Frozen Embryos: The Process and Procedures

When couples (or people with ovaries) go though in vitro fertilization, many have additional embryos they choose to freeze to use for future attempts—either because the first cycle was unsuccessful or because they want to continue growing their family at a later date. 

This process involves freezing embryos to be able to complete a frozen embryo transfer (FET) at some point in the future. Embryo freezing is a procedure that allows people to store embryos for later use. (This differs from freezing eggs, which are not fertilized.) 

The main aim of freezing embryos is to preserve them for later use. Women or couples may opt to freeze their embryos for the same reason some women freeze their eggs—because they’d like to focus on their career, become more financially stable, or generally want to wait to add another person to their family. Using frozen embryos lets women have healthy pregnancies later in life; since the embryo contains younger eggs, there’s less risk of pregnancy complications. 

At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, we help patients through the entire multi-step process. Here’s a breakdown of the processes and procedures involved in freezing embryos. 

 

Retrieval and Fertilization 

The first few procedures for embryo freezing are identical to IVF. You will begin taking hormones for 8 to 10 days to ensure ovulation occurs. Then you’ll also take fertility medication to increase the number of mature, potentially fertile eggs that develop. 

Then, our doctor will extract the mature eggs, using an ultrasound machine to ensure accuracy. Since every patient is different, some women do suffer with more side effects than others depending on how many eggs are able to be retrieved. 

Once the eggs have been extracted from the ovaries, they’re fertilized in the lab. In order to become an embryo, the egg must be fertilized with sperm, either from a partner or a sperm donor.  

 At this stage, patients can opt for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) to test embryos for genetic abnormalities, such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, and more. Along with genetic testing we can also do gender selection for additional costs.  

Dr. Gelety can then transfer the embryo to the uterus to complete the IVF process—this is known as a fresh embryo transfer. After the IVF cycle is completed, it is highly recommended for patients to freeze the extra embryos that were not transferred so that they do not have to go through the monitoring and retrieval process again. 

 

The Freezing Process 

 Embryos are frozen through a process called vitrification. The first step of this process is cryopreservation, which involves replacing the water in a cell with a substance called a cryoprotectant. This helps protect embryos from developing ice crystals, which can damage the embryo, during freezing.  

The cryoprotected embryos are then frozen extremely quickly. This helps protect the embryos and increases their rate of survival during thawing. After the process of freezing is complete, the embryos are stored in liquid nitrogen at temperatures of -321ºF. At this temperature, almost no biological processes, such as aging, can occur. So, in theory, a correctly frozen embryo can remain viable for any length of time. 

 

Thawing, FET, & Pregnancy 

 Typically, embryos can be thawed in an afternoon, and the process of thawing an embryo after cryopreservation has a relatively high success rate.  

When patients decide to thaw their frozen embryos and complete the FET cycle, there is less medication involved in the process—just what’s required to stimulate the woman’s uterine lining to prepare it for implantation. Then there’s usually only one to two ultrasound appointments to monitor the progress of her lining 

Before the FET, a catheter is loaded with the thawed embryos. Then, during the process, the catheter is placed in the uterus, using ultrasound guidance, and the embryos are transferred. The embryo transfer itself can be performed in under 30 minutes. 

 

Embryo freezing is a safe and successful option for patients who want to wait on having a baby. It often leads to a successful pregnancy and delivery. If you have specific questions regarding embryo freezing or would like to schedule an appointment to start the procedure, contact Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility today by calling (520) 326-0001 or visit us  online. 

Fertility Resources for LGBTQ+ Couples Growing their Families

Fertility treatments are a wonderful way for individuals and couples to grow a family, and our team at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility is dedicated to helping gay, lesbian, and transgender people and couples realize their dream of becoming parents. We are honored to guide you through the fertility process, and want you to feel comfortable and confident every step of the way.

There are a number of fertility treatment options available for LGBTQ+ couples and individuals, including:

  • Surrogacy
  • Use of donor eggs
  • Use of donor sperm
  • Artificial insemination
  • In vitro fertilization (IVF), including reciprocal IVF

According to the 2019 Family Equality LGBTQ Family Building Survey, 48 percent of LGBTQ+ people ages 18-35 are actively planning on expanding their families, either becoming parents for the first time, or by having more children. If you’re of that group looking to pursue treatments, here are a few resources to help you plug in to communities, learn more about your treatments and financial options, and, ultimately, navigate your journey to parenthood.

