freezing and Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
Ovarian tissue freezing
Sperm freezing

Vitrification Method of Freezing

New Hope Fertility Center’s founder and medical director – Dr. John Zhang – pioneered the use of modern freezing method of vitrification. Look: Used by our fertility specialists since 2004, vitrification is an advanced technique designed to increase the chance of a successful pregnancy being achieved through fertility preservation. Vitrification is the rapid freeze method of cryopreservation. Extreme, rapid freezing avoids the formation of harmful ice crystals between cells. Why is this important? The vitrification method increases the chances of pregnancy.

How Vitrification Works

Preparing an egg, embryo, ovarian tissue graft, or sperm sample for rapid freezing via vitrification entails:

Placement in a high concentration of cryoprotectant solution while at room temperature
Being directly plunged into liquid nitrogen to immediately drop the temperature in a large number of degrees
Implementing an extreme rapid rate of thawing to prevent damage to cells

drjohnzhang, November 30, 2017. No Comments. Category: Vitrification.

Dr. Zhang’s Division of Fertility Preservation

Our Division of Fertility Preservation was founded with the goal of ensuring every hopeful parent-to-be has a pathway to family planning. Freeze now and preserve your fertility for the future. We provide the most comprehensive, cutting-edge, and reliable 21^st Century solutions for fertility preservation. With over 400 live births from cryopreservation technology, Dr. John Zhang has earned his world renowned reputation as a pioneer in the field of fertility preservation.

Fertility Preservation Leaders

New Hope Fertility Center has partnered with Fertility Preservation – founded by leading onco-fertility specialist – Dr. Kutluk Oktay.

Working in tandem with Dr. Oktay, New Hope Fertility Center’s Division of Fertility Preservation is one of the world’s leading providers of:

Ovarian Tissue Freezing
Ovarian Transplants
Ovarian Stimulation for Cancer Patients
Fertility Preservation for Children Diagnosed With Cancer and Turner Syndrome

Comprehensive Fertility Preservation

New Hope Fertility Center’s comprehensive solutions for fertility preservation are increasingly becoming popular every year. Both men and women are discovering their reproductive options for future family planning.

Ovarian Tissue Freezing and Transplantation
In Vitro Maturation
Infertility Treatments After Chemotherapy
Post-Mortem Emergency Fertility Preservation
Medically Indicated Oocyte (Egg) Freezing
Random Start Ovarian Stimulation
Pregnancy After Cancer

Women must know all of their options to preserve their fertility for future family planning, including:

Egg Freezing – Oocyte Cryopreservation
Embryo Freezing and the Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) process
Ovarian Tissue Freezing
Gestational Surrogacy

drjohnzhang, November 27, 2017. No Comments. Category: Fertility Preservation.

How World Class IVF Technology Helps Treat Infertility

The latest IVF Technology, ingenuity and standards sets New Hope Fertility Center NYC apart from all other clinics – worldwide. Look: Our patients are our first priority and we strive to provide stellar IVF treatment through a customized, evidence-based approach. Bottom Line: We have designed a cutting-edge environment with the specific goal of maximizing every patient’s chances of having a baby.

World Class IVF Technology

Through our new IVF technology, ingenuity, and high standards of care, every patient receives superior IVF treatment.

State-of-the-Art IVF Laboratory
Powerful Air Filtration System
Controlled and Uncontaminated Environment

That’s not the best part. Our cutting-edge IVF laboratory is designed with a powerful air filtration system supporting the success of our intricate procedures and research. Why is this important? This controlled air system facilitates an uncontaminated environment.

Highest Medical Standards in the Industry
Highest Scientific Standards in the Industry
Highest Academic Standards in the Industry
Highest Research Standards in the Industry

drjohnzhang, November 22, 2017. No Comments. Category: IVF Technology.

How to Treat Anovulation: Ovulation Induction

The key to finally getting pregnant is a correct diagnosis of the problem. Why is this important? Diagnosing anovulation is critical because pregnancy is not possible without the maturation and release of an egg. An anovulatory cycle is one in which ovulation does not occur. Approximately 40 percent of women suffer from anovulation making it difficult for them to get pregnant naturally. Anovulation is diagnosed when a woman’s ovary does not release an egg (oocyte) during her monthly menstrual cycle. Look: Ovulation Induction through IVF stimulates the growth of a single follicle in a woman’s ovary to release its egg.

