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Natural Cycle IVF™ Helps You Get Pregnant With One Good Egg
The successful Natural Cycle IVF™ supports a holistic One Good Egg Policy. Our mission is to perform better than conventional fertility care through new and innovative IVF protocols. Why is this important? Every woman is different based on her unique medical history and fertility assessment. It is quality eggs that matter – not quantity. Bottom Line: It only takes one good egg and one healthy sperm to achieve a successful pregnancy and birth of a healthy baby.
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
Celebrated Natural Cycle IVF™ Specialist
It is important to work with a fertility specialist having the experience required to design a customized Natural Cycle 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
How to Jump Start Male Fertility
Infertility is not just a female problem. Nine percent of men are affected with infertility. Bottom Line: There are several unknown activities hurting a man’s fertility on a daily basis. The Good News: Within about three months, a man’s fertility can be increased through simple lifestyle changes.
Jump Start Male Fertility
There are many activities that adversely affect a man’s sperm quantity and quality.
Taking Testosterone-Containing Supplements
These can actually lower sperm count to zero. In contrast – taking Omega-3 fatty acid supplements can positively impact sperm production and increase morphology.
Smoking
These two habits are double trouble. Smokers have a high rate of sperm DNA damage which limits the chance of normal fertilization. Smokers also have low sperm counts which reduces the likelihood of successful fertilization.
Alcohol
Five alcoholic drinks per week can lower the quality and quantity of a man’s sperm. Also, alcohol interferes with the ability of a man to achieve and maintain an erection.
Stress. This causes many ailments – including male infertility. Stress causes imbalances in key hormones that ultimately decrease sperm production.
Overheating the Penis
The penis is located outside of the body to keep it from being too warm. Long hot baths, hot tubs, saunas, or wearing tight underwear for extended periods of time will impact sperm negatively. Also, radiation from your laptop and cellphone placed on your lap will impair your sperm
Smoking Marijuana
Social drugs like pot are on the rise. This is a major no-no when it comes to a man’s fertility. Wee, edibles, vapes can genetically alter sperm and drop sperm count drastically in heavy users. Stop using pot at least six months before trying to conceive.
Working with Chemicals
Your workplace may be lowering your fertility. Men who work with petrochemicals, pesticides, or other organic solvents/automotive produces tend to have higher rates of sperm impairment and partners with higher rates of miscarriage.
Being Overweight
As men gain weight, their hormonal balance is thrown off. Men with a BMI greater than 30 are three times more likely to have a low sperm count. An exercise plan and healthy diet are recommended as weightloss tools before trying to conceive.
Healthy Diet
For good quality sperm, an increased consumption of greens, veggies, legumes, and healthy fats is recommended. Avoid trans fats and processed foods.
Male Fertility
Even if a man’s sperm count is normal – it may not be optimal for getting a woman pregnant naturally. Men with normal sperm counts can still be contributing to a couple’s infertility.
A man’s sperm quality is critical – even if his sperm count lab results fall within a normal range.
- Morphology
- Motility
- Forward progression
- Semen volume
- Liquefaction time
Plan of Action to Increase Male Fertility
Make an appointment with a fertility specialist for a thorough reproductive examination and preliminary assessment of your male reproductive health. 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. Once the problem is identified, great strides toward a pregnancy can be made through a customized male fertility 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 Dr. Zhang Promotes National Infertility Awareness Week
The last full week of April – the 21st through 29th – is National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) sponsored by the National Infertility Association (RESOLVE). This week of infertility awareness movement is scheduled just before Mother’s Day upcoming in May. This is with the hope of alleviating distress for women who have been unable to get pregnant.
National Infertility Awareness Week
The movement’s objective is to bring awareness to the crisis infertility and support those suffering from the disease. Infertility is indiscriminate. Every race, religion, sexuality, and economic class is impacted by infertility. NIAW’s mission is to educate the public about the impact of infertility on society. The movement’s goal is to remove present day societal barriers created by infertility and reduce the shame suffered by those who are unable to conceive a child.
Infertility Crisis in the U.S.
NIAW’s goal through this awareness movement is to remove present day societal barriers created by infertility. Infertility is a challenge facing American women. Infertility needs more attention and awareness from society, as well as the government.