Facebook (Support) Groups

  • Daddy Squared: Gay Dads and Prospective Dads Virtual Meetup is a Facebook group for fathers and fathers-to-be; Monday through Friday they share personal development inspiration, and music and toy recommendations.
  • LGBTQ+ Parents and Families is Family Equality’s private Facebook group that offers peer support for anyone looking to grow their family. The group shares advice, tips, tricks, and insight from other parents, and provides a safe and encouraging space to share the joys and frustrations of the LGBTQ+ parenting journey.
  • LGBTQ+ 🏳️‍🌈 Pregnancy to Parenting is open to anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, including moms-to-be, dads-to-be, and surrogates who have questions or are looking for support.

Reading

  • The New Essential Guide to Lesbian Conception, Pregnancy and Birth by Stephanie Brill
  • Journey to Same-Sex Parenthood: Firsthand Advice, Tips and Stories from Lesbian and Gay Couples by Eric Rosswood
  • The Ultimate Guide for Gay Dads: Everything You Need to Know About LGBTQ Parenting But Are (Mostly) Afraid to Ask by Eric Rosswood
  • Confessions of the Other Mother: Non-Biological Lesbian Moms Tell All edited by Harlyn Aizley
  • The Kid by Dan Savage
  • And Baby Makes More edited by Susan Goldberg and Chloë Brushwood Rose
  • The Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy for Lesbians: How to Stay Sane and Care for Yourself from Pre-conception through Birth by Rachel Pepper
  • Raised by Unicorns: Stories from People with LGBTQ+ Parents edited by Frank Lowe

Financial Support & Grants

At AZCREI we work with every patient to help them achieve their dream of parenthood without experiencing financial strain. Aside from insurance (which may cover some of the procedures for some patients), there are several grants and scholarships available to help mitigate the costs for LGBTQ+ parents-to-be using assisted reproductive technology or adoption.

Other Resources

Stories from past patients:

More articles from AZCREI:

At AZCREI, we gladly offer fertility options to people of every type of lifestyle and partnership. It’s the ultimate gift for us to be able to help LGBTQ+ couples expand their family and have a healthy, happy baby. To schedule an appointment with our team to discuss your options and the best steps forward, visit us online or call us at 520-326-0001.

Step-by-Step Guide to IVF Treatments

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is possibly the most effective and most common infertility treatment we perform at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility. But unless you’ve gone through the procedure before or know someone who has, you probably don’t understand all the steps involved.

The first thing you should know is that IVF is the fertilization of the egg and sperm outside the body. It’s often performed after other treatment methods have failed to result in a pregnancy (although for some couples, it makes more sense for this procedure to be the first option).

While there may be some variation in how the procedure is completed, in general, it can be broken down into five steps. Here’s a step-by-step look at the process.

Step 1: Preparation (Testing and Ovarian Stimulation)

Before beginning your infertility treatments you’ll have an evaluation of your uterus and fallopian tubes to make sure there are no outlying issues that need to be remedied before starting IVF. If it’s been determined that IVF is a viable option, you’ll begin taking medication to stimulate your ovaries to mature multiple eggs for the retrieval process. This medication usually needs to be taken for about 21 days; during this time, you’ll be frequently monitored through hormone-level testing and vaginal ultrasounds.

Step 2: Egg Retrieval

Once we determine you have a sufficient number of retrievable eggs, you’ll receive a “trigger shot” of hCG or other medication, which finishes the maturation process so that the eggs are capable of being fertilized. Thirty-six hours later, you’ll have a surgical procedure to retrieve the eggs from the follicles in your ovaries. During the procedure, an ultrasound is used to guide a small needle through the top of the vagina into each ovary. At AZCREI, we use conscious sedation during the procedure, which results in a faster recovery time; so, you may feel a little pressure, but typically no pain. The actual procedure takes less than 10 minutes but we do keep patients in our office for about an hour after the procedure is completed so we can monitor their recovery. You may feel some minor cramping in the day or two following retrieval.

