Monthly Archives: June 2018
How PGS/NGS Technology Can Optimize Your Chances of IVF Pregnancy Success
You can optimize your chances of pregnancy using genetic testing technology in conjunction with IVF. PGS/NGS is the testing of an embryo’s overall chromosomal normalcy prior to being transferred to the patient’s uterus. Specifically, PGS/NGS identifies the most suitable and healthiest embryo to transfer by detecting chromosomal deficiencies – aneuploidy – an extra or missing chromosome.
PGS/NGS Technology Increases Pregnancy Rates By Up To 30 Percent
Universal blastocyst-stage PGS/NGS is recommended because the procedure can help increase the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy by 30 percent.
PGS/NGS in conjunction with IVF is recommended for:
- Women over 37 who are undergoing IVF
- Women who have had two or more unsuccessful IVF cycles
- Women under 35 who have experienced two or more miscarriages – recurrent miscarriage
- Women who are over 35 and have experience one miscarriage
Proven Increase in IVF Pregnancy Rates
State-of-the-art embryo biopsy techniques and genetics technologies have proven to increase IVF pregnancy rates. Through the medical marvel of PGS/NGS in conjunction with IVF, genetic and chromosomal abnormalities can be detected in embryos.
Genetic Testing For Informed Decisions
- Only high quality embryos are transferred to the patient’s uterus
- Only high quality embryos are cryopreserved for Future Embryo Transfer (FET) procedures
PGS/NGS Detects Low Quality Embryos
As a woman advances in age, the chance for chromosomal abnormalities in embryos increases. Low quality embryos result in:
- Low pregnancy success rates
- High miscarriage rates
- High chance for birth defects
PGS/NGS Procedure
PGS/NGS takes place in conjunction with IVF in a controlled laboratory setting. Approximately five (5) days – blastocyst stage – after fertilization of the patient’s eggs in vitro, a single cell is removed from each of the embryos developing.
- A single cell is removed from the embryo by a highly skilled embryologist using a laser and a microscopic glass needle
- The single cell’s genetic makeup is analyzed by the embryologist under a microscope
- A decision is made as to the quality of each of the individual embryos
- Only high quality embryos are used in completion of a fresh IVF cycle
- Only high quality embryos are cryopreserved for future FETs
Benefits of PGS/NGS
The benefits of PGS in conjunction with IVF include:
- Screening out embryos carrying a genetic disease
- Predicting the risk of a genetic disease
- Screening out abnormalities
- Improving birth rates of healthy babies through IVF
- Gender identification and selection
PGS/NGS Technology in Conjunction with IVF
We offer the highest success rates and best overall patient satisfaction through PGS/NGS technology in conjunction with IVF. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang – call 917.525.5496.
IVF Pregnancy Success Rates Are Enhanced With Yoga
Coping under the weight of IVF treatment can be difficult – regardless of your doctor’s recommended protocol. Don’t despair. IVF yoga is a holistic treatment to prepare one’s body for pregnancy and birth. The best part? As a pregnancy enhancement tool, yoga is proven to reduce stress, balance hormones, and revamp one’s whole wellness in body, mind, and spirit.
Yoga Nurtures IVF Treatment
Even if you’ve already started an IVF cycle, you can receive support and nurturing from yoga. There are a myriad of benefits from yoga. It can’t be emphasized enough: Always begin with a moderate yoga regimen – not high intensity exercise – and always get pre-approval from your fertility doctor. Look: Too much high intensity yoga or other exercise has been shown to hinder successful pregnancy outcomes.
You will discover a love for restorative or Yin style yoga practices that will nourish your mind and body while alleviating the stress associated with IVF treatment.
Warning: Avoid practicing high intensity yoga, such as:
- Ashtanga
- Power
- Vinyasa
- Hot Yoga
Yoga is easily adaptable to your lifestyle choices. If you have been practicing high intensity yoga methods – pump your brakes and adapt to a more moderate routine.
Remember: Your body will be working hard to produce healthy eggs and make a baby.
- Soft Yoga Routine
- Medium to Low Intensity
- Nourishing Yoga Routine
Yoga Leading Up To IVF Treatment
In the months leading up to the beginning of your IVF cycle, scale back high intensity yoga practice with a more gentle and less forceful routine.
