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Why Infertility is Becoming a Crisis for American Women
The U.S. is in the midst of a prominent decline in child birth rates. Look: Ten years ago, the typical American woman had about 2.1 children. Today, she has about 1.77 – a decline in fertility being felt across the country. Bottom Line: Infertility is a challenge facing American women that needs more attention and awareness from society as well as the government. While infertility is rampant in the U.S., there’s still no government support to fund costly fertility treatments – such as IVF – opines Dr. John Zhang in a recent Fortune Magazine article addressing the crisis.
Dr. John Zhang on America’s Infertility Crisis
Ninety percent of couples who need IVF give up because it is costly and they don’t have an insurance company who covers the treatment, says Dr. Zhang. IVF treatments cost an average of $12,000 with the added expense of fertility medications ranging between $3,000 and $5,000.
According to Dr. Zhang, the U.S. Government still considers IVF to be an experimental procedure, even though millions of babies have been born using this phenomenal Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). All research and clinical trials have been privately funded since the first IVF baby was born in the U.S. in 1981.
Dr. Zhang on Fertility Preservation for American Women
Dr. Zhang promotes awareness of female fertility preservation beyond just a funding perspective. The Doctor envisions a future where all American women take proactive steps to preserve their fertility. Ladies ages 25 to 35 should freeze their eggs if they don’t have plans to have a family in the next five to ten years, opines Dr. Zhang.
Fertility Preservation Leaders
Over one million babies have been born using Cutting-Edge ART fertility treatments in the U.S. As of 2015, approximately 68,000 babies were born using IVF or other ART fertility treatments – an overall success rate of 32 percent.
At New Hope Fertility Center, we provide all-encompassing cryopreservation techniques for protecting the fertility of both women and men.
- Egg Freezing (oocyte cryopreservation)
- Embryo freezing and future Frozen Embryo Transfer procedures
- Ovarian Tissue Freezing
Read more: Why Infertility is Becoming a Crisis for American Women
Why Gender Selection is a Trending Benefit of IVF
Today’s couples undergoing IVF treatment have the benefit of choosing the sex of their baby through PGS/NGS technology in order to plan their future family. Look: Gender selection is no longer being stigmatized as a social engineering tool used to make designer babies. There is a trending increase in demand for gender selection because our innovative IVF and genetic testing technology is more than 99% accurate. The best part? Gender identification and selection can help you to choose the sex of your baby for family balancing purposes.
Gender Identification and Selection Technology
Gender selection is a beneficial by-product of genetic testing. The good news: Through genetic testing, the sex of each embryo is identifiable. PGS and NGS technology works to identify embryos with chromosomal abnormalities while they culture in vitro (in the lab). Why is this important? PGS/NGS is the testing of an embryo’s overall chromosomal normalcy prior to being transferred to the patient’s uterus. Chromosomal abnormalities make an embryo too week to thrive into a fetus if it manages to implant into a woman’s uterine lining.
The Make-Up of an Embryo’s Gender
The chromosomes of a sperm determine an embryo’s gender.
- A man’s sperm can carry either the X or Y chromosome
- A woman’s egg only contributes the X chromosome to the fertilized embryo
- An embryo with XY makeup is male
- An embryo with XX makeup is female
PGS Increases Pregnancy Rates By Up To 30 Percent
We recommend universal blastocyst embryo screening for our patients because the procedure can help increase the chances of a pregnancy by 30 percent. Our fertility specialists recommend PGS/NGS in conjunction with IVF for:
- Women over 37 who are undergoing IVF
- Women who have had two or more unsuccessful IVF cycles
- Women under 35 who have experienced two or more miscarriages – recurrent miscarriage
- Women who are over 35 and have experience one miscarriage
Read more: Why Gender Selection is a Trending Benefit of IVF
How Yoga Works in Tandem With IVF to Increase Your Chances of Pregnancy Success
Whether there is a clear medical reason, or when infertility is unexplained, life under the weight of fertility treatment can be an extreme struggle. Don’t despair. During fertility 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.
Soft, Supporting, and Nurturing Yoga
Even if you’ve already started an IVF cycle, you can receive support and nurturing from yoga. There are a myriad of benefits from yoga. It can’t be emphasized enough: Always begin with a moderate yoga regimen – not high intensity exercise – and always get pre-approval from your fertility specialist. Look: Too much high intensity yoga or other exercise has been shown to hinder successful pregnancy outcomes.