After the eggs have been retrieved, they’re placed in a test tube along with the follicular fluid. It’s then given to an embryologist who uses a microscope examine the eggs for maturity and quality.

Step 3: Fertilization

The mature eggs are transferred into a special culture and placed in an incubator for the fertilization process.

Fertilization can occur in two ways: through conventional insemination (where sperm is added to the culture in a small petri dish to eventually fertilize the eggs on their own) or through intra-cytoplasmic injection (ICSI). The most appropriate fertilization process for your situation depends on a number of factors, our team will discuss these options with you and help you determine the best one.

Step 4: Embryo Transfer

The embryo transfer will usually take place around three days following the egg retrieval—unless there are other factors that require us to wait; in that case, we may allow the embryos to mature up to five days or freeze them for a later date. If you opt for preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), the embryos are sent out to be biopsied and then returned for a five-day transfer. The remaining embryos that are not transferred on day five can be cryo-preserved.

For the procedure, a soft, thin catheter is used to transfer the embryo into the uterus at a spot that’s optimal for implantation to occur. If the transfer is successful, the embryo will “hatch” and implant itself in the uterine lining within one to two days following the procedure. Pain and discomfort are rare; many patients compare the experience to the feeling of a pap smear.

Any good embryos that have not been used in the transfer can be frozen and used in another cycle, or if you decide to have more children later.

Step 5: Pregnancy Test

About two weeks after the embryo transfer, you’ll have a blood pregnancy test. Once we confirm the pregnancy, we’ll continue to monitor your progress with additional testing and ultrasounds. After 12 weeks, when we’re very certain that the pregnancy is going as good as it can, you’ll be referred back to your OB/GYN for the remainder of your pregnancy.

At AZCREI, about two out of three of our patients will get pregnant on the first try using IVF; it’s an amazing solution that offers women and couples the chance to finally have a baby. To make an appointment and learn more about in vitro options, contact us online or call at 520-326-0001.

What You Should Know About Marijuana Use & Fertility

More and more people are turning to alternative treatments—like marijuana and CBD—to alleviate pain, stress, anxiety, insomnia, and inflammation, but many of those people don’t consider the effects they may have on their fertility.

In Arizona, the marijuana is limited to medicinal uses only, but, since some of our patients come to see us from other states, we often get questions about its effects on fertility. As the use of cannabis becomes more mainstream across the country, questions and misconceptions about the plant are becoming more common as well.

Effects of Marijuana on Fertility

Whether you’re trying to have a baby now or sometime in the near future, this is what you need to know about how marijuana affects fertility.

It Reduces Sperm Count & Quality

A 2015 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, revealed that smoking marijuana more than once per week reduced sperm concentration by 52 percent and total sperm count by 55 percent. Another study also found that marijuana use can lead to decreased sperm motility and abnormal sperm morphology.

It Can Prevent Normal Ovulation

Marijuana’s effect on a woman’s fertility is a little more difficult to study since there isn’t something direct to measure (such as sperm count). However, some studies suggest that high amounts of THC (a chemical found in marijuana) can decrease the production of estrogen, which may delay by a few days or make ovulation irregular. If a woman’s cycle is thrown off or ovulation doesn’t occur, fertilization becomes more challenging—or in some cases, impossible.

It Can Exacerbate Pre-existing Causes of Infertility

It appears that marijuana could potentially worsen any difficulties a couple may have getting pregnant. Marijuana interferes with the normal functions of the endocannabinoid system, which plays a key role in fertilization.

Marijuana May Affect Pregnancy Too

According to research from Kaiser Permanente, the use of marijuana during pregnancy has almost doubled in recent years—in 2016, 7 percent of women admitted to using it, up from 4 percent in 2009. Often, when marijuana is being used, it is typically during the first trimester; this may be as a way to combat morning sickness, which is often more prominent during the first few months of pregnancy, or because the women don’t realize they’re pregnant yet. Some studies have found a link between marijuana use and increased chances of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that people stop using marijuana before even trying to get pregnant for these reasons. Still, more research on how marijuana affects a developing fetus is needed.

