Ways to Increase Fertility – Take the Quiz!
There are countless recommended ways to increase fertility and outside factors that contribute to one’s ability to conceive. With so much information available, it can be difficult to determine which components will actually have an impact on your fertility. Can you distinguish myth from fact? Take our Fertility Quiz now to see how much you really know!
If you have any questions or concerns with fertility, reach out to the Fertility Specialists at Aspire. Feel free to contact us and make an appointment at either our Dallas or Houston clinic locations. We also have an Atlanta fertility clinic opening in September.
Differences Between Fresh Embryo Transfer and Delayed Embryo Transfer
When considering IVF treatment, it is important to understand the difference between a fresh embryo transfer and a delayed embryo transfer.
Fresh embryo transfer is an option in which the embryo is transferred back into the woman’s uterus during the same ovulation cycle in which the eggs were retrieved and fertilized. This typically occurs five to six days after fertilization.
Delayed embryo transfer is an option during IVF treatment in which the fertilized embryos are frozen for future transfer to the woman’s uterus.
Instead of implanting embryos while the body’s cycle is altered by IVF, eggs are first retrieved, grown in a lab for five to six days and then frozen. Freezing techniques have made significant strides in recent years. Aspire uses vitrification which is the process of freezing so rapidly that the water molecules do not have time to form ice crystals. It is a more complicated and successful process than the slow-freeze method of the past.
People often wonder if freezing hurts the embryo; the answer is no. The process preserves the embryo in time and allows for the option of genetic screening to test for certain genetic medical conditions like Cystic Fibrosis or Sickle Cell Anemia. Genetic testing can also provide the gender of the embryo. The embryo can be frozen indefinitely or until the women is ready to become pregnant.
Once the uterus environment recovers from the stress of IVF, and has returned to a more normal cycle, the embryo is then thawed and implanted. These advanced techniques more closely resemble natural conception and result in increased pregnancy and live birth rates, decreased miscarriages, and healthier babies. Delayed Embryo Transfer during IVF greatly increases the chance for successful implantation.
Aspire provides Delayed Embryo Transfers as our standard of care for our IVF treatments at no additional cost to patients. If you would like to speak with a fertility expert, please contact us if you have any questions or need support.
Common Ethical Issues with Egg Donation
There are many ethical issues with egg donation to consider. Here are a few common issues that people who are considering using donor eggs face.
How important is it to the parents that the child is genetically related to them?
Is the goal a healthy pregnancy or a genetically related healthy pregnancy? Often times, the use of a donor egg is more beneficial, because it results in a healthy and successful pregnancy when a woman’s own eggs are not of good quality.
Is parenting better done at a younger age or an older age?
It can be better to have youth on your side, but it can also be good to have maturity when it comes to parenting. After age 40, IVF is often more successful using donor eggs. Some benefits to using donor eggs is the ability to avoid negative genetic and psychological health issues.
How will you explain to your child about how they were conceived and at what age?
What if your child wants to meet his or her biological parents? If your donor is known, then you could arrange for this to happen. It is helpful to think about what you would want their relationship to look like if your child did meet his or her biological parents.
How does your religion view the use of donor eggs?
It can be helpful to talk with a leader of your church about this in addition to pinpointing your own beliefs.
Is it ethical for a sister to donate eggs to her sister?
Who will carry the baby and how will this be explained? This is a common scenario and all parties involved (including husbands) must go through a psychological evaluation and be approved to move forward.
Making a list of pros and cons in addition to speaking with a counselor can help reduce anxiety about the use of donor eggs. Contact Aspire Fertility with any additional questions regarding ethical concerns with egg donation.
