Monthly Archives: January 2019
How Fertility Counseling Increases Pregnancy Success
Being proactive in taking care of your mental health care is key to securing your financial investment in fertility treatment. Action plan: Reach out to a fertility counselor. Dr. John Zhang strongly recommend Professional In-House Fertility Counseling with Allison Rosen Ph.D. That’s not all: The Doctor is dedicated to promoting his patients’ awareness of genetic testing in conjunction with IVF to increase their chances of a successful pregnancy.
Fertility Counseling
Dr. Rosen is an experience clinical psychologist specializing in infertility. She has helped hundreds of couples cope during their struggle to have a baby.
- Experienced Clinical Psychologist
- Researcher
- Author
- Educator
Through individual, couple, and group counseling, the Doctor addresses the many challenges of dealing with infertility including:
- Pregnancy Loss
- Couple Conflict and Coping
- Complex Decisions Involved in Family Building Through Donor Egg or Sperm
- Parenting After Infertility
Education of Dr. Rosen
- A. – University of California – Graduated Summa cum Laude and Honored as most outstanding student in the college of science
- Master’s Degree and Ph.D – Michigan State University
- Certificate of Psychoanalysis – William Alanson White Institute
Dr. Rosen specializes in working with couples who have reach the one-year mark – or beyond – of infertility. After multiple failed attempts to conceive, patients begin to experience serious emotional disturbances.
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Relationship challenges
Reducing Pregnancy Loss through Genetic Testing
Today’s Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) helps to increase the healthy birth rates of babies through genetic testing. This is because only the healthiest embryos are transferred for implantation during a fresh IVF cycle and/or Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). Genetic testing helps to reduce the number of cycles required to achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)
PGS is the testing of an embryo’s overall chromosomal normalcy prior to being transferred to the patient’s uterus in conjunction with IVF. PGS detects chromosomal deficiencies – aneuploidy – an extra or missing chromosome in an embryo.
PGS Increases Pregnancy Success Rates By Up To 30%
PGS dramatically increases a woman’s chance of conception. Only the healthiest embryo(s) are transferred. Embryo biopsy and screening can increase a patient’s chance of a successful pregnancy by up to 30 percent.
Candidates for PGS
Because advanced maternal age (over 35) adversely affects the quality of a woman’s eggs – oocytes – resulting in chromosomal abnormalities, Dr. Zhang recommends PGS in conjunction with IVF to patients his over the age of 35.
- Women having a history of recurrent miscarriages (2 or more)
- Women having failed IVF cycles
- Gender Selection – Family Balancing
PGS Detects Low Quality Embryos
By extracting a cell from an embryo and analyzing it, poor quality embryos are detected. Biopsy of this cell will not damage the embryo.
Low quality embryos result in:
- Low pregnancy success rates
- High miscarriage rates
- High chance for birth defects
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
NGS is a new and improved method of PGS. NGS is the latest genetic screening test for primary candidates undergoing IVF. NGS is used for comprehensive chromosome testing of embryos created through IVF. NGS is on the horizon to replacing PGS because of the procedure’s lower cost and reduced errors.
NGS allows embryologists to screen for defects on the chromosomal level with higher accuracy and more detail than ever before. PGS results are comprehensive and a higher resolution than any other genetic testing method because it detects more translocations.
NGS is also helpful for those couples wanting to plan their family through gender selection.
Customized IVF Treatment
Because every patient’s personal, medical, and financial needs are different, we offer customized IVF treatment.
Our experience designing customized protocols provide a variety of successful IVF treatment protocols for you to choose from. We offer the highest quality care timed precisely around your body’s optimal state of performance.
High Tech IVF Laboratory
Our goal is to maximize every patient’s chances of having a successful pregnancy. At New Hope Fertility Center, we offer the latest:
- IVF technology
- IVF ingenuity
- IVF customization
Our IVF laboratory is comprised of a powerful air filtration system to facilitate the best conditions for success of procedures and research. We have one of the largest and most powerful air filtration systems in the world. This quality air filtration system provides optimal clean air pressure in every laboratory process.
Renowned Fertility Counseling Expertise
To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Allison Rosen at New Hope Fertility Center call 917.525.5496.
Dr. Zhang Promotes Fertility Preservation Awareness in the New Year
It’s the New Year and Dr. Zhang wants to make you aware of your fertility preservation options made possible by our Division of Fertility Preservation. Why does this matter? Freeze now and preserve your fertility for the future! This is the news: Our Founder and Medical Director – Dr. John Zhang – made worldwide news when he traveled to China and operated in tandem with Dr. Sherman Silber to achieve the first successful frozen ovarian tissue transplant. The best part: Because Dr. Zhang once again pushed the boundaries of modern medicine in the field of fertility preservation, the operation was successful and the woman’s fertility was restored. Bottom Line: If you want to postpone parenthood, you must locate a fertility preservation clinic having earned a world renowned reputation as a pioneer in the field of fertility preservation.
Division of Fertility Preservation
Our Division of Fertility Preservation provides all-encompassing cryopreservation technology.