You will discover a love for restorative or Yin style yoga practices that will nourish your mind and body while alleviating the stress associated with IVF treatment.
Warning: Avoid practicing high intensity yoga, such as:
- Ashtanga
- Power
- Vinyasa
- Hot Yoga
Yoga is easily adaptable to your lifestyle choices. If you have been practicing high intensity yoga methods – pump your brakes and adapt to a more moderate routine.
Remember: Your body will be working hard to produce healthy eggs and make a baby.
- Soft Yoga Routine
- Medium to Low Intensity
- Nourishing Yoga Routine
Read more: How Yoga Works in Tandem With IVF to Increase Your Chances of Pregnancy Success
How Low Dosages of Fertility Medications Work in a Mini-IVF™ Protocol
My revolutionary Mini-IVF™ can increase your chances of pregnancy without the need for large dosages of costly fertility medications. Why does this matter? No longer do you need to produce an excessive number of eggs to achieve a successful pregnancy. Here’s the deal: The goal with a Mini-IVF™ protocol is to produce between 3 and 5 quality eggs per fresh cycle. The best part: Pregnancy success rates for Mini-IVF™ are comparable to Conventional IVF.
Mini-IVF™ Overview
Because lower dosages of fertility medications are prescribed to only produce 3 to 5 high quality eggs, the patient’s cost per Mini-IVF™ cycle is reduced. Bottom Line: The patient’s physical discomfort is lessened because her body is not forced into producing the typical 10 to 15 eggs reached in a Conventional IVF cycle.
Look: The Mini-IVF™ protocol in a nutshell.
- A fertility medication regimen to produce 3 to 5 quality eggs
- Cycle monitoring through ultrasound imaging and blood tests
- Surgical egg retrieval
- Fertilization of egg and sperm in vitro via (ICSI)
- Culture and monitoring of embryo(s) via EmbryoScope technology
- Grading and selection of quality embryo(s) for fresh transfer and/or future (FET)
- Single Embryo Transfer (SET)
Candidates for Mini-IVF™
Mini-IVF™ is the best treatment protocol for those women who have been:
- Diagnosed with blocked or damaged Fallopian tubes
- Diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
- Diagnosed as having a risk of developing Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)
- Diagnosed with a low ovarian reserve
- Diagnosed with cancer and are about to undergo treatment
Read more: How Low Dosages of Fertility Medications Work in a Mini-IVF™ Protocol
How to Up Your Pregnancy Chances With Natural Cycle IVF
A woman’s monthly, natural egg is the very best. This is why women are no longer required to undergo a painful regimen of self-administered fertility medication injections in order to get pregnant with the help of IVF. Look: Our Natural Cycle IVF™ – is a celebrated holistic IVF protocol. A woman in her prime reproductive years has as 26 percent chance of getting pregnant with the one natural egg her body produces each month. The best part? The Natural Cycle IVF™ ups a woman’s chances of getting pregnant and is almost completely drug-free – compared to Conventional IVF and Mini-IVF™.
Natural Cycle IVF™
Your body may need only a little coaxing to achieve a pregnancy with the one high quality egg you produce during your monthly cycle. Natural Cycle IVF™ is a holistic IVF protocol offering women the opportunity to avoid the health risks and expense of high dosages of fertility medications. The trepidation and pain of daily injections are virtually eliminated.
One Good Egg Policy
Our Policy: It only takes one good egg to have a healthy baby. IVF treatment plans are designed to focus on producing high quality eggs – not a large quantity of eggs. When multiple eggs are produced, many are not suitable for fertilization in vitro. Plus, treatment can be very difficult for patients – physically and financially. Why is this important? Healthy, quality eggs achieve high IVF success rates for even those difficult patients who have been turned away from treatment at other fertility clinics.
How Natural Cycle IVF™ Works
- As a woman’s natural cycle begins, the doctor will monitor the growth of her natural egg through regular 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, the 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 directly injected into the woman’s natural egg
- Once a high quality embryo has cultured in vitro to a prime stage of development – it will then be 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
Read more: How to Up Your Pregnancy Chances With Natural Cycle IVF
Dr. Zhang’s Key Tips for Getting Pregnant in the New Year
If you are having difficulty getting pregnant, you can increase your odds this New Year by being more proactive. Here’s the deal: You must implement a simple plan of action to boost your chances of pregnancy success this New Year.