Avoid:
- All twisting postures
- All inversions
- All postures requiring jumping
- All postures requiring unstable movements
- All intense forward bending
- All intense backward bending
Goals leading up to the beginning of your IVF cycle:
- Reduce the amount you sweat
- Breathe steady and evenly – practice pranayama
- Become in tune with your egg growth and ovulation
Yoga During Your IVF Cycle
Once you have started your IVF cycle, make sure you are practicing a very gentle pregnancy-appropriate yoga.
For self-control, include:
- Meditation
- Visulization
- Soft pranayama
- Mindfulness
To honor the intensity of yoga, maintain a ritual afterward:
- Sip a cup of tea
- Enjoy a healthy juice
- Indulge in some quiet time
Egg Retrieval
On the morning of your surgical egg retrieval, allow time for meditation or pranayama.
Embryo Transfer
Practice meditation or pranayama on the morning of your embryo transfer. Then, refrain from any physical yoga in the days following.
IVF Treatment Protocols for Infertility
At New Hope Fertility Center, every one of our patients is provided with a unique IVF protocol. Our array of IVF protocols are specially designed to provide the highest standard of IVF care at the most optimal times for each patient’s body. We welcome patients representing a primary or secondary infertility challenge, regardless of the potential adverse effect on our stellar IVF pregnancy success rates.
- Conventional IVF – large dosages of fertility medication are administered to produce 10+ egg follicles for fertilization in vitro
- Mini-IVF™ – minimal dosages of fertility medications are administered to produce between 3 and 5 eggs for fertilization in vitro
- Natural Cycle IVF – no fertility medications are administered and one good natural egg is harvested for fertilization in vitro
Yoga and Customized IVF Care
Discover more about how yoga can help increase your chances of pregnancy.
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the experience to design a customized IVF treatment protocol meeting your personal needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
Discover the Best Fertility Treatments for Older Women
Today’s older women – between 38 and 42 – have more fertility treatment options than ever before. Women who are past their reproductive prime used to be automatically placed on the fast-track to IVF. This was typically the most effective treatment option for older women to conceive quickly and cost-effectively. Look: Time is of the essence. Before undergoing IVF, older women can now consider Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy. Bottom Line: As a first line measure, both Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy and IVF can avoid repeated failed infertility treatment cycles.
IVF Treatment for Older Women
A recent study has favored going straight to IVF treatment.
- IVF is the most cost-efficient treatment
- IVF results in fewer treatment cycles
- IVF results in less multiple pregnancies
- IVF results in higher live birth rates
IVF success rates vary in the context of patient and treatment characteristics. Researchers have found that older women were more than twice as likely to become pregnant through IVF within the first two cycles of treatment. The best part? They were twice as likely to have a healthy baby from their IVF pregnancy.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Funded IVF Study
A randomized clinical study by NIH analyzed 154 couples who had been trying to get pregnant for six months before seeking infertility treatment.
The female study criteria included:
- Women between the ages of 38 and 42
- Women having regular menstrual cycles
- Women with at least one functioning ovary
- Women with at least one open Fallopian tube
- Women having an acceptable ovarian reserve
- Women with no reproductive organ disorders
- Women with no history of ectopic pregnancy
The couples were randomly assigned to one of three groups:
- IVF using injectable fertility medications to stimulate egg production
- IUI using oral fertility medication to stimulate egg production
- IUI using injectable fertility medications to stimulate egg production
Within two cycles of treatment, here’s the deal:
- 49 percent of the IVF patients became pregnant and 31 percent gave birth!
- Only 22 percent of IUI patients using oral medication became pregnant
- Only 16 percent of IUI patients using oral medications gave birth
- Only 17 percent of IUI patients using injectable medications became pregnant
- Only 14 percent of IUI patients using injectable medications gave birth
What happened to those patients who failed IUI and went on to IVF treatment?
- 71 percent experienced a clinical pregnancy through IVF treatment
- 46 percent gave birth to a healthy baby through IVF treatment
Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy
All older women – even menopausal women – have egg follicles in their ovaries. These eggs are dormant and don’t grow because their environment for development is not optimal. This occurs when a woman’s rigid ovarian wall pushes on follicles and keeps them dormant. When a woman is unable to ovulated, Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy can coax her ovaries into producing viable eggs for fertilization. At New Hope Fertility Center, fertility specialist – Dr. Zaher Merhi – has achieved phenomenal pregnancy success using Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy.
Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy
Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy may be recommended when:
- A woman’s egg follicles cannot be seen on an ultrasound; or
- A woman’s body is not responding to fertility medications administered during IVF
At New Hope Fertility Center, Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy is performed in a non-invasive manner compared to other techniques currently being used by other clinics.
