When it comes to infertility treatments, IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) is a very good option which demonstrates high success rates. IVF is a procedure in which an egg is fertilized by sperm outside of the body in order to increase chances of pregnancy. If your own eggs are low in quality and/or quantity, Doctor Toral Parikh, M.D. recommends undergoing IVF treatment with donor eggs for a number of cases and reasons.
Who Is A Good Candidate For IVF With Donor Eggs?
IVF with the use of donor eggs is suitable for many different cases. It may be beneficial for women who have undergone cancer treatment and have had their ovaries damaged or removed, women who have already undergone our typical Houston IVF treatment but haven’t had much luck, or women who are experiencing age-related fertility challenges. Women who were born without their ovaries as a result of a congenital anomaly and gay male couples wishing to have a child can also benefit from donor eggs.
We recommend you first come in for an appointment in which our specialists ask about medical and sexual histories and conduct different tests to determine what kind of procedure is the best option for you, as we offer many different procedures for different circumstances.
A Basic Understanding of the Process of IVF With Donor Eggs
Once you and our specialists have agreed that this is the best treatment for you, we will help you find a donor, which takes a lot of time and can take a mental toll on the intended parents, but Doctor Parikh and the rest of the team will be there with you the entire time. After the donor is found, legal decisions must be made, and once the legal matters are sorted, the treatment cycle itself will begin when the egg donor and intended mother (if applicable) get their periods.
Your donor will take hormones to stimulate her egg production. Much like the typical IVF treatment, we will retrieve the eggs once they have matured and then the intended father will offer a semen sample to fertilize the egg.
IVF Treatment at HART Fertility Clinic in Houston
Infertility is a challenge, but our team at Hart Fertility is here to support you the entire way and offer you the best care possible. If you and your partner are considering IVF with donor eggs, please book an appointment with us so we can start building our relationship with you and help you achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Egg freezing, otherwise known as Mature Oocyte Cryopreservation, is one of the more advanced modern fertility treatments we offer at our clinic. It was in its experimental phase until January 2013, but today it is a routine procedure we perform at HART Fertility Clinic in North Houston.
Who Should Consider Freezing Their Eggs?
Doctor Ertug Kovanci, M.D., a top Houston infertility specialist, often recommends egg freezing to women who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy for different cancers, since these treatments can be toxic to their eggs. He has also recommended egg freezing to women suffering from autoimmune diseases, or to our transgender patients. Freezing your eggs is a fantastic way to help preserve your fertility for kids in the future and although both egg and embryo freezing are options we offer at our fertility clinic in The Woodlands and Kingwood, some of our patients may prefer egg freezing over embryo freezing for religious or ethical reasons.
How Does Egg Freezing Work
To freeze your eggs, we have to retrieve them first. We start the process by completing the same hormone-injection process you would go through if you were undergoing IVF treatment in order to stimulate the ovaries. Once the ovaries are stimulated and the eggs have matured, they are extracted through a minor and painless procedure known as a transvaginal ultrasound-guided needle aspiration.
Once the eggs are retrieved, they are immediately frozen. When in experimentation, ice crystals would typically form over the egg and destroy the cell, which was a direct result of the high water content. To avoid this, we must dehydrate the egg and use our rapid freezing technique, which protects the egg and keeps it safe for several years until you are ready to attempt a pregnancy.
When you are ready to try getting pregnant, we will thaw the eggs, carefully inject them with sperm to fertilize them, and then we’ll transfer them to the uterus as embryos.
HART Fertility Specialists in The Woodlands and Kingwood
If you are considering freezing your eggs to preserve your fertility and attempt a pregnancy in the future, then please don't hesitate to book an appointment with us. Our caring specialists will answer any questions you have and ensure we are there for you during the entire process.
Breast cancer is the most frequently occurring cancer in women of reproductive age. With advancements in early diagnosis and treatment options, more women diagnosed with breast cancer are living longer today than ever before. However, systemic treatments may adversely affect childbearing plans.
During this time, patients are often overwhelmed with news of their diagnosis and possible treatment plans and it is important for providers involved in their care to ask whether fertility preservation is desired. Fortunately, the use of assisted reproductive technologies and therapies for ovarian protection improve fertility prospects for most patients. Often times, there is minimal to no treatment delay as egg or embryo banking can be performed prior to necessary cancer treatments.
Individuals with BRCA+ or other similar genetic testing leading to increased risk for breast cancer may consider genetic testing of embryos (PGT-A) to prevent the passage of genetic mutations to their future children.
The HART Fertility Clinic physicians are committed to providing patients with immediate assistance in coordinating care that aims to achieve each individual patient's reproductive goals. They work hand in hand with organizations such as Livestrong and local grant organizations to provide discounts and help relieve the financial burdens often associated with a new cancer diagnosis.