Simple Plan of Action
- Step 1: Schedule your initial consultation with a fertility specialist
- Step 2: Discover why you are having trouble getting pregnant
- Step 3: Implement a customized fertility treatment plan of action
Schedule an Initial Consultation
To avoid any medical complications preventing you from conceiving this New Year, make an appointment with a fertility specialist for a thorough reproductive examination and preliminary evaluation. It can’t be emphasized enough – up to 34 percent of infertility cases are due to structural issues with a woman’s reproductive system. At New Hope Fertility Center, both men and women undergo a complete fertility assessment to evaluate their reproductive health.
Why does this matter? Flagging any potential cause of infertility is the only way to quickly and cost-effectively help you get pregnant this New Year. Once the cause of infertility is identified, a customized treatment plan will be designed based on your medical and personal needs.Read more: Dr. Zhang’s Key Tips for Getting Pregnant in the New Year
Identifying Quality Embryos is Key to a Successful IVF Pregnancy
Quality embryo identification is key to conceiving a successful pregnancy through IVF. Why does this matter? Only quality embryos are transferred during a fresh cycle or cryopreserved for future Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) procedures. We give careful attention to nurturing and identifying quality embryos as they grow and develop in vitro. Bottom Line: Our embryologists utilize state-of-the-art technology to identify quality embryos.
- EmbryoScope technology
- Genetic Testing – PGD/PGS/NGS
Quality Embryo Growth and Development Expertise
From a cell – to a newborn baby – embryology is the branch of biology and medicine focused on the study of an embryo from the point of fertilization through development to the fetus stage. The expertise practice of embryology is key to pregnancy success through IVF technology.
- Assisting in the surgical retrieving of a woman’s eggs
- Performing post-surgical retrieval tests on eggs
- Performing in vitro tests on embryos
- Maintaining patient clinical records
Excess, quality embryos produced during a fresh IVF cycle are cryopreserved for future transfers via FET. Only the highest quality embryos are cryopreserved for the best chances of a future FET pregnancy success.
Quality Embryos and the EmbryoScope
EmbryoScope technology is used to gather time-lapsed data by closely monitoring every embryo’s growth and development without disruption of the in vitro culturing process.
- Quality embryos have the highest chance of implantation
- Quality embryos thrive into a fetus
- Quality embryos have the best chance of achieving a full-term, healthy pregnancy
EmbryoScope is an innovative, cutting edge, time-lapsed photography and software solution. EmbryoScope is technology designed to improve IVF outcomes.
- Quantitative data on an embryo’s early stage of development in vitro
- Objective information on an embryo’s early stage of development in vitro
- Utilizes time-lapsed photography and software
- No need to manipulate embryos within the incubator in vitro
- No need to remove the embryos from the incubator in vitro
Read more: Identifying Quality Embryos is Key to a Successful IVF Pregnancy
How to Prepare for Your Upcoming IVF Treatment
I encourage my patients to be mentally and physically prepared for their upcoming IVF treatment, regardless of my recommended protocol:
Mental and physical readiness can mean all the difference in IVF pregnancy success.
- Eating a well-balanced diet will increase your chances of IVF success. You should begin improving your nutritional habits at least 3 months before your embryo transfer. Good nutrition enhances the health of your reproductive organs and ensures a quality blood supply to the uterus. Why is this important? Good nutritional habits you develop now will be easy to carry over into your pregnancy.
- Take a good quality multi-vitamin and mineral supplement containing vitamins A, B, D, and C complex. Your supplement should include zinc, magnesium, selenium, iron, and co-enzyme Q10 which all play a vital role in fertilization and implantation. That’s not all. Ask your fertility specialist to prescribe a folic acid supplement to fend off neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
- Reduce your alcohol intake because studies show that women over 30 who drank seven or more alcoholic beverages a week were twice as likely not to conceive. Cutting out alcohol altogether while you try for a baby is the best plan because, once you conceive, your cravings for a drink will be diminished. If you don’t abstain completely from alcohol, opt for only three glasses of red wine per week – sorry, no chardonnay.
- Watch your BMI and get good sleep. A healthy adult Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9. A 2016 review of studies shows that not getting enough sleep leads women to consume an average of 385 more calories the next day. Too much body weight can make women less fertile. Seek help from a dietician and an exercise coach to help you lose weight and maintain a healthy BMI while you are trying to get pregnant. Remember: Your revamped diet and physical fitness regimen will help you to have a healthy pregnancy and baby.