- Egg Freezing – Oocyte Cryopreservation
- Embryo Freezing and the Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) process
- Ovarian Tissue Freezing
- Sperm Freezing
Maternal Aging and a Woman’s Quality of Eggs
The natural aging process has a dramatic effect on the quality of a woman’s eggs. A woman in her prime reproductive years (early 20s and early 30s) has the option of freezing her eggs to preserve her future fertility into her advanced reproductive years (mid-30s and early 40s + Beyond):
- Today’s modern women who are focused on their education and career opportunities
- Women whose circumstances in life are not presently conducive to rearing children
- Women who have not be able to find their life partner
- Women who are facing cancer treatment – chemo or radiation – that could damage the quality of their eggs and/or destroy their ovarian function by sending them into premature menopause
- Women who are undergoing IVF and are likely to produce excessive eggs, but have ethical or religious concerns over freezing embryos
Egg Freezing Process
Egg freezing is accomplished through a fresh IVF cycle, stopping short of egg fertilization in vitro.
- Stimulation of a woman’s ovaries using fertility drugs to produce several egg follicles during one fresh IVF cycle
- Harvesting eggs from the woman’s ovaries through surgical retrieval
- Preparation and freezing of the eggs for preservation through a process known as vitrification
- The rapid-freezing technique of vitrification makes it possible to freeze eggs quickly so that damaging ice crystals do not form between cells
Vitrification – Flash Freezing Method
Dr. John Zhang was one of the first doctors in the United States to implement vitrification as a method of cryopreservation. The Doctor was one of the first doctors in New York to facilitate a live birth using a frozen egg.
Vitrification is a flash-freezing method preventing the formation of ice crystals between the cells forming an egg. Ice crystals can damage an egg’s cells.
Future Pregnancy
When a woman is ready to start building her family at some point in time in the future, the egg freezing process continues.
- Eggs are thawed and fertilized in vitro by injecting a single sperm cell into a single egg – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
- The resulting embryos are cultured in vitro for up to 5 days (blastocyst stage)
- A predetermined number of quality embryos are transferred into the woman’s uterus for implantation into the uterine lining to achieve pregnancy
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.
Embryo Cryopreservation and Future FET Procedures
Embryo cryopreservation is commonly used to preserve a couple’s future fertility through IVF and FET technology. A couple can increase their chances of conceiving a biologically-related child when they are ready to build their family.
- A woman’s ovaries are stimulated with fertility medications to produce multiple egg follicles
- Her eggs are surgically retrieved
- The eggs are fertilized in vitro with sperm (ICSI)
- Resulting embryos are monitored for development in vitro up to 5 days
- High quality embryos are selected and cryopreserved using vitrification method
- When thawed, embryos are transferred to the woman’s uterus
Fertility Preservation Expertise
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the clinical expertise required to design a customized IVF treatment plan meeting your personal and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496
How to Jump Start Your Fertility Diet in the New Year
The New Year is a fresh start for you to improve your fertility by taking better care of yourself. You must give more attention to your overall health if you are planning on undergoing fertility treatment in 2019. This means breaking bad habits and eating better.
- Stop smoking because women who inhale nicotine are more likely to be infertile.
- Recent research suggest vaping harms the lungs and heart. The artificial flavors have a toxic effect on cells.
- Eliminate unhealthy foods in your diet by avoiding processed and fast foods.
- If you are overweight – BMI of 25+ – losing weight will help to increase your fertility.
- Get plenty of sleep to avoid irregular menstrual cycles. A lack of sleep leads to weight gain. Weight gain leads to ovulation problems. You should get at least 8 hours of sleep to increase your fertility.
Improving Your Fertility Diet
A new diet and fertility study has examined the impact of diet on fertility. Positive dietary effects on fertility for women have been linked to the intake of:
- Folic acid
- Vitamin B12
- Omega 3 fatty acids
- Healthy diets – the DASH
Fertility Diet Tips
- Low-sodium canned or frozen veggies
- Herbs and spices instead of salt
- Lemon juice, citrus zest, or hot chilies for extra flavor and no sodium
- Canned fruits packed in juice or water – not syrup
- Non-fat, plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream
- Healthy vegetable oils instead of butter
- Half wheat and half white flour
- Puree sweet potatoes, carrots, or cauliflower and keep in freezer for easy use in soups and casseroles
- Instead of alcohol – infuse cranberries, pomegranate arils, or orange slices into sparkling water
Fertility Diet Importance
- You must be proactive in your quest for pregnancy success
- You must think about what you’re eating
Why is diet important? A healthy diet will increase your chances of conceiving and help to support a healthy pregnancy.
Today, more women in their 30s and 40s are wanting to become first-time moms than their 20-something counterparts. What’s the real story? A Nurses’ Health Study found that women who followed a fertility diet had a 66 percent lower risk of ovulatory dysfunction. The participants in this study followed a recommended fertility diet.
- Plant-based foods
- Protein-rich foods
- Healthy fats
- A bit of full-fat dairy products
Bottom line: Nutrition and optimal fertility go hand-in-hand.
The DASH Diet
A fertility diet – known as the DASH Diet can improve your health, lower your BMI, and reduce your risk of PCOS. The DASH Diet – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – is a low-calorie diet helping to increase fertility in women. Women adhering to the DASH Diet can reduce BMI at a higher rate than those on a typical low-calorie diet.