We urge women and men alike to talk with their health care providers and ensure breast cancer screening be performed if advised. Risk factors for breast cancer may include but are not limited to age, female sex, obesity, family history of breast, ovarian or uterine cancer, certain genetic predispositions, and reproductive history.
By:
Dr. Toral Parikh, MD
IUI, which stands for Intrauterine Insemination, is one of the simpler procedures we offer at Hart Fertility Clinic in Kingwood and The Woodlands. It is ideal for women who are experiencing unexplained infertility and/or their partner experiences sperm abnormalities. IUI is meant as a boost and serves to increase how much sperm can travel, resulting in an improved chance of fertilization.
How Does An IUI Procedure Work?
Evaluation Prior to Infertility Treatment
First of all, if you are worried about how long it has taken you to get pregnant, you should first speak with a doctor and voice your concerns. Your doctor will ask you questions relating to yours and your partner's individual medical histories and sexual histories. After this, your doctor will administer specialized tests, such as a semen analysis and a fallopian tube evaluation to determine if infertility is something you and your partner should be concerned with and what your options are.
IUI is often the first form of treatment, especially if your infertility seems unexplained or if your partner's sperm motility is an obstacle.
Prior to Intrauterine Insemination
Once your doctor has determined that IUI is a viable treatment option for you, you may be given ovulation-stimulating medication. Our North Houston fertility specialists will closely monitor you as you take these medications so we know when your eggs are mature. Within 24-36 hours of your eggs maturing, we will perform the procedure.
If you suffer from endometriosis, you may also be given medications that encourage good quality eggs, in addition to the ovulation-stimulating medications. This will ensure you have a good egg for the procedure.
Performing an IUI Procedure
Your partner, or a donor if that is what you and your partner wish, will provide us with a semen sample, which will be taken to a lab and specially washed to separate the semen from its fluid. This also helps separate the lower quality sperm from the more motile sperm. We will then insert the semen directly into the uterus to ensure as many sperm cells as possible are placed in the uterus, which offers a boost and increases your possibility of conceiving. The process only takes a few minutes and is absolutely pain-free.
IUI Infertility Treatment at Our North Houston Fertility Clinic
Infertility is a challenge, but our team at Hart Fertility is here to support you the entire way and offer you the best care possible. If you and your partner are candidates for Intrauterine Insemination and would like to discuss it in more detail, please book an appointment with us.
Infertility is far more common than you may think. It's a deeply personal challenge and can weigh you down, but there are ways to improve your chances of delivering a healthy baby. When in conjunction with infertility treatment, a fertility-boosting diet may also help you achieve a healthy birth. Here are some of the practices our Houston fertility specialists recommend.
Eat Foods Rich in Antioxidants
Antioxidants attack free radicals that enter your body. In essence, free radicals are unbalanced atoms that can severely damage your cells which cause harm and aging. This means they can easily damage both sperm cells and egg cells. Antioxidant-rich foods include Vitamin C and E, folate, and beta carotene. You can find these in many fruits, nuts, and veggies.
Avoid Trans Fats
There are some healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids that are found in salmon and avocado, that can boost fertility. But there are also bad fats known as trans fats, which may hinder fertility. They are easily found in fried foods, processed snacks, and margarine. Trans fats have been associated with infertility because they have bad effects on insulin sensitivity.
Try A Low-Carb Diet
If you are one of many who experience infertility as a result of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a low carb diet is recommended because it helps maintain healthy weight, reduce insulin, and helps regulate your menstrual cycle. It has also been shown that eating a low-carb diet helped reduce testosterone and insulin levels, which, if too high, can lead to infertility.
Decrease How Many Refined Carbs You Eat
It's clear that the amount of carbs you eat is important when trying to achieve a healthy birth, but the kind of carbs you eat matter too, especially if you suffer from PCOS. Refined carbs, in particular, should be avoided. These can be consumed in sugary foods and drinks and processed grains, such as pasta and bread. The reason we recommend avoiding refined carbs when struggling with PCOS and fertility is because they can very quickly raise your blood sugar levels.
Replacing Animal Protein
Animal proteins, such as red meat, fish, and eggs can be replaced by vegetable proteins. Vegetable proteins are those that come from beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. These have been shown to help offer a fertility boost, but they are also good for your overall health because they are rich in vitamins and minerals.
Our Houston Fertility Clinic Recommends You Take Good Care of Your Wellbeing
When going through infertility treatment, it is especially important to be at your best health to increase your chances. Contact our Houston fertility clinic today so we can help you establish a healthy lifestyle through the course of your treatment.