- Avoid Caffeine in coffee, tea, and soda because it can have an adverse effect on female fertility. It’s best to cut caffeine out altogether to boost your fertility level and prepare for a healthy pregnancy. Drinking more than 300 mg of caffeine per day – 2 to 3 cups of coffee – has been linked to a higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.
- Exercise increases blood flow to a woman’s reproductive organs and brings in fresh blood to cells. Exercise helps to oxygenate the blood. New studies have shown that both online yoga and in-person yoga help to increase the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy by up to 26 percent. This is because yoga is proven to reduce stress and anxiety in IVF patients. Fertility Yoga regimens include a series of poses and postures designed to improve fertility.
- Acupuncture for Fertility has been proven by studies to increase a woman’s chances of getting pregnant by up to 50 percent! National Institutes of Health research has shown a direct correlation between acupuncture and pregnancy. New Hope Fertility Center has recently launched an in-house acupuncture service as an integral part of our all-encompassing infertility treatment options.
IVF Treatment Doctor
To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center, click the icon below – or – call 917.525.5496.
How Sleep Increases Fertility
I recommend women in their prime childbearing years (25 to 35) get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep every night during a work week. The National Sleep Foundation has found through studies that sleep has a powerful influence on a woman’s reproductive hormonal system.
Sleep Deprivation: BMI – Mood – Stress
Sleep deprivation adversely affects your BMI, your mood, and your stress level. Your Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) level is directly affected by lack of sleep. Your FSH level should ideally be at its highest level just before you ovulate.
Women averaging 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night had a 20 percent higher FSH level than those who go 6 or fewer hours – regardless of age, BMI, mood, or stress level.
Sleep and BMI
A healthy adult Body Mass Index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9. Look: A 2016 review of studies shows that not getting enough sleep leads women to consume an average of 385 more calories the next day.
Here’s the real story about women who don’t get enough sleep.
- They gain weight
- The make less healthy food choices
- They eat foods higher in fat
- They eat low protein foods
Over a five year period, women can gain 2.1 BMI points for every hour of sleep they lose. Why is this important? A two pound weight gain can easily throw a woman off of her healthy BMI.
The takeaway. Sleep is an important moderator of neuroendocrine function and glucose metabolism. Sleep loss alters metabolic and endocrine alterations.Read more: How Sleep Increases Fertility
How ICSI Technology Enhances IVF Egg Fertilization
ICSI – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection – is a specialized egg fertilization technique used during the IVF process. Look: ICSI bypasses a number of common reproductive conditions preventing sperm from fertilizing an egg. A single sperm cell is injected directly into an egg under the guidance of a microscope. ICSI has revolutionized the treatment of male-factor infertility.
Why is ICSI important?
- ICSI is used to maximize the rate of egg fertilization
- ICSI lessens the chances of sperm not being able to penetrate the wall of the egg
ICSI is recommended for most couples undergoing IVF – especially these candidates:
- Unexplained infertility – known as idiopathic infertility – when the cause cannot be pinpointed
- Male-factor infertility – a man’s sperm is not able to fertilize a woman’s egg
- Combined female- and male-factor infertility
Today, ICSI is routinely recommended to improve fertilization in all IVF cases – regardless of diagnosis.
Sperm Retrieval for ICSI
When a man has a low sperm count and/or motility, a semen sample is collected through masturbation. The semen sample is processed in a special solution to obtain optimum ICSI results.
When a man is suffering from azoospermia – no sperm in ejaculate – sperm is microsurgically retrieved from the testicle or epididymis. This is commonly known as testicular sperm retrieval. Microsurgery to remove sperm from the testicles or epididymis can be performed under local or general anesthesia and requires short recovery periods.
Obstructive Azoospermia (no sperm in semen) can be corrected by the surgical removal of sperm directly from the testis or epididymis of the testicle.
- Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA)
- Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESE)
- Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESA)
Non-Obstructive Azoospermia (sperm count with impaired sperm) may be caused by hormonal problems, testicular failure, varicocele, or varicose veins in the testicles. Non-Obstructive Azoospermia can be corrected through TESE – testicular sperm extraction. TESE is a surgical technique using fine needle aspiration performed with local anesthesia.Read more: How ICSI Technology Enhances IVF Egg Fertilization