Insurance and the Infertility Crisis
The movement lets lawmakers know about the infertility crisis and why insurance should cover treatment costs. Insurance coverage for infertility is only available in 15 out of the 50 states in America. This is because many lawmakers erroneously believe that including fertility treatments would raise the cost of insurance for everyone.
Mandating insurance coverage for infertility treatment would actually:
- Reduce cost of IVF
- Encourage customized treatment
- Encourage holistic treatment
- Reduce the high cost of multiple births associated with transferring more than one embryo during an IVF cycle
National Infertility Awareness Week
RESOLVE has set the last week of April aside to provide a time for those suffering from infertility to seek support from their friends and families.
- Raise awareness about infertility
- Encourage grassroots advocacy
- Help couples cope with infertility
- Reduce shame about infertility
Infertility is a misunderstood medical condition – it impacts men and women of all ages.
What can you do to raise awareness about infertility?,/h3>
The NIAW toolkit gives you the resources you will need to acknowledge this movement.
- Launching a fertility blog to share your infertility story – and the story of others
- Throw a local infertility awareness event infertility awareness event in your neighborhood.
- Writing a letter to your congressional representative about your infertility experience and why insurance should cover the cost of treating the disease
- Volunteering with your local RESOLVE chapter
- Share about National Infertility Awareness Week on your Facebook wall
- Tweet about infertility awareness on Twitter
Other Fertility Awareness Movements
Other fertility awareness dates throughout the year.
- Cervical Health Awareness Month: January
- Endometriosis Awareness Month: March
- National Woman’s Health Week: May 8th – 14th
- World Infertility Awareness Month: June
- Men’s Health Month: June
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month: September
- Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: September
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month: October
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day: October 15th
More Helpful Pregnancy Resources
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the expertise to design a customized treatment plan meeting your financial and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
Parenting Magazine Quotes Dr. Zhang About the Benefits of Egg Freezing
The younger your eggs are when trying to conceive, the better chance you will have of getting pregnant. – Dr. John Zhang as quoted in Parenting. If you know that one day you would like to become a mother, but feel that now is just not the time, we recommend freezing your eggs. No longer do women have to be cornered into motherhood by their biological clock. You can put your maternal instinct on hold by taking advantage of egg freezing – also known as oocyte cryopreservation – in conjunction with IVF. Today’s smart women are planning for the future when it comes to her aging eggs.
Egg Freezing Trend
When you are ready for motherhood, it only takes one good egg and a healthy sperm! More and more women are postponing motherhood past their prime childbearing years. You can join the force of women who are growing more confident in their ability to give birth to a biological child in the future – without fear of maternal aging. Read an amazing story in Harper’s Bazaar that features how our Division of Fertility Preservation has played a major role in informing women of their future family planning options.
Aging and the 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 fertilization with sperm in vitro.
- A woman’s ovaries are stimulated by using fertility drugs to produce several egg follicles
- The eggs are surgically retrieved from the woman’s ovaries and sent to the lab for cryopreservation preparation
- The preparation and freezing of the eggs for preservation is performed 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
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.
Future Pregnancy
When she is ready to start building her family, the egg freezing process continues.
- The frozen eggs are thawed and fertilized in vitro by injecting a 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 her uterine lining to achieve pregnancy
Genetic Testing and Gender Selection
Many of our patients opt to have their embryos undergo genetic testing prior to transfer.
- 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.
World Renowned Egg Freezing Expertise
Pregnancy success rates using a woman’s egg that has been cryopreserved are comparable to success rates using a fresh egg. Continually increasing IVF Pregnancy Success Rates requires all-encompassing fertility care.
It is important to work with a fertility specialist having the research and clinical experience required to design a customized egg freezing 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 Explains How Extreme Weather Causes Stress in Pregnant Women
Climate change is a growing concern in the wake of severe storms, floods, and wildfires. These extreme weather conditions may cause pregnant mothers to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. New research has shown that extreme weather worsens depression in pregnant women and leaves them more anxious and distressed.
Pregnant Women and Stress
Pregnant women already suffering from depression are more inclined to pass on trauma from an extreme weather experience to their unborn babies. Studies have shown that climate change presents an exponentially greater danger for children born to mothers suffering from prenatal depression (Infant Mental Health Journal as cited by Popular Science). Prenatal depression increases the risk for infants to suffer distress.