Causes and Symptoms of Anovulation

When a woman’s ovary does not release an egg during her natural menstrual cycle, the condition diagnosed is anovulation. The goal of ovulation induction is to stimulate the growth of a single follicle to release its egg. Bottom Line: Superovulation – through the administration of fertility medication – to stimulate and grow multiple follicles and release more than one egg during a woman’s menstrual cycle.

Causes of Ovulation Dysfunction – Anovulation

The most common causes of anovulation:

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
Obesity
Extreme exercise
Hyperprolactinemia
Premature Ovarian Failure
Perimenopause (low ovarian reserve)
Thyroid Dysfunction (hyperthyroidism)
Extreme stress

drjohnzhang, November 21, 2017. No Comments. Category: Ovulation Induction.

Ovarian Tissue Freezing Basics

Ovarian tissue freezing lets a woman freeze hundreds – if not thousands – of her eggs for future use in family planning. The ovarian tissue freezing procedure is performed by laparoscopy to remove tissue from the outer membrane of a woman’s ovary. Later, this ovarian tissue is re-implanted and regains its function by producing eggs naturally. As a new and cutting-edge method offered by New Hope Fertility Center’s Division of Fertility Preservation – ovarian tissue freezing is growing in popularity for women.

Candidates for Ovarian Tissue Freezing

Ovarian tissue freezing can be performed on very short notice – unlike egg and embryo freezing alternatives. There are many females who should consider ovarian tissue freezing.

Female children who do not have fully developed ovaries
Female children or teenage girls who have been diagnosed with cancer
Women in their prime reproductive years who have been diagnosed with cancer
Women wanting to postpone motherhood past their prime reproductive years
Women wanting to donate their ovarian tissue to help women who are unable to produce good eggs

The National Institutes of Health reported that [h]uman ovarian tissue transplantation has resulted in the birth of over 70 children worldwide. Preserving female fertility through ovarian tissue freezing is trending today because it is a proven safe and successful procedure. According to a 2015 study published in the journal of Human Reproduction, 10 out of 32 women facing chemotherapy were able to conceive naturally after undergoing ovarian tissue freezing before cancer treatment.Read more: Ovarian Tissue Freezing Basics

drjohnzhang, November 17, 2017. No Comments. Category: Ovarian Tissue Freezing.

How PGD is Helping to Eliminate Common Genetic Disease

When my patients are known carriers of a genetic disease – a single gene disorder – I strongly recommend Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) testing in conjunction with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Genetic diseases can be detected through PGD testing of embryos in vitro to eliminate passing on a single gene disorder to a child conceived via IVF.

Eliminate Common Genetic Disease From Being Passed On To Your Child

The most common genetic diseases tested for through PGD in conjunction with IVF are:

Hemophilia
Cystic Fibrosis
Sickle Cell Anemia
Tay Saches Disease
Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Duchennes Muscular Dystophy
Thalassemia

After a woman’s eggs have been surgically retrieved and fertilized in vitro, developing embryos will be tested upon reaching the blastocyst stage (5 to 6 days after fertilization occurs). Cells are gently removed from each embryo using microsurgery technology. Our expert embryologists then analyze the cells using a probe that is specifically designed to test for a specific gene disorder. PGD diagnoses a genetic defect in an embryo.Read more: How PGD is Helping to Eliminate Common Genetic Disease

drjohnzhang, November 14, 2017. No Comments. Category: PGD.

Femara for Infertility Treatment

Letrozole – brand named Femara – is an oral superovulation drug commonly used for the treatment of infertility. The specialists at New Hope Fertility Center have decades of education, training, and clinical experience in fertility medication therapy. It can’t be emphasized enough. Having the expertise to know how long a patient should remain on Femara therapy is determinative of pregnancy success.

Look: Here is an overview of how Femara is used.

To induce an egg to develop and be released in a woman who is not ovulating naturally
To increase the chances of pregnancy for a woman who can ovulate naturally through superovulation

About Femara

Femara is an oral medication working to block a woman’s production of estrogen. The components making up Femara belong to a classification of medications known as aromatase inhibitors. Aromatase is an enzyme responsible for producing estrogen. Femara works to inhibit aromatase – suppressing estrogen production.