DASH Diet Recent Study
A recent 12 week study of women on the DASH Diet by Kashan University of Medical Sciences resulted decreased anti-Mullerian hormone. The women studied were suffering from PCOS and high BMI – obesity. The findings of the study show that the DASH Diet improves metabolic profile, BMI in PCOS.
DASH Diet Can Improve Fertility
The DASH Diet emphasizes:
- Portion size
- Eating a variety of foods
- Getting the right amount of nutrients
The DASH Diet contains the same components of a regular low-calorie diet
- 52% to 55% carbohydrates
- 16% to 18% protein
- 30% total fats
In addition, the DASH Diet is rich in:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole Grains
- Low-Fat Dairy Products
The DASH Diet is:
- Low in Saturated Fats
- Low in Cholesterol
- Low in Refined Grains
- Low in Sweets
This low-calorie DASH Diet results in beneficial effects by reducing the harmful effects of the following in women suffering from PCOS and obesity:
- BMI
- Insulin Metabolism
- Free Androgen Index
- Anti-Mullerian Hormone
- Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
- Nitic Oxide
- Malondialdehyde
Nutrition and Fertility
Nutrition plays an essential role in improving the chances of conception and supporting a healthy pregnancy. Diet matters greatly before pregnancy and solidifies healthy eating habits during pregnancy. Make sure you take your vitamin supplements containing folic acid.
A Healthy Body Mass Index (BMI)
A healthy body weight and diet is essential to increasing your chances of becoming pregnant. Strive to achieve and maintain a healthy body mass index (BMI) to keep your reproductive cycle in balance. A BMI of 19 to 24 indicates a healthy weight. Anything above 24 or below 19 may be hindering your chances of ovulation and conception.
Plan of Action to Get Pregnant
Make an appointment with a fertility specialist for a thorough reproductive examination and preliminary assessment of your reproductive health. Why does this matter? Up to 34 percent of infertility cases are due to structural issues with a woman’s reproductive system. At New Hope Fertility Center, both female and male patients undergo a complete fertility assessment to evaluate their reproductive health.
The good news! Flagging any potential medical cause of infertility is the quick and cost-effectively help you get pregnant over the summer. Once the problem is identified, great strides toward a pregnancy can be made through a customized treatment plan.
More Helpful Pregnancy Resources
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the experience to accurately diagnose the underlying cause of your infertility and design a customized treatment plan meeting your specific personal needs.
Customized Protocols
- Timed Intercourse with medical assistance
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
- Conventional IVF
- Mini-IVF™
- Natural Cycle IVF™
- Needle-Free IVF
To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center, call 917.525.5496.
How to Make Good Quality Eggs Using the Mini-IVF™
This holistic IVF protocol is gentle on a woman’s body because patients follow a low-dose oral drug regimen during a fresh cycle – instead of the typical rigorous administration of daily hormone shots. As reported by ABC News, the Mini-IVF™ is a newer and gentler IVF protocol. What’s the real story? As an alternative to Conventional IVF, the Mini-IVF™ has been successfully practiced for over a decade by our fertility specialists. The best part: As explained by Dr. John Zhang – Medical Director and CEO of New Hope Fertility Center – to ABC News, You only need one good-quality egg to achieve a live birth. With Mini-IVF™, you make very few eggs, but good quality eggs to achieve a pregnancy.
Benefits of Mini-IVF™
Many women who have failed Conventional IVF have achieved a successful pregnancy after undergoing a Mini-IVF™ – ABC News. That’s not all. Because less medication is used during a Mini-IVF™, most women do not have an intolerable experience of unpleasant symptoms – such as extreme swelling/bloating, night sweats, and weight gain.
- It’s very similar to IVF but you’re not stimulating the ovaries too much with high doses of medication. – Dr. Zaher Merhi, Director of Research and Development in IVF Technologies at New Hope Fertility Center – Fox News
- There is this feeling that high doses of shots can be detrimental to the quality of eggs. – Merhi Fox News
The Mini-IVF™ is an option for women who may respond better to lower doses of fertility medication. This holistic protocol may help women produce higher quality eggs for successful fertilization. Pregnancy success rates for Mini-IVF™ are comparable to Conventional IVF without the high cost of large doses of fertility medications.
Mini-IVF™ Protocol
Although medication regimens vary based on the patient’s medical needs, this gentle IVF protocol includes:
- One Clomid pill consumed daily
- No more than one to three injections of Menopur
- A simple nasal spray of Synarel 36 hours prior to egg retrieval instead of repeated progesterone shots
The Mini-IVF™ protocol prescribes lower dosages of fertility medications so that a woman only produces 3 to 5 high quality eggs. With Mini-IVF™ protocol, the patient’s physical discomfort is lessened because her body is not forced into producing the 10 to 15 eggs typically reached in a Conventional IVF cycle.
- 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 (FET)
- Single Embryo Transfer (SET)
Mini-IVF™ Cost
Because less fertility medications are used, the Mini-IVF™ is more affordable than Conventional IVF. Contact New Hope Fertility Center for most current pricing on our fee for the Mini-IVF™ procedure. Our quoted fee will not include the cost of fertility medications, which can range up to $1,500.