Here, Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy is similar to an IVF egg retrieval procedure and is performed in office:
- A woman’s ovaries are punctured multiple times transvaginally
- Pressure on egg follicles is relieved from the rigid ovarian wall
- Dormant eggs are revived and freed from follicles
Candidates for Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy
- Women in their advanced maternal years – late 30s and over 40
- Menopausal women
- Peri-menopausal women
- Women who have a low egg reserve and low Anti Mullerian (AMH) hormone levels
- Women suffering from Premature Ovarian Failure (POF)
- Women suffering from primary ovarian failure
- Women with unexplained infertility
- Women having multiple failed IVF treatments due to poor embryo quality
Pregnancy Success for Older Women
We welcome difficult patients – those previously diagnosed by other fertility specialists as hopelessly infertile.
- No age restriction
- No FSH level requirement
- No requirement to produce multiple eggs per cycle
If you want to know if you are a good candidate for Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy before proceeding to IVF treatment, Dr. Zaher Merhi is available to consult with you via Skype, FaceTime or telephone. To schedule your Ovarian Rejuvenation Therapy consultation with Dr. Zaher Merhi at New Hope Fertility Center, click the icon below – or – call 917.525.5496.
How a Multidisciplinary Fertility Team Approach Increases IVF Pregnancy Success Rates
Successfully increasing IVF Pregnancy Success Rates requires fertility care that is all-encompassing. At New Hope Fertility Center, we have comprised a team of World Class Fertility Specialists who are committed to working in tandem so that every patient is provided with tomorrow’s cutting edge IVF treatment – today.
IVF Pregnancy Success
Because every patient’s personal, medical, and financial needs are different, we offer customized IVF treatment.
Our experience designing customized IVF protocols provide a variety of successful treatment protocols for you to choose from. We offer the highest quality care timed precisely around your body’s optimal state of performance. A multidisciplinary fertility team effort provides the most evidence-based practice leading to higher pregnancy success rates.
Patient-Specific IVF Ancillary Procedures
Our multidisciplinary fertility team has substantial experience in the practice of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and OBGYN.
- Genetic Testing
- In Vitro Maturation (IVF/M)
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
- Egg and Embryo Banking
- Egg and Embryo Donor Services
- Fertility Yoga
- Fertility Acupuncture
IVF Yoga
When you are investing significant amounts of time, money, and emotion into an IVF cycle, you want to do everything you can to make it successful. New studies have shown that both online yoga and in-person yoga help to increase the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy by up to 26 percent. This is because yoga is proven to reduce stress and anxiety in IVF patients.
Yoga For Infertiity instructs on a series of poses and postures designed to improve fertility by:
- Increasing blood flow to your reproductive system
- Releasing stress
- Reducing anxiety
- Balancing life energy flow throughout the body
- Helping to reset your endocrine system – aiding hormonal balance
- Supporting a healthy immune system
- Detoxifying the body
- Creating clarity in your mind
IVF Acupuncture
Fertility acupuncture in conjunction with IVF has been proven by studies to increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant by up to 50 percent. New Hope Fertility Center has incorporated an in-house acupuncture service as part of its multidisciplinary fertility treatment approach.
Multidisciplinary Fertility Team Approach
Through a multidisciplinary approach to treatment, there is no cause for concern if you don’t see your fertility doctor every time you attend a routine appointment.
You will receive personalized services from our ultra-talented:
- Medical Assistants
- Ultrasound Technicians
- Embryologists
Members of the fertility team at New Hope Fertility Center are professionals who have earned:
- Doctorates
- PhD’s
- Master’s Degrees
Your primary doctor is always fully informed about your patient progress by the multidisciplinary fertility team.
- Always remember. Just because you don’t see your doctor every time you visit our office for a routine procedure does not mean you are receiving subpar care.
- Please know this. Our multidisciplinary fertility team has been carefully selected and put in place to make sure you receive the best fertility care in the world.
- The best part? Our patients do not rely on doctors in residency to fulfil their dreams of having a baby.
At New Hope Fertility Center, all patient cases are evaluated, reviewed and discussed by and between their multidisciplinary fertility team. The team collectively arrives at and executes the best customized fertility treatment plan based upon every patient’s individualized needs.
Multidisciplinary Fertility Team Benefits
It is important to work with a multidisciplinary fertility care team having a thorough understanding of the root cause of your infertility.