What About CBD?

CBD is a naturally occurring chemical found in marijuana; it contains no THC, which causes a high. Often, CBD is used to treat anxiety, PTSD, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and chronic pain. Because it can reduce stress and improve sleep, many CBD proponents believe it can also help with non-medical conception-related issues. Although CBD is generally considered to be safe to use, there’s still a lack of definitive evidence to validate whether there are any true benefits to CBD on fertility.

Better Safe Than Sorry

As of now, we still don’t know too much about the exact effects of marijuana (and CBD) on fertility. However, until more research is conducted on both the short-term and long-term effects, we recommend that anyone trying to conceive should avoid using it in any form. It’s better to be safe than sorry and mitigate any other potential obstacles to fertility.

At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, it’s our goal to help you achieve a successful pregnancy—through proper and appropriate treatments and procedures. If you have any questions about your fertility or are having difficulty getting pregnant, contact us by calling (520) 326-0001 or visiting us online, and set up a consultation.

Answering the Most Common Questions About Infertility Insurance

If you’re considering infertility treatments or taking steps to freeze your eggs, then you’ve probably heard that procedures can be costly—and that is true for most clinics. However, there are several ways to mitigate costs so that you can grow your family without breaking the bank, and one of those is insurance.

Figuring out if infertility treatments are covered by insurance is rarely simple. Insurance coverage can vary greatly; some procedures might be covered by one policy but not another, there is no across-the-board answer as to whether a procedure will be covered or not, it all comes down to individual insurance policies.

There are several questions about infertility insurance that we can answer though. Here are a few of the most common ones we get asked by patients at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility.

What expenses does insurance usually cover?
This is the big question, isn’t it? What is covered by your insurance depends on your policy.

Coverage is actually determined by the medical board of your insurance company, and their decisions will be based on the policy you or your employer have selected. Coverage is only granted once you’ve proven that you meet the criteria for infertility—and this can differ from state to state.

Typically, insurance might cover: expenses related to diagnostic testing only, full coverage of all services, a combination of testing and treatments, or absolutely nothing. Even with coverage, you still might be responsible for copays and any labs performed in the clinic.

How do I find out what my benefits are, in relation to fertility coverage?
If you’re wondering what treatments may or may not be covered by your insurance, the best way to find out is to call your company’s HR representative or your insurance company’s billing department to find out the details of your benefits.

You can also check out your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for information on what your policy covers; you’ll get this document after your provider submits a claim. Typically, an EOB includes the types of services you received, who performed them, and their costs; the amount your insurance did and did not pay; and the out-of-pocket expenses you still owe. While an EOB is more useful after the fact, paying attention to this will give you an idea of what you can expect to owe in the future.

What costs should I expect, if I don’t end up having any insurance coverage?
We’ve answered this question in the past (to read the post, click here).

The services you will end up paying for (either through insurance or out-of-pocket) will depend on the cause of infertility and the treatments you decide to pursue. They may include:

  • Doctor’s appointments
  • Blood tests
  • Ultrasounds
  • Hormonal medications, including injections
  • Retrieval and fertilization procedures
  • The egg transfer process

The costs will vary depending on whether you’re using a donor, surrogate, or your own gametes, or sex cells (sperm/egg). And it’s important to note, that it may take multiple cycles of a procedure for pregnancy to occur.

How can I make fertility treatment costs more manageable?
At AZCREI, our entire team does our best to help reduce the financial burden of the infertility tests and procedures. Not every woman or couple will need expensive treatments and fairly often, when infertility is medically-induced, we can help find a way to get insurance to cover treatments (even if it’s outside of our offices). We’ll always work with you to help you find ways to pay for treatments, and when insurance coverage isn’t available, we offer several packages and payment plans to make the costs of treatments more feasible.

We never want insurance coverage to be a factor in your ability to grow your family. For more information on what starting a family may cost you and to explore your options, visit us online or call 520-326-0001.

 

 

Debunking Some of the Most Common Fertility Myths

Fertility is such an emotional and complicated topic, it’s no surprise that misinformation is everywhere. When you’re eager to add a little one to your family, it can be easy to start believing old wives’ tales and obscure blogs across the internet.

