Photo credit: Infertile.com - All Rights Reserved

This article brings up lots of interesting questions!

I wonder if lengthening your dosage of Clomid alone would help some? The only thing is, how long would you lengthen it, if you weren't being monitored? Perhaps to day 10-12? And then I wondered, some are using Soy Isoflavones as if it were Clomid - would it work the same, taking it for an extended time?

Mini-IVF
When patients contemplate IVF, their first reaction is often the fear of daily injections of hormones for months, the incredibly high cost of the drugs, the risk of multiple pregnancy and consequent prematurity, side effects related to high levels of estrogen resulting from large numbers of eggs, hyperstimulation syndrome, and the prospect of painful daily progesterone injections for a full ten weeks even after the IVF procedure.

Mini-IVF is a very unique approach developed by our colleagues in Japan to circumvent these problems and to simplify IVF for patients, reducing the cost while maintaining comparable success rates.

Mini-IVF is designed to recruit only a few (but high quality) eggs, thus avoiding the risks of hyperstimulation, reducing the cost of drugs from an average of $4,000 to closer to $400, reducing the number of injections, and completely avoiding the painful progesterone injections.

This approach is not just a simple-minded reduction in hormonal stimulation. It is an ingeniously conceived and completely different approach to IVF, that saves the patient much of the complexity and cost associated with more conventional IVF protocols. Here is how it works.

On Day 3 of the menstrual cycle, you start on a low dose of Clomid (50mg), but you don’t stop the Clomid in five days as is usually the custom. You just keep taking the Clomid until ultrasound monitoring shows the follicles to be ready for ovulation. A very low booster dose of gonadotropin (just 150 iu of FSH), is added on Days 8, 10, and 12.

Clomid not only stimulates your own pituitary to release FSH naturally (by blocking estrogen’s suppressing effect), but also staying on the Clomid (a unique new approach) blocks estrogen’s stimulation of LH release, and so also usually prevents premature ovulation. Thus, with this simple change in protocol, the old-fashioned, cheap Clomid is able to stimulate the development of great quality eggs for IVF.

Another advantage of this protocol is that you did not have to go on Lupron first to suppress the pituitary. Staying on Clomid blocks estrogen from stimulating your pituitary to release LH, and this prevents premature ovulation without your having to be suppressed.

This means that you can be induced to ovulate with just a simple injection or nasal sniff of Lupron. This causes a more natural LH surge, and avoids the luteal phase defect caused by HCG that would otherwise require months of progesterone injections.

The next step is to recognize that Clomid has a negative effect on the uterine lining (because it prevents estrogen from stimulating the endometrium). That is one reason why results in the past have been so poor with the use of Clomid for ovarian stimulation. The embryos are less likely to implant in such endometrium.

But that problem is solved by using the Japanese protocol for embryo freezing, vitrification, which I discuss elsewhere. We can now freeze the embryos almost with impunity using this approach, with only a 1% risk of loss. Then these embryos are transferred the next month in a natural cycle with no need for taking any hormones at all.

The frozen embryo transfers can then all be performed in a later natural cycle (without hormones). Even if you don't normally ovulate predictably, you can be given one injection of Lupron in the follicular phase (once your follicle reaches 1.5cm) to induce natural luteinization, and still have a natural cycle embryo transfer with no hormones.

The Day 3 frozen embryo would then be transferred five days later, and there is no need for your taking any hormones at all.

Even for poor prognosis cases of older women with low remaining ovarian reserve, there is an advantage to mini-IVF over high dose stimulation. Such patients normally yield very few eggs anyway even with huge megadoses of gonadotropin.

If they have any quality eggs remaining, mini-IVF is just as likely to yield as many eggs (very few, of course) as giving huge megadoses of gonadotropin. Even in the worst case scenario, if there are no good eggs left at all, at least they can discover this with only $400 spent on drugs instead of $7,100 (cost of maximum dosage).

Think of this simple parable: If you are sitting under an apple tree, and wish to eat the most ripe and ready apples, you have a choice. You can chop down the tree, and look at every apple on the fallen tree to see which ones were ready. Or you can simply try to shake the lower branches and eat the one or two that have fallen.

That is the idea of mini-IVF. It may not work for everyone, but for many patients, it will remove much of the aggravation and complexity associated with IVF, and also dramatically reduce the cost.

Source: Infertile.com

A few women said that this was Dr. Zhang's protocol, as well as Dr. Silber

Dr. Zhang and Dr. Silber are affiliated with each other, and also with the Kato Clinic in Japan, where these techniques were developed. The Kato Clinic is the largest IVF center in the world.