Mini-IVF™ Study
A study conducted by New Hope Fertility Center – published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found the live birth rate for Mini-IVF™ was 49 percent.
World Class IVF Technology
State-of-the-Art IVF Technology, ingenuity, and standards set New Hope Fertility Center apart from all other fertility 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.
Through our new IVF technology, ingenuity, and high standards of care, every patient receives superior IVF treatment.
- Cutting-Edge IVF Laboratory
- Powerful Air Filtration System
- Controlled and Uncontaminated Environment
That’s not the best part. Our 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
Pregnancy Success Rates
Yearly ART data on IVF success rates is a rich source of information for potential IVF patients. This data gives patients an idea of their average chances of pregnancy success through IVF. At New Hope Fertility Center, IVF success rates vary in the context of patient and treatment characteristics:
- Age
- Infertility diagnosis
- History of previous pregnancies
- History of previous miscarriages
- Number of failed IVF cycles – fresh and frozen embryo transfers
- Number of embryos transferred in a single cycle
- Type of IVF procedure – Conventional IVF, Mini-IVF™ or Natural Cycle IVF™
- IVF ancillary procedures used – ICSI, Assisted Hatching, In Vitro Maturation
- Genetic testing to select only quality embryos for transfer – PGD, PGS/NGS
- Gender Selection
World Class Mini-IVF™ Treatment Based on Patient Reviews
Only a world class IVF clinic will accumulate and post online the unlimited patient success stories from their patients. At New Hope Fertility Center, we strive to maintain our position as a world class IVF clinic by producing high pregnancy success rates. Our reputation as a world class IVF clinic, has earned us the status of being a renowned leader in IVF globally.
- High IVF pregnancy success rates
- Holistic IVF protocols
- Customized IVF treatment plans
- Reduced dosages of fertility medications
- Reduced patient physical stress
- Reduced patient emotional stress
- Reduced patient financial stress
At New Hope Fertility Center, 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
- No sexual orientation discrimination
World Class Mini-IVF™ Expertise
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the clinical expertise required to design a customized IVF treatment plan meeting your personal and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
How to Make One Good Egg Using Our New Natural Cycle IVF™
It only takes one good egg and one healthy sperm to achieve a successful pregnancy and birth of a healthy baby. The success of our holistic Natural Cycle IVF™ supports our steadfast One Good Egg Policy. Here’s the deal: Our mission is to reduce frustrations associated with conventional fertility care through new and innovative IVF protocols. Every woman is different based on her unique medical history and fertility assessment. Bottom Line: It is quality eggs that matter – not quantity.
Mission Statement for Natural Cycle IVF™
We don’t refuse patients because a woman has been diagnosed as a difficult case.
- No refusals based on a woman’s advanced maternal age
- No refusals based on low FSH levels
- No refusals based on the number of potential eggs (follicles) a woman can produce per fresh cycle
- No refusals because a woman does not respond well to fertility medication
One Good Egg Policy
By treating each of our patients as individuals, we are able to create treatment plans customized for their specific needs. This often entails reducing the amount of fertility medication used to increase egg quantity.
Our Natural Cycle IVF™ is a holistic, personalized treatment plan allowing for a high chance of pregnancy success without requiring the patient to undergo a harsh regimen of fertility medication administration.
How the Natural Cycle IVF™ Works
A woman’s body may need only a little coaxing to achieve a pregnancy with her one egg produced during a monthly menstrual cycle. A woman’s natural egg is the very best she can produce – without the need for numerous, costly, painful, self-administered fertility medication injections.
- As a woman’s natural cycle begins, the doctor will monitor the growth of her one good egg through pelvic ultrasound imaging and blood tests
- Once her natural egg has reached a prime stage of development, an ovulation trigger medication – hCG – will be self-administered by the patient at a designated time
- On a scheduled date, her egg will be surgically retrieved in an outpatient procedure while the patient is under general anesthesia
- After surgical retrieval, the egg will be fertilized in vitro through a procedure known as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
- ICSI is an ancillary IVF procedure in which one quality sperm is injected directly into the woman’s natural egg
- The resulting embryo cultures in vitro to a high quality stage of development – up to 5 days
- The high quality embryo is then transferred to the woman’s uterus via a thin catheter – similar to a Pap smear procedure
- A pregnancy test is scheduled in approximately two weeks
Pregnancy Success Rates Using Natural Cycle IVF™
Even though fertility medications are not prescribed, the pregnancy success rates for our Natural Cycle IVF™ rivals those of Conventional IVF and Mini IVF™. The personal attention provided by our fertility support team provides every patient with the medication and technology needed to conceive.
What’s the real story?