As you can imagine, we spend a lot of time at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility debunking and correcting some of these false beliefs. Here are ten of the most common fertility myths we hope to clear up now.

Myth 1: It’s easy to get pregnant.
When you’re struggling with infertility, it might seem like everyone else around you is having no problem getting pregnant. The truth though, is that for healthy couples, the chance of conceiving each month is only 20 percent. Timing and conditions have to be just right for a pregnancy to occur, no matter who you are.

Myth 2: Having a regular period means I’ll be able to get pregnant.
Unfortunately, getting your period every month, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re ovulating regularly. And, even if that’s the case, there is more to fertility than just ovulation. While getting your period at roughly the same time every month is a great indication that you could get pregnant, it is not the sole factor.

Myth 3: Hormonal birth control reduces my chances of pregnancy.
Obviously, while you’re on birth control, your chances of getting pregnant are greatly diminished, but birth control has not been proven to have any harmful long-term effects on fertility. However, while you’re on it, it can mask signs of different kinds of reproductive disorders, such as PCOS. So once you stop taking the pill or remove your implant, make sure you pay attention to the regularity of your menstrual cycle; if it doesn’t become regular within three to four months, check in with your doctor.

Myth 4: If I’ve had one successful pregnancy, I should have no problem getting pregnant again.
Being able to get pregnant once, is a good sign, however the greatest detriment to a woman’s fertility is age. The time that’s passed between your previous pregnancy and now, could impact your chances of successfully conceiving again. Internal complications that occurred after your first pregnancy, weight gain, and a new partner could be reasons—besides age—that can cause infertility, even if you’ve had a child before.

Myth 5: My mom was super fertile, so I will be too.
The ability to get pregnant isn’t completely genetic—every woman is different. There are many factors that influence fertility, and while some (like POI or PCOS) are heritable, not all of them are. For example, if your partner has infertility issues, you’ll have a more difficult time conceiving, no matter how easy it was for your mother.

Myth 6: Many women are getting pregnant after 45, it’s common now.
Having kids at age 45 is possible, but it does come with challenges. If you wait until your 40 to have children—and didn’t freeze your eggs—you’ll have less healthy, quality eggs to work with. When you see celebrities or acquaintances getting pregnant at an older age, it’s often with the assistance of reproductive treatments and technologies.

Myth 7: It’s impossible to get pregnant after 40.
While it’s not easy to get pregnant after 40, it’s also not impossible. The uterus does not age the same way eggs or ovaries do. The quality of eggs naturally declines after the age of 35, but people with uteruses can still carry a pregnancy well into their 40s, as long as they’re using healthy, viable eggs. It might take advanced treatments like hormone medication, IVF, IUI, or donor eggs may be necessary to achieve a successful pregnancy, but turning 40 doesn’t end your chances of having a baby.

Myth 8: Fertility is a woman’s problem.
If we had to break it down, we’d say infertility is about 40 percent female factor, 40 percent male factor, and 20 percent shared or unknown or factors. A lot of times the brunt of the fertility conversation falls onto a woman’s reproductive health. Whenever we look into the potential causes of a couple’s infertility, we test both partners. Men can still have reproductive issues—such as low testosterone levels, low sperm motility, low sperm count, or abnormally shaped sperm—that prevent a pregnancy from occurring.

Myth 9: Infertility treatments are incredibly expensive.
The biggest misconception regarding fertility treatments and assisted reproduction techniques is that it’s super expensive. As these procedures have become more mainstream, the cost has become more reasonable. Plus, many patients are able to have some portion of their testing or treatments covered by insurance. At AZCREI, we strive to keep the process affordable, because it’s important to us to help all couples get pregnant, regardless of their income.

Myth 10: I’ll get pregnant as soon as I start fertility treatments.
It’s not guaranteed that a couple will get pregnant right away following their first treatment; there’s a certain chance of pregnancy with each month of trying. The probability of pregnancy is related to many different variables—ovulation, timing, fertilization rates, etc. However, the vast majority of patients who visit AZCREI do get pregnant—it just might not happen immediately.