A multidisciplinary team approach to treating your infertility will:
- Offer the highest chances of pregnancy
- Are the most cost-effective
- Produce the best overall patient trust and satisfaction
Dr. John Zhang will design a customized fertility treatment plan to help you have a baby. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang, call 917.525.5496.
How IVF SURE™ Shares Your Financial Risk
Our celebrated IVF SURE™ money-back guarantee program is designed to reduce our patients’ financial stress. IVF SURE™ is principled on outcome-based pricing minimizing the financial risk of IVF. No hidden IVF fees or costs. Our patients pay a fixed fee for three (3) IVF cycles. If a viable pregnancy is not achieve, the patient is refunded the fixed fee.
IVF SURE™ is Financing Through an Outcome-Based Fee Schedule
Patients pay a fixed fee of $25,000 for three (3) fresh cycles of IVF treatment within a nine-month (9 month) period. If a viable pregnancy is not achieve within this 9 month period, patients are refunded the fixed fees. With IVF SURE™, patients typically only incur the cost of fertility medications. The cost of fertility medications for a fresh IVF cycle usually range between $480 – $1,800.
IVF SURE™ Works For You
- Our revolutionary Mini-IVF™ – minimal stimulation protocol – is gentle, yet successful
- World Class Technology is used to improve pregnancy success outcomes
- We closely monitor embryo development in vitro using state-of-the-art technology
- PGS/NGS Technology is used to reduce the risk of miscarriages
- Patients have the ability to select the gender of the embryos transferred
- Quality embryos are cryopreserved for future Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) procedures
Candidates for IVF SURE™
- Women 38-years or younger
- Women having a regular menstrual cycle
- Women suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
IVF SURE™ fixed outcome-based pricing does not include the cost of surgically retrieving sperm and/or ICSI.
Revolutionary Mini-IVF™
Our Mini-IVF™ can increase your chances of pregnancy without the need for large dosages of costly fertility medications used to produce an excessive number of eggs. Here’s the deal: The goal with a Mini-IVF™ protocol is to produce between 3 and 5 quality eggs per fresh cycle. The best part: Pregnancy success rates for Mini-IVF™ are comparable to Conventional IVF.
Because lower dosages of fertility medications are prescribed to only produce 3 to 5 high quality eggs, the patient’s cost per Mini-IVF™ cycle is reduced. With a Mini-IVF™ protocol, the patient’s physical discomfort is lessened because her body is not forced into producing the 10 to 15 eggs reached in a Conventional IVF cycle.
Look: The Mini-IVF™ protocol in a nutshell.
- A fertility medication regimen to produce 3 to 5 quality eggs
- Cycle monitoring through ultrasound imaging and blood tests
- Surgical egg retrieval
- Fertilization of egg and sperm in vitro via (ICSI)
- Culture and monitoring of embryo(s) via EmbryoScope technology
- Grading and selection of quality embryo(s) for fresh transfer and/or future Frozen Embryo Transfer
Candidates for Mini-IVF™
Mini-IVF™ is the best treatment protocol for those women who have been:
- Diagnosed with blocked or damaged Fallopian tubes due to endometriosis
- Diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
- Diagnosed as having a risk of developing Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)
- Diagnosed with a low ovarian reserve due to endometriosis
- Diagnosed with cancer and are about to undergo treatment
Mini-IVF™ has also become the preferred treatment protocol for:
- Those patients who have failed multiple Conventional IVF cycles
- Those patients suffering from male-factor infertility
- Those patients wanting to reduce their costs of treatment
- Those patients wanting to reduce their risk of multiple pregnancy
- Those patients who don’t want to create excessive embryos due to religious reasons
- Those patients who want to reduce their use of injectable medications because of an aversion to needles
- Those patients who want to undergo another fresh IVF cycle immediately after a failed cycle
Customized Mini-IVF™ Fertility Specialist
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the experience required to design a customized Mini-IVF™ treatment protocol meeting your personal needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center, call 917.525.5496.
It’s Men’s Health Awareness Week!
The purpose of Men’s Health Awareness is to increase public awareness of preventable health conditions for men. The movement encourages early detection and treatment. This includes every man’s reproductive health because preventing sterility is an issue that affects families. Organizers have developed and implemented creative awareness activities during the month of June. Click here to discover the numerous Men’s Health Awareness activities planned across the nation.