Decreased estrogen production stimulates a woman’s ovaries into growing multiple egg follicles. The pituitary gland produces more of the hormones needed to stimulate a woman’s ovaries into producing multiple egg follicles – FSH and LH.

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)

These hormones cause:

Ovulation in women who have diagnosed as anovulatory, or
Increase in the number of eggs developed in women who have the ability to ovulate

drjohnzhang, November 11, 2017. No Comments. Category: Femara.

Clomid for Infertility Treatment

Clomiphene citrate – brand named Clomid or Serophene – has long been the first choice oral drug for superovulation in the treatment of infertility. The specialists at New Hope Fertility Center have decades of education, training, and clinical experience in fertility medication therapy. Why is this important? Having the expertise to know how long a patient should remain on Clomid therapy is determinative of pregnancy success.

An Overview of Clomid

Clomid is an oral medication prescribed by our fertility doctors:

To induce an egg to develop and be released in a woman who is not ovulating naturally
To increase the chances of pregnancy for a woman who ovulate naturally through superovulation

Clomid is composed of two separate types of isomers:

Zuclomiphene – 1/3 inert component making up Clomid
Enclomiphene – 2/3 active component making up Clomid

Clomid works by blocking estrogen receptors in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. This blockage results in the stimulation of the pituitary gland into producing hormones causing a woman’s eggs to grow in her ovaries.Read more: Clomid for Infertility Treatment

drjohnzhang, November 8, 2017. No Comments. Category: Clomid.

Does Age Affect A Woman’s Egg Quality?

Yes. Age is a real factor when considering a woman’s egg quality when she is undergoing infertility treatment. As she ages past her prime maternal years, the quality of a woman’s eggs begins to decline – precipitously after age 37. A decrease in egg quality and quantity may be the reason behind a couple’s difficulty in conceiving and maintaining a successful pregnancy. Being aware of how a woman’s age can impact her fertility can help couples to make fully-informed decisions about what treatment option is best for them.

A woman in her prime reproductive years – 20s – has as 26 percent chance of getting pregnant with the one natural egg her body produces each month. Don’t despair if you are in your 30s or early 40s. Your quality eggs can still make a healthy baby. A woman is born with between 1 and 2 million eggs – however – she only releases 300 to 400 eggs through each natural ovulation cycle during her lifetime. Typically, a woman only releases one egg per month during her natural cycle. New Hope Fertility NYC’s policy: It only takes one good quality egg to have a healthy baby.

A Synopsis of the Decline in Egg Quality for Women

Most women reach their peak fertility years between the ages of 23 and 31
After age 31, a woman’s quality of eggs begins to decline
30 years = 20 percent chance of conceiving
31 years = fertility levels drop by three percent every year
35 years = fertility levels significantly declines
40 years = five percent chance of conceiving

One Good Egg Policy

The fertility specialists at New Hope Fertility NYC focus IVF treatment plans on producing high quality eggs – One Good Egg Policy – not a large quantity of eggs. When multiple eggs are produced, many are not suitable for fertilization in vitro and treatment is very hard on patients – physically and financially. Why is this important? Healthy, quality eggs achieve high IVF success rates for even those difficult patients who have been turned away from treatment at other fertility clinics. Bottom Line: For older women to get pregnant successfully through IVF, only one good egg and one healthy sperm is needed.Read more: Does Age Affect A Woman’s Egg Quality?

drjohnzhang, November 4, 2017. No Comments. Category: Fertility Preservation.

What You Should Know About Ovarian Tissue Freezing

A woman’s ability to reproduce in the future may be compromised for medical reasons. Ovarian tissue freezing is growing in popularity as a fertility preservation method, particularly for women who are about to undergo cancer treatment. There are a number of advantages to this manner of fertility preservation, making it ideal for many women. Ovaries are one of the main reproductive organs in a woman’s body. They are responsible for ovulation and also house all of her eggs. Unlike in men where sperm production is constant, women are born with all of the egg she will ever have. These eggs are stored in the outer layer of the ovaries until they are matured and ovulated.

About Ovarian Tissue Freezing