Services we offer include:

Ovulation induction (OI) – This treatment involves the female partner taking “fertility” medication to induce egg development.  The two most common medication options are Clomiphene Citrate (Clomid) and Letrozole (Femara).  Occasionally, injectable hormones are used in combination or alone to assist in this process.  Your provider will discuss with you the risks and benefits of these medications and also which is recommended for your specific treatment plan.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) – This process, also known as artificial insemination, is designed to get higher numbers of sperm closer to the egg by placing the sperm directly into the uterus.  The male partner gives a semen sample, which is then specially prepped in the andrology laboratory.  The prepped sperm is then placed into a small catheter which is gently guided through the cervix into the uterus where the sperm are injected.

In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) – In this process, a woman’s eggs are combined with sperm in the laboratory instead of inside the fallopian tube.  There are several steps to this process which involves the women taking medication to stimulate multiple eggs to develop.  These eggs are then surgically retrieved from the ovary.  Fertilized eggs (embryos) are then cultured (allowed to grow and develop) for several days.  Embryos are then transferred back into the uterus or cryopreserved (frozen) for later pregnancy attempts.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) – This is a very specific part of the IVF process, where instead of just combining the egg and sperm together, the embryologist injects each egg with a single sperm.

Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing (PGT) of Embryos – Embryos composed of an abnormal number of chromosome (too many too few) will likely cause failed implantation, miscarriage, or lead to birth of a child with a genetic disorder.  Embryos with a normal number of chromosomes are call euploid and those with an abnormal number are called aneuploid. There are three genetic testing options available to you:

    • (1) Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies (PGT-A). Patients with no known genetic defects can use this technique to screen embryos for abnormalities in chromosome number. Since the laboratory doesn’t know of a specific genetic defect, this test looks for missing or extra chromosomes.
    • (2) Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic/Single Gene Defects (PGT-M). This is a more specific test than PGT-A as the laboratory knows a very specific genetic mutation to look for. Since the genetic defect is known, the laboratory will likely develop a specific probe to search for that mutation.
    • (3) Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Structural Rearrangement (PGT-SR). Occasionally, male or female patients will have the correct number of chromosomes but sections of chromosomes have traded places. The correct amount of genetic material is present in cells but the location of the material has switch places. This is referred to as a balanced translocation. During reproduction, eggs or sperm can have too much or too little of this genetic material which than causes an unbalanced translocation (aneuploidy) in the embryo.
    • Embryos are tested once they reach the blastocyst stage (5-7 days of embryo development).  An embryologist will take a few cells from the blastocyst to send for genetic testing.  Results typically take around 2 weeks to return.  All embryos are cryopreserved while awaiting test results.  In a subsequent frozen embryo (FET) cycle, a euploid embryo is thawed and transferred back into the uterus.

Requirements for ART treatments:

  • BMI <45 for ovulation induction with or without IUI
  • BMI <40 for tubal reversal
  • BMI <40 for IVF
  • Age <45 for IVF using autologous (your own) eggs – individual circumstances are reviewed for women age 40 and over
  • Age <50 for IVF using donor eggs
  • Non-smoker (for IVF)
  • Lesbian couples must be married (for reciprocal IVF) due to known donor testing requirements