Men’s Health Awareness Week June 11th through 17th
This movement has developed and implemented creative awareness resources for men utilize in improving their health year-round. A Men’s Health Awareness network coordinates dozens of corporate, government, religious, and fraternal outreach activities across the nation. There are many federal, state, and local government websites providing information about Men’s Health Awareness. Most major broadcast and print media organizations cover stories about men’s health by interviewing experts in the field.
Goals of Men’s Health Awareness
The purpose of this movement is to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of medical conditions prevalent among men.
Male-Factor Infertility
One third (1/3) of infertility cases are attributed to male factor infertility. Men are less apt to openly discuss their infertility or to have a support system in place to help them cope through treatment. This is because men do not think about their fertility until it comes time to have a baby.
Male Infertility Treatment
Proven, successful treatments to overcome male-factor infertility:
How to Increase Your Fertility With Quick Easy Lifestyle Changes
Have you been diligently trying to get pregnant with no luck? Look: All pregnancies begin when egg meets sperm – so they need to be in the same place at the same time. That’s not all. There is more to getting pregnant than simply keeping track of when your ovaries release your egg – ovulation window – and having sex during that time. There are many quick and easy lifestyle changes you can make to increase your chances of conceiving by improving the health of your eggs.
Egg Health and Fertility
There are many factors that have an impact on the health of a woman’s ovaries and eggs. To enhance your natural fertility, consider some additional factors:
- Proper circulation to the reproductive system
- Environment
- Balanced hormones
- Stress
Oxygen Rich Blood Flow
For the good health of your eggs, proper oxygenation to the ovaries is necessary. Lack of oxygen and blood flow to the ovaries can decrease because of:
- Lack of exercise
- Dehydration
Lack of Exercise
Exercise increases blood flow to a woman’s reproductive organs and brings in fresh blood to cells. Bottom line: Exercise helps to oxygenate the blood. New studies have shown that both online yoga and in-person yoga help to increase the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy by up to 26 percent. This is because yoga is proven to reduce stress and anxiety in IVF patients.
Here’s the deal.
Yoga regimens include a series of poses and postures designed to improve fertility by:
- Increasing blood flow to your reproductive system
- Releasing stress
- Reducing anxiety
- Balancing life energy flow throughout the body
- Helping to reset your endocrine system – aiding hormonal balance
- Supporting a healthy immune system
- Detoxifying the body
- Creating clarity in your mind
Six weeks of in-person or online fertility yoga can reduce an IVF patient’s stress and anxiety between 23 and 26 percent. Now, you can experience the benefits of yoga by practicing online at home.
Dehydration
Lack of hydration can cause a woman’s blood to become thick and decrease circulation in her reproductive organs. Drinking plenty of water upon rising from bed in the morning and throughout the day will naturally increase circulation in the body.
Folic Acid Supplement
Begin by enhancing your diet with foods rich in folic acid.
- Leafy green vegetables
- Fresh fruits
- Dried beans, peas, nuts
- Enriched breads, cereals, other whole grain products
- Ask your fertility specialist to prescribe folic acid as a dietary supplement
Reduce Your Alcohol Intake
Studies show that women over 30 who drank seven or more alcoholic beverages a week were twice as likely not to conceive. Cutting out alcohol altogether while you try for a baby is the best plan because, once you conceive, your cravings for a drink will be diminished.
Watch Your Weight and Get Plenty of Sleep
A healthy adult Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9. A 2016 review of studies shows that not getting enough sleep leads women to consume an average of 385 more calories the next day. Too much body weight can make women less fertile.
Avoid Caffeine
Caffeine – in coffee, tea, and soda – can have an adverse effect on female fertility. It’s best to cut caffeine out altogether to boost your fertility level and prepare for a healthy pregnancy.
Eat Healthy Proteins
Eating healthy proteins helps to maintain blood sugar balance. This balance gives your body the even supply of nutrients it needs for producing hormones and supporting a healthy reproductive system.
- Chicken
- Lean red meats
- Soy beans
- Fresh fish, such as salmon, tilapia, cod (no canned tuna because of high mercury levels)
- Eggs
- Beans, legumes, lentils, chickpeas
- Nuts and seeds
What to do if your lifestyle changes don’t work?
It is important to work with a fertility care team having the experience to accurately diagnose the underlying cause of your infertility and design a customized treatment plan meeting your specific medical and personal needs.
- Timed Intercourse with medical assistance
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
- Conventional IVF
- Mini-IVF™
- Natural IVF
To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center, call 917.525.5496.