Now that you have this information, we’d love to answer any other questions you have. Schedule a consultation with our team by calling (520) 326-0001 or visiting us online.

 

How to Talk About Fertility Struggles to Family

With the holidays approaching, you may be filled with an array of emotions—excited to see your family but anxious about being bombarded with all their questions about when you’re starting (or adding to) your family. While your loved ones probably have the best intentions, they don’t always understand or know about your struggle with infertility. It may not be something you want to discuss, but that doesn’t stop them from asking about it.

You can always turn to our team at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility for support through your journey, but the truth is, your fertility struggles are your own story to share or not share. If you’re uncomfortable talking to your family about it, that’s okay. Here are a few ways to talk to them, or at least deal with their questions, about your fertility.

Mentally Prepare
If your family has already pestered you with questions about having a baby, there’s a very high likelihood they’ll do it again at your next gathering. The questions the ask may still cause stress and anxiety, but if you’re mentally prepared and know they’re coming, you won’t be caught off guard and can hopefully come up with an answer to satisfy their prying or change the subject.

Build Your Team
If you’re a part of a couple, then you have a teammate to help you through these difficult conversations. Decide together how you want to approach tough questions. What level of privacy do you each want to maintain? If you feel like you need to prepare a statement, then do so, and use words that focus on you as a couple (“we,” “us,” “our,” etc.).

If you’re single or your partner is unable to attend a family event with you, recruit another family member who does know about your situation to help you tackle the questions. They may be able to divert the attention, change the subject, or even intercede and discreetly and/or vaguely explain your struggles to more inquisitive and insistent family members.

Set Boundaries
Setting boundaries—especially with those you’re close to and love—can be a challenge, but you need to be clear on what your limits are. Not everyone, including family, are owed information about such an intimate subject. Decide who you truly want to share your struggle with, and keep your answers short and sweet with anyone else. It’s okay to respond with “that’s not something we feel comfortable discussing right now” or “that’s a topic we’d like to keep private,” and leave it at that. It might be difficult, but remember you don’t have to explain your situation to anyone.

Be Open Elsewhere
Keeping your struggles a secret can feel isolating. If you have a cousin or sibling you’re close with, let them in on your battle with infertility. It might even be beneficial to talk to a therapist or join an online group so you can work through your anxieties and emotions in a safe place. Opening up might even empower you to take on the tough conversations with your larger family. The extra support can help you get through not just time with your family, but the rest of your pregnancy journey as well.

Put Yourself First
The holidays are stressful enough, and so is dealing with infertility—so don’t forget to take some time for a little self-care. That may mean pampering yourself a little before connecting with your family or it could mean avoiding agitating situations altogether. For instance, if you know your aunt who keeps asking for a “little one” will be at dinner, place yourself at the other end of the table. Stress can greatly impact fertility, so putting yourself first is important while you’re on this pregnancy journey.

Ultimately, it’s important to remind yourself that your family’s questions come from a place of love. No matter how these conversations go with your kin, we want you to know that our team at AZCREI is here to support you. For more information on how we can help you on your journey of growing your family, contact us online or call (520) 326-0001.

 

 

This is How Genetic Screening (PGS) Really Works

When you’re struggling with infertility, there are a lot of unknowns: Why can’t we get pregnant? When will we finally have our baby? Our goal at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, is to answer those questions, so you can then focus on more important things. For instance, once we help you achieve a pregnancy, you may go on to wonder what traits you’ll pass on to your newborn—from eye color to smile to personality to genetic conditions, even.

In some of these cases, the answers are available before your baby is even born, and that’s where preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) comes in. PGS can be used to identify a variety of gene or chromosome disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, Tay-Sachs disease, and muscular dystrophy. It’s done in conjunction with an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle; once eggs are fertilized, the resulting embryos are developed and then genetically tested to identify those that may have inherited a genetic mutation and those that didn’t.

While PGS doesn’t necessarily boost your chances of conception, it is a very valuable infertility solution since it helps us identify specific abnormalities that could cause a miscarriage or result in your child being born with any number of conditions. That means if you or your partner potentially carry a genetic mutation, PGS can help us minimize the risk of passing that to your baby.