- No high cost, physically-challenging powerful fertility medications
- A woman produces her one natural egg
- Lowers health risks associated with Conventional IVF
- Avoids the high cost associated with large dosages of fertility drugs
- Helps women avoid the discomfort and side effects of daily fertility drug injections
- Eliminates the potential of a multiple pregnancy
- Resolves ethical and religious dilemmas for patients opposed to producing excess embryos
Prime Candidates for Natural IVF™
Women who will most benefit from a Natural Cycle IVF™ protocol are those:
- Women over 35 who have a regular menstrual period and are able to ovulate
- Women over 35 with elevated FSH levels
- Women over 35 with a poor ovarian reserve
- Women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
- Women who are at risk for Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) due to high dosages of fertility medications
- Women who want to avoid costly and painful fertility medication injections
- Women who are unresponsive to fertility medications
- Women who have been unable to produce multiple eggs during a Conventional IVF or Mini-IVF™ cycle
- Women over 35 with elevated FSH levels and poor ovarian reserve
- Women who do not want to produce multiple embryos for ethical or religious reasons
Customized Natural Cycle IVF™ Expertise
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the clinical expertise required to design a customized IVF treatment plan meeting your personal and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
How Yoga Gives Support and Nurturing During IVF
When you’re investing significant amounts of time, money, and emotion into an IVF cycle, you want to do everything you can to make it successful. There are a myriad of benefits from yoga before – during – after IVF. 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 specialist. Look: Too much high-intensity yoga or other exercise has been shown to hinder successful IVF pregnancy outcomes. But, low-impact yoga can significantly increase conception success rates in women undergoing IVF treatment. Even if you’ve already started an IVF cycle, you can receive support and nurturing from yoga.
IVF Soft Yoga
Whether there is a clear medical reason – or when infertility is unexplained – life under the weight of IVF treatment can be an extreme struggle. Don’t despair. During IVF treatment, yoga is a magnificent and holistic way 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.
Benefits of IVF Yoga
Yoga during an IVF cycle combines mindful meditation with physical movement. Physical activity prepares the body for undergoing the challenges of an IVF cycle. Yoga prepares the body for pregnancy.
- Reduces stress
- Balances hormones
- Balances body, mind, spirit
- Reduces BMI
Yoga in conjunction with IVF will:
- Elicit a relaxation response in your body to reduce chronic stress
- Counteract harmful stress hormones
- Direct blood flow
Creative yoga sequences are specifically designed to:
- Center attention on breathing
- Center attention on relaxing the mind and body
Customized IVF Treatment
Because every patient’s personal, medical, and financial needs are different, we offer customized IVF treatment.
We offer the highest quality care timed precisely around your body’s optimal state of performance.
Candidates for IVF
- Women with extremely damaged Fallopian tubes
- Couples suffering from male-factor infertility
- Couples suffering from idiopathic – unexplained – infertility
- Women suffering from recurrent pregnancy loss – more than two miscarriages
- LGBTQ couples using donor eggs and/or sperm
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 difficult cases, regardless of the potential adverse effect on our IVF pregnancy success rates.
Supportive and Nurturing Yoga
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
- Visualization
- 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.
Yoga and Customized IVF Care
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the clinical experience required to design a customized IVF treatment plan meeting your personal and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
Dr. Zhang’s Forward Look to LGBTQ Fertility Treatment in the New Year
Since 2004, Dr. John Zhang and his team of fertility care specialists at New Hope Fertility Center in NYC have provided state-of-the-art fertility procedures to LGBTQ patients. The Doctor’s goal is to reduce the physical, emotional and financial toll of every LGBTQ patient wanting to have a baby.
LGBTQ Fertility Treatment Mission Statement
Every person has the right to have a family of their own.
- No sexual orientation judgments
- No gender or transgender bias
- No personal or religious judgments
- No judgments toward interracial couples
- No judgments about marital status
Fertility Treatment Options for Female Couples
- IUI – Intrauterine Insemination (artificial insemination) using donor sperm
- IVF – In Vitro Fertilization using eggs from one partner and donor sperm
Fertility Treatment Options for Male Couples
Gestational Surrogacy – selecting and using donor eggs fertilized in vitro with the sperm from one of the partners
Gestational surrogacy can be used to achieve a pregnancy through IVF using:
- Donor Eggs
- Intended father’s sperm
Egg Donor Recipients – selecting and using donor eggs to accomplish gestational surrogacy
Donor Eggs and Sperm
Regardless of the gender combination of LGBTQ couples – or singles wanting to be a solo parent – the process of selecting donor eggs or donor sperm has been substantially streamlined for our patients’ ease.
We offer world class – yet affordable – support packages for the selection of donor eggs and donor sperm. Our donor program is extremely successful because we use the most cutting-edge cryopreservation and IVF technologies.
Cutting-Edge IVF Protocols
State-of-the-Art Fertility Treatment
You can realize your dream of building a family through our state-of-the-art reproductive technologies.
IUI Procedure
The most common fertility treatment for lesbian couples is IUI. Timed with induced ovulation, the patient is artificially inseminated with a highly concentrated amount of motile donor sperm. The IUI procedure is performed in the doctor’s office and requires no anesthesia.