Dr Zhang works out of NYC - newhopefertility.com

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Here is what my doctor told me. Most doctors prescribe it 5-9 because that's what comes with the literature for the drug.
Most doctors who have a lot of experience prescribing it choose days 3-7, because it has less effect on the lining.
Clomid reduces cervical mucus and reduces the thickness of your lining.
Taken earlier it gives a chance for estrogen to build up again before ovulation.
My doctor said to take it 3-7 because he's seen too many chemical pregnancies taking it 5-9.   From the Clomid board on FertilityFriend.com

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
3 Steps to Fertility
by Marina Nicholas

-- The world of infertility can be complex and daunting.

This book helps couples navigate the world of infertility treatment and tells them how they can maximize their chances of conceiving by following the three essential steps—gaining a full understanding of what conception entails, completing the necessary fertility tests at the appropriate time, and choosing the treatment that will improve their chances of having a baby.

Each infertile couple is unique, and what suits one couple may not suit another.

Some may be more comfortable first looking into complementary therapies while others will opt for immediate in-vitro fertilization.

With detailed information on assisted conception techniques, all possible tests, and how diet, ovulation tracking, hypnotherapy, reflexology, acupuncture, and herbal medicine can improve one's chances of having a baby, this book will help all couples find the right approach for them.

It also will ensure they are both better informed and more open to all forms of treatment as they embark on their journeys to parenthood.

Paperback: 160 pages
Click to order/for more info: 3 Steps to Fertility

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In an effort to help all patients afford treatment and significantly boost their chance of pregnancy success, in 2009 Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI) announced the Attain IVF Refund Program.

This was a unique treatment option designed to increase the odds of a baby for infertility patients, by offering an affordable course-of-treatment approach.

The program promised patients a baby, or their money back (70% - 100%) - guaranteed.

Additional Program Information:

• Many infertility patients drop out of treatment too early due to financial concerns and don't realize their dream of having a baby
• 60% of IVF patients under the age of 35, and almost 70% of patients aged 35-37 may need more than one IVF cycle to have a baby
• Nearly 50% of donor egg recipients may need more than one IVF treatment cycle to have a baby
• Attain provides multiple IVF treatment cycles for one discounted fixed fee
• They receive up to 6 cycles (3 IVF and 3 frozen embryo transfers)
• If they don't have a baby, they are guaranteed a refund – 70% for IVF treatment procedures
• Special program for patients using donor eggs – up to 100% refund
• Three out of four participants who complete the program have a baby

For more information of the Attain IVF Refund Program visit Fertility Centers of Illinois

Read more...

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TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Laughing IS Conceivable
by Lori Shandle-Fox

-- Laughing IS Conceivable is One Woman's Extremely Funny Peek into the Extremely Unfunny World of Infertility.

What happens when a professional humor writer and former stand-up comic goes through months and months of fertility treatments?

She uses her comedy background to help her cope with it all of course.

Laughing IS Conceivable was almost entirely written while the author was in the trenches going through IUI and IVF right alongside the reader... uncertain of the outcome.

It uses humor to de-stress infertility sufferers, their families and medical teams.

It's relief for those who feel they just can't deal with infertility one minute more and that nobody truly understands.

It's a fun and cheap gift for those friends and relatives who still don't.

It's a glimpse over the reception desk and at the other end of the examination table for medical professionals and their staffs who meet and treat infertile patients every day.

Start reading Laughing IS Conceivable on your Kindle in under a minute!

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

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CNY Fertility Center Celebrates National Infertility Awareness Week by giving away four FREE IVF Cycles.

DETAILS:
CNY Fertility will take registrations to win these free IVF cycles up until Sunday, May 2nd, 2010, 9AM at which time the registration will be closed. We will gather the registrant data during the week of May 3rd – 9th and notify all registrants of their registrant number. On Monday, May10th, Dr. Rob Kiltz will announce the 4 winning numbers during his Support Webinar.

Click on this link to enter to win 1 free IVF Cycle.

Click on this link to join Dr. Rob’s Support Webinar on May 10th.

Email Kristen@cnyfertility.com to join the Tele-Workshop: Focusing on Flourishing on Thursday, April 29, 2010, 6:30pm.

Read more...