We know there are many couples who have questions about PGS, so we’re sharing what you really need to know.

Decide If PGS Is Right for You
Preimplantation genetic screening isn’t necessary for every patient. However, if you know your family’s medical history includes any genetic abnormalities or other potentially-inherited conditions, then PGS might be an option to consider. Knowledge about your medical history and genetics allows us to recommend screenings and treatments to help you on your pregnancy journey, and also helps you to make an informed decision on how you’d like to move forward with procedures.

Make sure you know the histories of your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews for a clear picture of your medical story. If you can’t access or don’t know your family’s history, PGS can give you information as to what you may be passing on to your future children.

How PGS Works
The initial stages of PGS are the same as a typical IVF procedure. Our team retrieves the eggs, and once they’re fertilized and become embryos, they go through the PGS process. We freeze them so we can perform a biopsy and identify any abnormality. Only the embryos that have been identified as normal, and free of any genetic or chromosomal disorder, are then transferred to the uterus to finish up the IVF cycle.

The Impact of PGS
Of course, PGS gives your baby the greatest chance of growing up to become a healthy child, but the greater impact is far-reaching and can affect many generations to come. Because we’re able to prevent your baby from inheriting a family disorder, we are theoretically removing the risk from the future gene pool. So, not only will your children be less likely to develop that genetic disease, but so would their children, and so on.

Our team at AZCREI has helped many couples have healthy, happy babies because of preimplantation genetic screening. We’ve seen their joy and relief knowing their baby will be unaffected by a chromosomal or genetic disorder that has afflicted their family for generations. We understand how confusing and overwhelming dealing with infertility and growing your family can be, but we hope that knowing your baby will have a healthy start will give you some peace of mind. To set up a consultation, contact us online or call (520) 326-0001.

 

 

12 Ways to Help Boost Your Fertility Naturally

For the 15 percent of couples who struggle with infertility, medical treatments are the sole solution. At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, our success rate for a single live birth is almost 30 percent, which puts us among the top 10 fertility clinics in the country. We’ve got fertility treatments down to a science, but even so, many couples like the added insurance of boosting their chances of pregnancy through natural efforts. Here are 12 ways to naturally increase your fertility while going through treatments.

1. Eat Antioxidant-Rich Foods
Folate, zinc, vitamin C, and vitamin E have been shown to deactivate free radicals, which can damage sperm and egg cells. Eating foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains (which are rich in antioxidants), may help improve fertility in both men and women.

2. Quit Smoking
This might seem obvious, but smoking can affect fertility in both men and women. It can disrupt hormone levels and lead to early menopause in women. Smoking can also reduce semen quality in men.

3. Avoid Excess Alcohol
Similarly, excessive alcohol consumption can negatively affect fertility in men and women as well.

4. Avoid Trans Fats
Healthy fats are important for boosting fertility, but trans fats can cause ovulation disorders and should be avoided.

5. Cut Down on Refined Carbs
Following a low-carb diet may improve hormone levels associated with fertility and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It can also help you maintain a healthy weight, lower insulin and testosterone levels, and reduce fat, which can aid in menstrual regularity. Refined carbs, in particular, which are found in sugary and processed foods, cause spikes in blood sugar, have a high glycemic index (GI), and are associated with a greater risk of ovulatory infertility.

6. Switch to Plant-Based Protein Sources
Replacing some animal proteins with plant-based sources (such as beans, nuts, and seeds) may protect against infertility.

7. Opt for High-Fat Dairy
Low-fat foods and dairy items may seem like a good idea at first, but they may actually increase the risk of infertility. Studies showed that an extra eight ounces of whole milk, however, can cut the risk of irregular ovulation by 50 percent.

8. Start Taking Multivitamins
Taking multivitamins—especially those with folate, vitamin E, and vitamin B6—may decrease the chances of irregular ovulation. Adding a multivitamin to your daily routine can ensure you get all the nutrients you need in your diet and help boost your fertility.

9. Reduce Caffeine Intake
Evidence is mixed, but some studies have shown that caffeine may negatively affect female fertility. High caffeine intake before pregnancy may also be associated with miscarriage. While nothing is exactly conclusive, it might be a good idea to cut back on caffeine while you’re trying to get pregnant.