Stress can negatively affect your ability to get pregnant. You must be proactive in combatting the stress brought on by infertility. Become well-informed about how to alleviate your stress. Prepare – Relax – Breathe.
Stress Reducing Tools
Decreasing stress by using proven tools will increase blood flow to reproductive organs – improving fertility.
- Exercise
- Massage
- Meditation
- Yoga for Fertility
- Acupuncture
- Reflexology
- Fertility Counseling
Stress and a Woman’s Fertility
A woman my not ovulate and be prone to skipping periods if she is suffering from a lot of stress and lack of sleep. This makes it difficult to conceive a baby. Stress works at the level of the hypothalamus – the area of the brain controlling a woman’s monthly cycle. Stress can also prevent an embryo from implanting in the uterus.
Stress and a Man’s Fertility
Reducing stress is also an important aspect to promoting a man’s fertility.
- Stress adversely impacts a man’s sexual function
- Stress adversely affects a man’s sperm quality
Identifying and Decreasing Stressors
The amount of stress a woman experiences while undergoing fertility treatment may be determinative of her pregnancy success or failure. Research has shown that high levels of stress adversely affects a woman’s ability to conceive.
Identifying, decreasing, and eventually eliminating key stressors in your life will definitely help to promote fertility.
- Identify stressors
- Modify stressors
- Eliminate stressors
An increase in fertility for many couples can be attributed to:
- Relaxation
- Positivity
- Improved diet
- Overall increase in quality of lifestyle
Coping With Infertility
Studies have shown that women undergoing IVF with high anxiety had fewer eggs retrieved and fewer embryos implanting successfully. Stress has been linked to an egg’s ability to be fertilized and an embryo’s ability to implant in a woman’s uterine lining. Lessening stress levels will help to increased pregnancy success rates.
Other Helpful Stress Management Tools
- Avoid taking on new responsibilities
- Journal your thoughts and concerns
- Get more quality sleep
- Experience intimacy without sex
- Have sex for fun and not just baby making
- Seek help from a therapist or joint a support group
Caring and Compassionate Fertility Doctor
A caring and compassionate fertility doctor will help you to proactively cope with stress before, during and after treatment. Fertility treatment no longer has to be a huge source of stress.
It is important to work with fertility specialist having the experience required to design a customized fertility 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 Promotes National Infertility Awareness Month in April
April 2019 is National Infertility Month (NIAW) sponsored by the National Infertility Association (RESOLVE). This month of infertility awareness is purposely set to occur before Mother’s Day upcoming in May. Infertility Awareness may alleviate some of the distress for women who have been unable to get pregnant.
National Infertility Awareness Month
The movement’s objective is to bring awareness to the crisis infertility and support those suffering from the disease. Infertility is indiscriminate. Every race, religion, sexuality, and economic class is impacted by infertility. NIAW’s mission is to educate the public about the impact of infertility on society. The movement’s goal is to remove present day societal barriers created by infertility and reduce the shame suffered by those who are unable to conceive a child.
Infertility Crisis in the U.S.
NIAW’s goal through this awareness movement is to remove present day societal barriers created by infertility. Infertility is a challenge facing American women. Infertility needs more attention and awareness from society, as well as the government.
Insurance and the Infertility Crisis
The movement lets lawmakers know about the infertility crisis and why insurance should cover treatment costs. Insurance coverage for infertility is only available in 15 out of the 50 states in America. This is because many lawmakers erroneously believe that including fertility treatments would raise the cost of insurance for everyone.
Mandating insurance coverage for infertility treatment would actually:
- Reduce cost of IVF
- Encourage customized treatment
- Encourage holistic treatment
- Reduce the high cost of multiple births associated with transferring more than one embryo during an IVF cycle
National Infertility Awareness Month
RESOLVE has set the last week of April aside to provide a time for those suffering from infertility to seek support from their friends and families.
- Raise awareness about infertility
- Encourage grassroots advocacy
- Help couples cope with infertility
- Reduce shame about infertility
Infertility is a misunderstood medical condition – it impacts men and women of all ages.
What can you do to raise awareness about infertility?
The NIAW toolkit gives you the resources you will need to acknowledge this movement.
- Launching a fertility blog to share your infertility story – and the story of others
- Throw a local infertility awareness event infertility awareness event in your neighborhood.
