4 Advances That Make In Vitro Fertilization More Successful Than Ever

Tanmoy Mukherjee, MD Associate Director, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Mount Sinai Health System; Co-Director, Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York; Assistant Clinical Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai When prospective parents who are unable to conceive a child on their own consult me for assistance, I am excited to help them build their families. But for them, dealing with the challenges of infertility can be as stressful as having cancer. Fortunately, the latest advances in in vitro fertilization (IVF) are giving them a better chance than ever of achieving their dreams. What Is In Vitro Fertilization? IVF is a medical and surgical approach to conception that involves fertilizing eggs outside a woman's body. Normally, women produce one egg per monthly menstrual cycle, but IVF requires several eggs to increase the effectiveness of each procedure. To boost egg production, women take a series of medications over the course of two weeks. Mature eggs are then retrieved during a minor surgical procedure in a physician's office, and fertilized in the laboratory with the partner's sperm. After about five days, one or two of the developing embryos are inserted into the woman's uterus or, more and more these days, biopsied, frozen, and saved for future use. IVF treats infertility caused by various factors, including damaged or blocked fallopian tubes, male problems (such as l...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news