10. Get Active
Exercise has several health benefits including increased fertility. However, too much high-intensity workouts can have the opposite effect. Moderation is key, but being active (even just taking regular walks), will always have a valuable effect on your overall health and be worthwhile.

11. Make Time to Relax

We’ve said before, stressing less could lead to more successful fertility treatments. As your stress increases, your chance of getting pregnant decreases—due, in large part, to stress’s effects on hormone levels. We understand that stress is an almost natural reaction to not being able to conceive naturally and if you’re feeling symptoms of stress (i.e., headaches, stomach cramps, insomnia, etc.) consider speaking to a health professional.

12. Achieve a Healthy Weight

Weight is one of the greatest influencers when it comes to fertility. Women who are at an unhealthy weight tend to have longer or irregular cycles, which makes it more difficult to achieve a pregnancy. Additionally, being overweight can lead to issues with embryo growth and being underweight can lead to a higher risk of ovarian dysfunction and early delivery. Men who are overweight may also experience infertility or contribute to a nonviable pregnancy.
It’s our mission at AZCREI to help you have a successful pregnancy, no matter the treatments or procedures to help you get there. And our team is here to walk with you through the entire journey. Contact us today by calling (520) 326-0001 or visit us online to schedule a time to meet with us.

The 5 Biggest Misconceptions About the Cost of IVF

There are tons of misconceptions when it comes to infertility treatments, specifically in vitro fertilization (IVF). Many of these misconceptions have to do with the costs of the procedure. So many of our patients visit us with the expectation of leaving with a horribly expensive bill, but that’s not the case at Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility.

At every consultation, we take the time to educate our patients, answer their questions, and give them all the information they need to feel financially confident in their decision to grow their family. Here are five of the most common misconceptions we hear, and what you really need to know about the cost of IVF.

 

1. It’ll cost the same at any clinic.
The cost of fertility treatments vary state to state and clinic to clinic. Something as seemingly inconsequential as the cost of rent can affect the overall price you pay. Some centers, like ours, offer IVF package pricing to help make the cost reasonable. We understand that paying for something this significant can be stressful and we don’t want cost to be a factor in your decision to fulfill your dream of becoming a parent. We actively try to keep costs low; two of the ways we do this by offering in-house lab testing and giving you the freedom to purchase your own medications outside of our clinic, which allows you to find the cheapest option.

 

2. I’ll need to save for years and years to afford it.
It’s important to us to be able to help all our patients achieve a pregnancy, regardless of their income. Several couples do save for years to be able to pay for treatments, but that isn’t a necessity for everyone. We also offer pre-pay for services to patients in order to ease the burden on the day of procedure.

 

3. I’ll have to pay for everything out of pocket.
Unfortunately, there is partial truth to this misconception. While some great companies (such as Starbucks, Bank of America, Pinterest, and Intel) offer infertility insurance coverage, most do not, and many of our patients do need to pay out of pocket for at least a portion of procedures. However, even if you don’t have specific fertility coverage, several of the underlying medical conditions that cause infertility may still be covered. In fact, some, if not all, procedures and evaluations are covered by some type of insurance for at least 90 percent of our couples.

 

4. IVF is my only option, and it’s expensive.
When you come in for your initial consultation, we review all your infertility treatment options. Sometimes, IVF makes the most sense to try, that isn’t always the case. We’ll always try to start with the most basic, low-tech, low-cost option for solving your infertility before jumping into IVF. This means you may never have to pay for the costlier treatment. Even if IVF does become a need, we do our best to keep our costs reasonable.

 

5. I’ve got to figure this out all on my own.
At AZCREI, we know that the medical aspects of infertility treatments can be stressful enough, so we try to do everything in our power to reduce the financial burden and make the cost of treatments affordable. Our team is on your side and we’ll work with you to examine your insurance coverage and explore your cost options. You don’t have to take this journey alone in any sense; we’re here to answer your questions and walk with you through it all.

 

Our goal is to help you achieve a pregnancy and have a healthy baby, not be burdened with financial stress. For more information on what starting a family may cost you, visit the Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility online or call us at 520-326-0001.