- Writing a letter to your congressional representative about your infertility experience and why insurance should cover the cost of treating the disease
- Volunteering with your local RESOLVE chapter
- Share about National Infertility Awareness Week on your Facebook wall
- Tweet about infertility awareness on Twitter
Other Fertility Awareness Movements
Other fertility awareness dates throughout the year.
- Cervical Health Awareness Month: January
- Endometriosis Awareness Month: March
- National Woman’s Health Week: May 8th – 14th
- World Infertility Awareness Month: June
- Men’s Health Month: June
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month: September
- Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month: September
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month: October
- Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day: October 15th
More Helpful Pregnancy Resources
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the expertise to design a customized treatment plan meeting your financial and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
Where to Find First Class Mini-IVF™ Technology
Only a fertility doctor using with first class Mini-IVF™ technology provides simple, convenient, and patient-friendly treatment protocols. Why is this important? A woman’s body no longer needs to be forced into producing multiple eggs to achieve a successful IVF pregnancy. Bottom Line: Using a first class Mini-IVF™ protocol reduces the patient’s discomfort and cost per cycle.
First Class Mini-IVF™ Protocol
The Mini-IVF™ protocol prescribes lower dosages of fertility medications so that a woman only produces 3 to 5 high quality eggs. 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 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)
First Class IVF Technology
First Class 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
New IVF Technology Air Filtration
New Hope Fertility Center boasts one of the largest and most powerful laboratory air filtration systems in the world. Having both cooling and purification air filtration systems, our lab facility provides optimal clean air pressure for the performance of intricate IVF technology.
- Outside air is taken into the filtration system
- Air is guided along an insulated path toward a main air handling system
- Air is funneled into an initial triple-filter process to remove the bulk of impurities
- Air is passed to a custom-designed quad-filtration system
- The power of a 737 jet engine is then harnessed to completely purify the air and cool it to an optimal temperature
- Optimally temperate and pure air is released to circulate throughout the entire IVF laboratory
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
First Class IVF Treatment Based on Patient Reviews
Only a first 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 first class IVF clinic by producing high pregnancy success rates. Our reputation as a first 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
First Class IVF Technology
It is important to work with an IVF expert having the cutting-edge technology and expertise to design a customized treatment plan meeting your financial and medical needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
Discover the Benefits of Yoga for Infertility
You can receive support and nurturing from yoga for infertility during your upcoming treatment. 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. There are a myriad of benefits from yoga. Low impact yoga can significantly increase conception success rates in women undergoing IVF treatment. 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.
Yoga for Infertility
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,/h3>
- 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 for Infertility
Once you have started your treatment 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 expertise required to design a customized fertility treatment protocol meeting your personal needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
National Nutrition Month in March 2019
2019’s National Nutrition Month in March is a campaign focusing on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. Discover resources at from eatright.org. Look: Our fertility specialists encourage healthy nutrition year-round for patients who are preparing for pregnancy. Establishing nutritious eating habits prior to getting pregnant will help you achieve and maintain a successful pregnancy. Bottom Line: The birth of a healthy baby!
National Nutrition Month
Created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition Month is movement to increase awareness about the importance of:
· Making informed food choices
· Developing sound eating habits
· Establishing good physical activity routines
Nutrition to Boost Fertility
Your level of fertility is greatly increased with healthy diet and body mass index (BMI). Don’t wait until you are pregnant to get serious about a healthy lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle choices will greatly boost your fertility.
A healthy diet and lifestyle before pregnancy will solidify your habits during pregnancy. It is very important to take advantage of the natural resources and tools available to help enhance the fertility treatment and pregnancy experience.
The DASH Diet
The DASH Diet also earned the Best Diet for Healthy Eating category in the comparison study conducted by US News and World Report. The DASH Diet was developed with the goal of lowering blood pressure. More good news: A 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 recommends:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Low-fat dairy
- Whole grains
DASH is rich in:
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Fiber
- Protein
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
The DASH Diet is:
- Low in Saturated Fats
- Low in Cholesterol
- Low in Refined Grains
- Low in Sweets
Maintain 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. Fertility Diet Tips
Women eating diets high in transfats (trans fatty acids), animal proteins, and carbohydrates are more likely to suffer from an ovulatory disorder. Switch your protein sources by replacing the beef, port, or chicken you eat with vegetable protein sources. Vegetable protein sources include beans and nuts. Making this change can reduce a woman’s risk of ovulatory disorders by more than 50 percent.
