Monday, May 27, 2013

36 Yr. Old Has Repeated Implantation Failure With Great Embryos...What's Wrong?


Question:
Dear Dr,

We have just had our 4th failed IVF (in vitro fertilization).
Our history.  I am 36, my husband is 39. 1st pregnancy was in 2009 after 3 IuI's (intra uterine insemination) and clomid, but had to terminate at 15 weeks due to large enphaloceale (was a random genetic mutation)and my 2nd pregnancy with IUI was a success with a full term healthy baby boy.

Started with IuI's for 2nd child in 2011! We had 10 IuI's and now 4 IVF's.  Each IVF has been with icsi (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and this time we had Embryo hatching. Last 3 transfers were 3 top grade 8 cell embryos each time on day 3.  I am not a great responder and only ever have 5-7 eggs, of which usually 4 fertilise.
I have had all the immunity checks done, my husbands sperm dna damage is within normal, fertilisation rate is good.  My ovarian reserve was also checked and the level was 1.0- My specialist said that he wasn't overly worried about the reserve for my age.  I have had a hysteroscopy and all normal.  I have been on various drug protocols and this last one was the long Lupron cycle with menapur.

We are just not sure what to do next?  Do we keep going, as my doctors are very positive and we have the finances. Are my doctors missing something?  Is there anything else we can do to improve our chances.  I am on DHEA and Royal Jelly, and my hubby is also on supplements.
I am writing from CapeTown, South Africa.

Thank you for your consideration, R.
Answer:

Hello R. from South Africa,
The exact cause of your failure cannot be known as there are still four steps your embryo has to go through in order to produce a pregnancy: embryo has to develop to blastocyst, the blastocyst has to hatch our of its shell, it then has to attach to the uterine lining and the lining has to grow around it.  As of now, there is no technology that can make this happen.  "Assisted hatching" is just making a defect in the shell so that the embryo can exit (hatch) more easily.

Something I always worry about when I have patients tell me they have failed multiple cycles despite good embryos, is the quality of the final step of the IVF process, which is the transfer.  You can have the absolute best and perfect embryos but if the transfer technique is not done well, then it will fail.  This has been shown by numerous studies.  Since you have been going to the same clinic, I wonder if that is not the problem, in which case, I would recommend that you seek out a different clinic.
One thing that I do with my patients that is not universally accepted but done by many of us, is to use a recurrent miscarriage protocol to reduce the immune system, thinking that a heightened immune system might be at fault.  For this regimen I add low dose heparin or lovenox, medrol, low dose aspirin, extra estrogen and extra progesterone (both injectable and vaginal).  I don't think that DHEA does anything so I don't use it.

At 36 years old, I have a 66% pregnancy rate in my clinic.  By two to three attempts with good 8 cell embryos, you should already be pregnant.  Your rate should especially be increased over other 36 year olds since you have been pregnant before.  For these reasons, I think the fault may lie in your clinic and not in you or your husband. 
Good luck in your journey to have a second child,

Edward J. Ramirez, M.D.
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility And Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF
www.montereybayivf.com
 
Monterey, California, U.S.A.

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Is A Big IVF Clinic Better Than A Small One?


Question:
Hello,

I am writing from Japan and want to ask that can big, crowded clinics be good or are small ones always good? Which is a worst choice...I'm very confused actually....like the crowded one has all the plus points, it is experienced, and cost is little bit lower than other. The big one has the pioneer in begining the IVF (in vitro fertilization) in Japan, the other has good success rates but only opened 6 yrs back...I'm totally confused!
How many cycles should a clinic do per year and what can I use to make my decision?

Please help ! H. from Tokyo

Answer:

Hello H. from Tokyo,
I run a smaller, low volume clinic and have better pregnancy rates that they large ones in my area, including the ones at Stanford University and the University of California, San Francisco.  I feel that I give better more personalized care because I am caring for them personally and completely.  I don't have other people doing what I should be doing.  The biggest disadvantage of a very large clinic is that it is a factory and depersonalized.  IVF should be a personal and intimate procedure, NOT a mechanical one.  So, of course I have a bias.  I would not recommend a small clinic that has a poor pregnancy rate, but if it has a good pregnancy rate, I think that is the better place to go.  I don't care how big and famous the larger clinic is or how many cycles they do, if it were me and my wife doing this I would want a clinic where the doctor is going to give us personalized attention the entire way, including personally do the retrieval and transfer procedures. I know that at the larger clinic in Japan you will rarely if EVER get to see the "famous" doctor,  so what good is it to go there? The smaller clinic will probably give you a better experience even though it is at a slightly higher cost.

In the U.S., people prefer to go to clinics where they get one on one personalized care, not where they are treated as another number.

幸運 ... Good Luck!

Edward J. Ramirez, M.D.
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility And Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF
www.montereybayivf.com

Monterey, California, U.S.A.

 

Friday, May 10, 2013

How To Reduce The Risk Of OHSS


Question:
Hello,

I have been able to get pregnant naturally, but due to my kidney disease was not able to carry to term.  I have about 50 percent kidney function due to mild segmental mesangial sclerorsis.  I'm planning on pursuing surrogacy and would like to know what you would recommend for cycling treatment to reduce to the risk of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) during the stimulation process?
Thank you, R. from California
Answer:

Hello R. from the U.S. (California),
First, I would choose a good IVF clinic.  OHSS is mostly due to overstimulation.  You'll want a doctor that is cautious, has a protocol to reduce the chances of developing OHSS and watches his patients carefully.

Second, OHSS tends to be most common in patients with PCOS where the ovaries are very sensitive to the stimulation.  If you don't have PCOS, then the chances of developing this problem are lower.

Third, patients at risk for OHSS get less medication than patients not at risk.  That is because their ovaries are so sensitive that they don't need much stimulation, and in fact, you don't want to stimulate them too strongly.  So a low dose FSH only or FSH/LH protocol is used.  I also don't use the "long protocol" in patients at risk for OHSS.  The long protocol is using Lupron injections starting from the luteal phase of the preceding cycle.  I use the antagonist protocol (the antagonist is to prevent spontaneous ovulation by suppressing the ovaries) which then allows me to trigger with Lupron instead of HCG (such as Ovidrel).

Finally, the estradiol levels and close monitoring of follicular growth are required so find a physician/clinic that works closely with their patients.  A large "factory" type of clinic is probably not a good choice. See this article regarding an American egg donor who underwent an IVF cycle through a Canadian clinic in 2011 to get an idea of the worst case scenario:  http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/03/28/kylee-gilman-sues-toronto-fertility-doctor/

Good Luck!

Edward J. Ramirez, M.D.
Executive Medical Director
The Fertility And Gynecology Center
Monterey Bay IVF
www.montereybayivf.com

Monterey, California, U.S.A.

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