- The patient’s monthly cycle is regulated using oral medication
- An oral fertility medication – typically Clomid or Femara – is then self-administered by the patient to stimulate multiple egg follicle production
- The growth of egg follicles are monitored through regular vaginal ultrasound imaging and blood tests
- Once the egg follicles have reached a mature stage, ovulation is induced using an injectable trigger medication – hCG – human chorionic gonadotropin
- The ovulation of multiple eggs, timed with sperm insemination, increases the patient’s chances of pregnancy
- A highly concentrated amount of motile donor sperm is inserted into the cervix using a very thin catheter – similar to a pap smear procedure
- The patient is instructed to self-administer progesterone to thicken her uterine lining in preparation for embryo implantation between the IUI procedure and the pregnancy test
- A pregnancy test is scheduled
Two IUI inseminations are performed between 12 and 36 hours after hCG administration to increase the patient’s chances of pregnancy.
IVF Procedure
One partner’s eggs are harvested for in vitro fertilization using donor sperm. The other partner carries the pregnancy.
- The partners’ cycles are regulated to coincide with one another
- The partner producing the eggs self-administers fertility medications to stimulate multiple egg production
- The growth and development of egg follicles are regularly monitored with pelvic ultrasounds and blood level hormone measurements
- Once the egg follicles have matured, the patient self-administers an ovulation inducing medication – hCG
- The eggs are surgically retrieved using a transvaginal ultrasound-guided aspiration tool
- The eggs are fertilized in vitro with donor sperm using The ovulation of multiple eggs, timed with insemination, increases the patient’s chances of pregnancy ICSI – a single sperm is injected directly into one egg
- All resulting embryos will culture in a controlled laboratory setting until they reach an optimum stage of development – up to 5 days
- A high quality embryo is transferred to the carrier partner’s uterus via an insemination catheter – similar to a Pap smear procedure
- The carrier partner is instructed to self-administer progesterone to thicken her uterine lining in preparation for embryo implantation between transfer and the pregnancy test
- A pregnancy test is scheduled
Gestational Surrogacy Using Donor Eggs
Gestational Surrogacy – Using donor eggs to be fertilized with the sperm from one of the partners. The resulting embryo is transferred to a surrogate who will carry the baby.
Egg Donor Recipient Program – Acquiring donor eggs to accomplish gestational surrogacy.
Gestational surrogacy may be used to achieve a pregnancy and birth using a surrogate mother.
- Donor eggs
- Intended father’s sperm
A surrogate match is selected by the Intended Parents through a leading agency specializing in gestational surrogacy – New Beginnings Surrogacy
- Once the perfect surrogate match has been located, the surrogate’s cycle is regulated in preparation for embryo transfer timing
- In sync with the surrogate’s cycle, the donor eggs are thawed and fertilized with the intended father’s sperm using ICSI
- ICSI is a procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into the donor’s eggs in a controlled laboratory environment
- Once fertilization is achieved, the resulting embryos are monitored regularly for growth and development quality – up to 5 days
- A quality embryo is transferred to the surrogate’s uterus
- Excess quality embryos can be cryopreserved for future Frozen Embryo Transfers (FET) procedures
Fertility Doctor Serving the LGBTQ Community in the New Year
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the clinical experience required to design a customized IVF treatment plan meeting your personal and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
How Needle-Free IVF Works Without Shots and Blood Draws
You no longer have to undergo painful shots and inconvenient blood draws to achieve a healthy pregnancy through IVF. What’s new in fertility treatment? Our team of fertility specialists made news in the NY Post with the launching of Needle-Free IVF – a holistic method of treatment which promises pregnancy success without shots and blood draws. Why is this news? Our Needle-Free IVF protocol was researched and developed in response to our patients’ feedback concerning the daunting cost, pain, and inconvenience of Conventional IVF.
New Needle-Free IVF
Gone are the days of costly fertility medications, inconvenient daily blood draws, and painful injections.
- No shots – Injectable drugs are replaced with oral fertility medications to stimulate the production of multiple egg follicles
- No blood draws – Hormone tests are conducted via urine and saliva sample to monitor egg follicle development
- No hCG injection – A nasal spray triggers ovulation in preparation for egg retrieval
Women who are afraid of needles are particularly happy to hear about the new technique – (NY Post). They are very, very excited – they’re happy that there are no shots.
Holistic Approaches to IVF
Our research and clinical experience has proven that high dosages of fertility drugs may be associated with poor egg quality – making it more difficult to achieve a healthy pregnancy through Conventional IVF. As part of our commitment to increasing our patients’ chances of conceiving, we have established a focus on holistic IVF protocols – Mini-IVF™ and Natural Cycle IVF™. These holistic protocols give our patients the opportunity to achieve a pregnancy through IVF for less money and with little aggravation.
Candidates for Needle-Free IVF
This gentle and effective IVF protocol is designed to be patient-friendly to patients who have unique needs.
- Have a fear of needles
- Have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
- Have difficulty self-administering medication via injection
- Experience discomfort or bruising due to injections
- Have problems submitting to blood draws because of difficult veins
- Have a high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)
- Want a more natural and holistic fertility treatment option
Needle-Free IVF Fertility Medications
Depending on the woman’s medical needs, an oral fertility medication – typically Clomid and/or Letrozole– are prescribed to gently stimulate her ovaries into producing multiple eggs. Synarel is administered nasally for 3 days at the beginning of the cycle and then again 36 hours prior to surgical egg retrieval to trigger ovulation.