Include high-fat dairy in high dosages. Avoid eating low-fat dairy products as these may increase your risk of an ovulatory disorder. Replace at least one low-fat dairy serving of dairy with a high-fat serving. For instance, replace low-fat ice cream with one glass of whole milk.
More Helpful Pregnancy Resources
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the expertise required to design a customized fertility treatment protocol meeting your personal needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
National Endometriosis Awareness Month of March 2019
Infertility is a classic and devastating symptom of endometriosis. National Endometriosis Awareness Month in 2019 is a movement to increase knowledge about this leading cause of female infertility. Every March, a movement for awareness about endometriosis takes place worldwide. The aim of the movement is to increase awareness and highlight the symptoms of this debilitating condition that affects the fertility of an estimated 176 million women worldwide – 1 in 10 women. Endometriosis has a devastating effect on the quality of life of sufferers due to painful symptoms and infertility.
National Endometriosis Awareness Month
- 60 percent of women suffering from endometriosis have no symptoms other than the inability to conceive naturally.
- An estimated 6.5 million women in the U.S. – and 200 million globally – are affected by endometriosis
- The most common symptom of endometriosis is painful periods
- Endometriosis often goes undiagnosed or is misdiagnosed for years because women and teenage girls believe painful periods are normal – this myth must be denounced
Avid Promoter of Endometriosis Awareness
The fertility specialists at New Hope Fertility Center are avid promoters of Endometriosis Awareness, with the specific goals of:
- Promoting a greater awareness and understanding of endometriosis as a real and debilitating disease
- Highlighting the consequences of living with endometriosis for the women suffering from it
- Creating a greater awareness and understanding of endometriosis among the medical profession, employment sector, and society in general
- Seeking a best practice and consistent care and treatment for women suffering from endometriosis
- Providing an opportunity for those whose live have been affected by endometriosis to play a key role in helping make a difference
Endometriosis Awareness
Endometriosis affects a woman’s reproductive and surrounding organs when uterine lining tissue (endometrium) grows outside of the uterus and into other areas of her body.
- Abdominal cavity and pelvis
- Ovaries
- Fallopian tubes and supporting ligaments
This errant tissue is generated by hormones creating endometrial cells. The disease causes adhesions (scar tissue), lesions, and blood-filled cysts. Endometrial cells appearing in abnormal locations cause endometriosis. When these errant endometrial cells grow and then sluff off, there is no escape outlet from the body, and internal bleeding leads to:
- Inflammation
- Pelvic pain
- Formation of scar tissue (adhesions)
Symptoms of Endometriosis
Infertility is a classic and devastating symptom of endometriosis. Other pelvic pain symptoms:
- Pain in the lower abdomen and/or lower back that can radiate to the legs
- Pain before and during periods
- Mid-cycle pain as a woman’s monthly egg ruptures through the ovary (ovulation pain – Mittelschmerz)
- Lengthy and heavily bleeding periods, with or without clots
- Irregular periods with spotting before period begins
- Fatigue and/or depression
Infertility Caused by Endometriosis
Women with endometriosis are three to four times less likely to conceive or maintain a pregnancy. Endometriosis causes infertility in several different ways.
- Anatomical pelvic/tubal adhesions – tubal infertility
- Diminished ovarian reserve – reduced egg supply
- Toxic pelvic peritoneal factors – toxic pelvic environment
- Autoimmune implantation dysfunction – embryo implantation failure
Diagnosing and Treating Endometriosis
The suspicion of endometriosis usually begins based on a woman’s symptoms and is followed up with blood and ultrasound testing to detect ovarian cysts. Laparoscopy is the definitive method of accurately diagnosis endometriosis and determining its severity.
- Endometriosis is usually treated by prescribing anti-hormonal drugs with the purpose of blocking estrogen production and shrinking lesions
- When medications fail, lesions are can be removed through laparoscopic surgery
More Helpful Pregnancy Resources
It is important to work with a fertility doctor having the expertise required to design a customized fertility treatment protocol meeting your personal needs. To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.
