IVF and Other Advanced Reproductive Technologies Archives

How To Choose the Right IVF Clinic

Posted January 16, 2018 by NRM

If you are struggling with infertility, you may be ready to consult a reproductive specialist. But how will you know if you’ve selected the right IVF clinic? You have many options for fertility treatment, but you’ll need to carefully examine each practice to find the one where you feel comfortable and that offers the best chance of success. Here are some things to consider when selecting a clinic. IVF Clinic Success Rates Fertility clinics that are members of the Society of Reproductive Technology report pregnancy rates annually. Those statistics are a good place to determine a clinic’s overall outcomes. For example, Read more »

ICSI vs. IVF

Posted December 8, 2017 by NRM

ICSI and IVF are two scientific processes of fertilization that are similar in some ways and quite different in others. Both procedures help couples struggling with infertility achieve fertilization and expand their families. The two procedures are different, however, in the methods used to achieve this fertilization. In vitro fertilization (IVF) combines eggs and sperm outside the body. Reproductive specialists collect eggs and sperm, known as gametes, from each partner. Then, in a process known as insemination, the embryologists put the gametes together in a special dish and place that dish in a special chamber. The sperm swims around the dish and attempts Read more »

Why choose donor egg IVF? Understanding your options and the process.

Posted November 29, 2017 by NRM

If you are having difficulty conceiving due to diminished ovarian reserve, consider donor IVF to grow your family. Low ovarian reserve refers to the condition where you have a reduced quantity or quality of eggs being released from your ovaries. Donor IVF fertility treatment provides you with an egg donor followed by fertilization in the lab with your partner’s sperm, or donor sperm so that you can then carry the pregnancy. Patients may also opt for the services of a gestational surrogate. How Does Donor In-Vitro Fertilization Work? Donor IVF uses a donated egg (oocyte) to enhance your chances of conception. The donors are Read more »

What Are the Gender Selection Methods?

Posted November 13, 2017 by NRM

For couples planning to have a baby, gender selection may be relevant for medical reasons or for the purpose of family balancing. Gender selection methods may be utilized in these cases. These range from options that can be tried at home and carry a low rate of accuracy to options that can be performed through medical intervention and are much more likely to be successful. Couples who are very serious about having a child of a specific gender will want to address the issue from a medical standpoint for the highest level of success. Reasons for Gender Selection The most common Read more »

Is In-Vitro Fertilization Right for You?

Posted June 24, 2017 by NRM

Assisted reproductive technologies have made a great difference for couples who are trying to conceive a pregnancy. Fertility treatment is a complex process, but many different treatments are currently available at our Vermont fertility clinic. Among these is IVF (In vitro fertilization) . Here are the basics about IVF from Northeastern Reproductive Medicine in Colchester, Vermont. All About In Vitro Fertilization The term “in vitro” is literally translated as “in glass.” Essentially, it involves combining eggs and sperm outside the body. This was one of the earliest types of fertility techniques and led to the term test-tube baby (a glass culture plate is actually Read more »

Breaking news: Egg Freezing has come of age in Vermont!

Posted February 17, 2017 by NRM

Take a peek at these adorable NRM babies: to our knowledge this is the first pregnancy from eggs frozen in Vermont! Fertility clinics have for decades been able to freeze and thaw embryos (an egg fertilized with sperm). Embryos are made up of many cells, and are more robust thus allowing them to survive the freezing and thawing process. Eggs, however, are one single cell full of a large content of water. Eggs are difficult to freeze without destroying the integrity of their DNA, but a new technology called vitrification (a flash-freeze avoiding ice crystal development) has allowed egg freezing to Read more »

Stress and Infertility: What’s the connection?

Posted September 24, 2015 by Claire

Have you felt frustrated or irritated when someone says, “Just relax, and you’ll get pregnant!” –Don’t we all wish it were this easy? Anyone who has experienced infertility knows can be stressful, but is the opposite true—can stress cause infertility? Research suggests that psychological stress and fertility are connected, but we don’t fully understand how. Infertility can evoke a wide range of emotions ranging from sadness, depression and grief to anxiety or isolation. Research has shown that psychological counseling can be effective to reduce levels of anxiety and depression, increase coping, and improve quality of life. Can this reduction in Read more »

Frozen Embryo Transfers (FETs)- a good option for me?

Posted March 17, 2015 by Claire

Following in-vitro fertilization, you may have your embryos transferred via Fresh or Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). Over the past decade, the number of FETs reported to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) increased dramatically- for example, from 2006-2012, FETs increased 82.5%, compared to a 3.1% increase in fresh transfers. In conjunction, the percentage of live births per FET increased more than fresh transfers*. There is a clear trend to utilize FET across the country, likely from multiple simultaneous causes including: Improved cyropreservation (freezing) techniques Prevention of OHSS in high-responders Increased use of genetic screening Decrease in number of embryos Read more »