- Clomid and/or Femara to stimulate egg production
- Synarel to trigger ovulation
- Oral progesterone tablets
- Vaginal progesterone suppositories
One Good Egg Policy
Customized IVF care is the best. Remember: It only takes one good egg and one healthy sperm to make a baby. Our focus is to help you produce good quality eggs during a fresh IVF cycle – not a high quantity of eggs using large doses of injectable fertility medications. This policy is perfectly suited for our new Needle-Free IVF protocol.
Difficult Patients Welcome
Women diagnosed as difficult or hopelessly infertile by other fertility clinics are welcomed at New Hope Fertility Center. The best part? Because of our One Good Egg Policy, we happily accept candidates for IVF that other fertility clinics decline to treat and have proven success where others failed to even try.
Egg Collection Results and Success Rates
Our Needle-Free IVF protocol has resulted in comparable egg collection results as that of the Conventional IVF protocol. We are – on average – able to retrieve at least 10 eggs from patients who have undergone our Needle-Free IVF protocol. These results are reassuringly comparable with other IVF protocols in terms of number of eggs collected and pregnancy success rates.
Needle-Free IVF and Gender Selection
Many of our patients opt to have their embryos undergo genetic testing during their Needle-Free IVF cycle.
- PGD Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
- PGS/NGS Preimplantation Genetic Screening and Next Generation Sequencing
- Gender Selection
Resulting embryos are cultured to a blastocyst stage (5 days) and then are re-evaluated by our embryologists to ensure good health. PGS/NGS identifies chromosomal abnormalities and identifies the gender of each embryo.
High Tech IVF Laboratory
Our goal is to maximize every patient’s chances of having a successful pregnancy. At New Hope Fertility Center, we offer the latest:
- IVF technology
- IVF ingenuity
- IVF customization
Our IVF laboratory is comprised of a powerful air filtration system to facilitate the best conditions for success of procedures and research. We have one of the largest and most powerful air filtration systems in the world. This quality air filtration system provides optimal clean air pressure in every laboratory process.
Needle-Free IVF Consultation
It is important to work with a fertility specialist having the research and clinical experience required to design a customized IVF treatment plan meeting your personal medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation about Needle-Free IVF with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
The Importance of Precision IVF Fertility Medication Administration
To increase your chance of a successful IVF cycle, your fertility doctor must have a proven history of precision fertility medication administration. Look: Timing is of the essence when it comes to the administration of fertility medications during every infertility treatment cycle – especially IVF. Bottom Line: Your fertility doctor must have the specialization to know when your fertility medication regimens must be adjusted for an optimum outcome.
- Increased – or –
- Decreased – or –
- Stopped
Fertility Medications and the Mini-IVF™
As reported by ABC News, the Mini-IVF™ is a newer and gentler IVF protocol. What’s the real story? As an alternative to Conventional IVF, the Mini-IVF™ has been successfully practiced for over a decade by our fertility specialists. As explained by Dr. John Zhang – Medical Director and CEO of New Hope Fertility Center – to ABC News, You only need one good-quality egg to achieve a live birth. With Mini-IVF™, you make very few eggs, but good quality eggs to achieve a pregnancy. The best part: This holistic IVF protocol is gentle on a woman’s body because patients follow a low-dose oral drug regimen during a fresh cycle – instead of the typical rigorous administration of daily hormone shots.
Mini-IVF™ Protocol
Although medication regimens vary based on the patient’s medical needs, this gentle IVF protocol includes:
- One Clomid pill consumed daily
- No more than one to three injections of Menopur
- A simple nasal spray of Synarel 36 hours prior to egg retrieval instead of repeated progesterone shots
The Mini-IVF™ protocol prescribes lower dosages of fertility medications so that a woman only produces 3 to 5 high quality eggs. With Mini-IVF™ protocol, the patient’s physical discomfort is lessened because her body is not forced into producing the 10 to 15 eggs typically reached in a Conventional IVF cycle.
- 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 (FET)
- Single Embryo Transfer (SET)
Clomid (Clomiphene Citrate) vs. Femara (Letrozole)
The fertility drug clomiphene citrate – brand named Clomid – is an oral medication used to stimulate a woman’s monthly egg production and increase her chances of pregnancy. Ovulation of multiple eggs is timed with the insemination of a concentrated amount of sperm into the uterus via a woman’s cervix – similar to a Pap smear.
A 2015 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine tested and compared two common fertility drugs stimulating multiple egg production – Clomid v. Femara. Clomid achieved a birth rate of 23 percent, while Femara (generic Letrozole – an aromatase inhibitor) only 18 percent. The study found that Letrozole offered no advantages over Clomid treatment and increased the chance of multiple pregnancy by up to four times. The researchers concluded that Clomid is the most effective medication for stimulating ovaries and increasing the chances of a healthy pregnancy for couples with unexplained infertility.
Benefits of Mini-IVF™
Many women who have failed Conventional IVF have achieved a successful pregnancy after undergoing a Mini-IVF™ – ABC News. That’s not all. Because less medication is used during a Mini-IVF™, most women do not have an intolerable experience of unpleasant symptoms – such as extreme swelling/bloating, night sweats, and weight gain.