Recent Keyword Searches: how old can you be and still get pregnant, i got pregnant at 40 with ivf and low amh, can menopause become pregnant, can i get pregnant at 41?, how to get pregnant at 43

Every year thousand of families are created with the assistance of in-vitro fertilization. Many of those newborns are twins. While some may see this as a double blessing, it is important to understand that there are many potential risks associated with multiple gestation. Statistics show that a higher percentage of twins are born prematurely. Premature birth can cause complications resulting in physical impairment, learning disabilities, and even death. In addition to the increased risk to the children born of multiple pregnancy, there is also an increased risk of complications associated with carrying multiples for the pregnant woman.

Pacific Fertility Center has been taking steps to minimize the risk of multiple gestation for several years. "We have worked actively to increase pregnancy rates and decrease the number of multiples," comments Carolyn Givens, M.D. "Balancing high pregnancy rates with low pregnancy risk improves pregnancy outcomes. Thus, achieving this balance and reducing the risk of multiple gestation is our goal."

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The Attain IVF programs, pioneered by IntegraMed, consisting of an Attain IVF Refund Program and an Attain IVF Multi-cycle Program, offer IVF patients an attractive alternative to better manage the financial commitment associated with undergoing IVF treatment.

For a discounted, fixed up-front cost, the Attain IVF Refund Program provides patients with a series of six IVF treatments while refunding of up to 70% of their fees if their treatments do not result in having a baby, or 100% if donor egg cycles do not result in having a baby. The Attain IVF Multi-Cycle Program also offers a discounted, fixed up-front cost for a series of four IVF treatments.

The Attain IVF programs offer an opportunity for IVF patients to increase significantly their chances of success by allowing them to stay in treatment longer. For more information about the Attain IVF Programs please visit www.attainivf.com.

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New Life Agency, Inc. today announced that it has joined forces with New Jersey-based The Diamond Institute IVF Center and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy to create the nation's first IVF insurance program. The Assisted Reproduction Care (ARC) Insurance Program(SM) offers patients suffering from infertility feasible financial solutions for the ever-rising costs of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatments, procedures and fertility medications.

The ARC Insurance Program(SM) combines insurance coverage with a fertility medication discount plan that can save The Diamond Institute IVF center's patients more than 50 percent on the cost of standard services, totaling thousands of dollars over the average treatment term. In addition, the program offers hundreds of dollars in discounts on fertility medications through Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. The innovative program goes beyond the traditional IVF shared risk program offered by some IVF centers by aggregating the cost of consultations, testing, complication insurance, IVF treatments, surgical treatments and medications to offer unbeatable total savings.

The ARC Insurance Program(SM) offers 10 doctor-recommend plan options for individual fertility needs, allowing the patient to move through their treatment process fully aware of the total cost of each phase. If pregnancy is not achieved, the program offers refunds and credits during the 18-month enrollment term.

New Life leveraged its industry-leading insurance offerings along with its exclusive third-party administration capabilities through New World Administrators, Inc. to forge this unique strategic relationship with Diamond Institutes IVF Center and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. The ARC Insurance Program(SM) is currently offered exclusively through The Diamond Institute IVF Center and will be expanded to additional approved IVF centers and providers in 2010.

Trish Taylor, president of New Life Agency, announced, "Our partnership with Diamond Institute and Walgreens is a great beginning to an industry-altering turn towards giving patients facing infertility more financial control and insurance surety where they have none today. Our partnerships' demonstrate our company's commitment to help patients and we hope more IVF centers will join our program when we open our offerings to additional providers in 2010."

Matan Yemini, MD, co-director of The Diamond Institute said today, "Our IVF centers' collaboration with New Life was more than a year in creation and is a unique program to serve patients in these tough economic times."

Enyde Polesuk, vice president of product development for Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy added, "Our goal is to offer personalized fertility care and the best possible solution for these very specialized pharmacy needs. We are pleased to be a part of this first-of-its-kind cost-savings offering and look forward to making our services more accessible than ever for hopeful parents-to-be."

Source



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Poppy Ella Petterson is an IVF treatment baby - and her parents cherish every moment with her because of it.

When Rachel Petterson hadn't fallen pregnant after four years of trying, she and husband Gaine sought advice.

They went to Hamilton's Fertility Associates and underwent rigorous health checks and tests to make sure they could have IVF treatment.

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Although an increasing number of women now choose to postpone having children until their early 30s and many are successful, others will find it increasingly difficult to conceive even with assisted reproduction techniques like IVF.

The development of the body clock test, and its widespread availability through the forthcoming UK Body Clock Network, allows women to take control and make informed decisions about their reproductive lifestyle choices.

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IntegraMed America Inc., the Purchase-based company that runs vein clinics and fertility centers, said that the Cleveland Clinic has begun offering its Attain IVF Program to patients undergoing fertility treatment.