The Mini-IVF™ is an option for women who may respond better to lower doses of fertility medication. This holistic protocol may help women produce higher quality eggs for successful fertilization. Pregnancy success rates for Mini-IVF™ are comparable to Conventional IVF without the high cost of large doses of fertility medications.
The Mini-IVF™ is an option for women who may respond better to lower doses of fertility medication. This protocol may help women produce higher quality eggs for in vitro fertilization. Pregnancy success rates for Mini-IVF™ are comparable to Conventional IVF without the high cost.
Strategic Administration of Fertility Medications
Your fertility doctor must have the education, training, and clinical experience to precisely determine how a fertility medication protocol must be administered for success. As a patient who is committed to investing your time and resources into getting pregnant, you must become well-informed about fertility medications. It can’t be emphasized enough. Every fertility drug is specifically designed for strategic administration during a woman’s IVF cycle. These medications are a very important component of the IVF cycle process and are determinative of pregnancy success.
That’s not all. My standard of care encompasses the detailed explanation of the important role of fertility medications:
- Prepare the patient’s body for treatment
- Control the patient’s natural ovulation function
Customized Fertility Care
It is important to work with a fertility doctor who has the experience to accurately prescribe and regulate fertility medications – regardless of the recommended treatment.
- Timed Intercourse with medical assistance
- Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
- Conventional IVF
- Mini-IVF™
- Natural Cycle IVF™
- Needle-Free IVF
Proven Fertility Medication Administration Expertise
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the experience required to design a customized IVF treatment plan meeting your personal needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
Dr. Zhang Recommends Fertility Counseling in the New Year
Being proactive with your mental health care in the New Year is key to making sure you are doing everything you can do to become pregnant. Look: The New Year offers new hope for those who have been struggling with infertility. Resolution: Reflect and reach out for an expert in fertility counseling. Dr. John Zhang strongly recommends Professional In-House Fertility Counseling with Allison Rosen Ph.D. That’s not all: The Doctor is dedicated to promoting his patients’ awareness of genetic testing in conjunction with IVF to increase their chances of a successful pregnancy.
Fertility Counseling
Introducing: In-House Fertility Clinical Psychologist, Allison Rosen, PhD. As an experience clinical psychologist specializing in infertility, Dr. Allison Rosen has helped hundreds of couples cope during their struggle to have a baby.
- Experienced Clinical Psychologist
- Researcher
- Author
- Educator
Through individual, couple, and group counseling, the Doctor addresses the many challenges of dealing with infertility including:
- Pregnancy Loss
- Couple Conflict and Coping
- Complex Decisions Involved in Family Building Through Donor Egg or Sperm
- Parenting After Infertility
Education of Dr. Rosen
- A. – University of California – Graduated Summa cum Laude and Honored as most outstanding student in the college of science
- Master’s Degree and Ph.D – Michigan State University
- Certificate of Psychoanalysis – William Alanson White Institute
Reducing Pregnancy Loss through Genetic Testing
Today’s Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) helps to increase the healthy birth rates of babies through genetic testing. This is because only the healthiest embryos are transferred for implantation during a fresh IVF cycle and/or Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). Genetic testing helps to reduce the number of cycles required to achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)
PGS is the testing of an embryo’s overall chromosomal normalcy prior to being transferred to the patient’s uterus in conjunction with IVF. PGS detects chromosomal deficiencies – aneuploidy – an extra or missing chromosome in an embryo.
PGS Increases Pregnancy Success Rates Up To 30%
PGS dramatically increases a woman’s chance of conception. Only the healthiest embryo(s) are transferred. Embryo biopsy and screening can increase a patient’s chance of a successful pregnancy by up to 30 percent.
Candidates for Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)
Because advanced maternal age (over 35) adversely affects the quality of a woman’s eggs – oocytes – resulting in chromosomal abnormalities, Dr. Zhang recommends PGS in conjunction with IVF to patients his over the age of 35.
Other Candidates for PGS
- Women having a history of recurrent miscarriages (2 or more)
- Women having failed IVF cycles
- Gender Selection – Family Balancing
PGS Detects Low Quality Embryos
By extracting a cell from an embryo and analyzing it, poor quality embryos are detected. Biopsy of this cell will not damage the embryo.
Low quality embryos result in:
- Low pregnancy success rates
- High miscarriage rates
- High chance for birth defects
Next Generation Sequencing (NGS)
NGS is a new and improved method of PGS. NGS is the latest genetic screening test for primary candidates undergoing IVF. NGS is used for comprehensive chromosome testing of embryos created through IVF. NGS is on the horizon to replacing PGS because of the procedure’s lower cost and reduced errors.
NGS allows embryologists to screen for defects on the chromosomal level with higher accuracy and more detail than ever before. PGS results are comprehensive and a higher resolution than any other genetic testing method because it detects more translocations.
NGS is also helpful for those couples wanting to plan their family through gender selection.
World Renowned Fertility Doctor Recommending Fertility Counseling
Dr. Zhang would like to introduce you to an expert fertility counselor in the New Year if you are struggling to get pregnant. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. Zhang and Dr. Allison Rosen at New Hope Fertility Center call 917.525.5496.
