In vitro maturation or IVM is a new IVF procedure which does not use medications to stimulate the ovaries. Immature eggs are harvested from women's ovaries without stimulation.

The eggs are matured in the laboratory and then fertilized and transferred as they are with IVF. Infertility Solutions, P.C. has been providing IVM to patients for two years.

For the calendar year 2011, they report an ongoing pregnancy rate of 43.8% for IVM cycle starts in women below age 35.

The first IVM baby in this region was conceived at Infertility Solutions in January 2011.

 Dr. Bruce I. Rose, the medical director of Infertility Solutions, P.C., reports that "Our IVM program continues to evolve and I believe it is getting better. For example, last year we had a 13% cycle cancellation rate, but this year there were no cycle cancellations. All patients who started an IVM cycle had a chance of conceiving."

For more information: www.infertilitysolutions.com
Contact for appointments: 610-776-1217

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In October 2007, a British woman whose eggs were matured in a lab rather than her body gave birth to healthy twins, marking the U.K. debut of a procedure that could spare women using assisted reproduction from potentially dangerous fertility drugs.

During in vitro fertilization—IVF, the standard assisted-reproduction technique—women take drugs to stimulate egg production and maturation. The eggs are then harvested, fertilized, and implanted. The drugs, however, sometimes cause a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which in rare cases can be life-threatening.

During in vitro maturation, or IVM, immature eggs are removed and nurtured in a lab before being fertilized and implanted. Only one dose of fertility drugs is required.

The technique is still immature: The BBC reports that, of 2 million children born worldwide through IVF, around 400 were produced through IVM; success rates of lab-matured eggs are currently lower than those used in IVF. But for women who are especially sensitive to fertility drugs, or want to freeze eggs for future use, IVM may be a good option.

Source: http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/2009/04/27/Sparing-Women-From-Fertility-Drugs

Picture by www.pullingdownthemoon.com
ROCKVILLE, Md.,, Sept 29, 2008 /PRNewswire - USNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Nation's leading fertility center announces opening of an onsite holistic care center.

In a formal acknowledgement of the value of combining Western and Eastern medical techniques to optimize patient care, Shady Grove Fertility Reproductive Science Center, the nation's largest fertility and in vitro fertilization (IVF) center, announces the opening of a full-service holistic center in its Rockville headquarters offering complementary therapies such as fertility-focused acupuncture and yoga.

As of Oct. 1, Pulling Down the Moon -- founded in 2002 in Chicago through a similar alliance with Fertility Centers of Illinois -- will offer Shady Grove Fertility patients the option of supplementing their conventional treatment program with Integrative Care for Fertility(TM), its proprietary holistic approach that includes fertility yoga, acupuncture, massage, nutrition counseling, spiritual guidance and more.

Full article: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/acupuncture-infertility-now-offered-shady/story.aspx?guid={ADB70307-53CD-4F31-AC70-9B39860900F5}&dist=hppr

A mother has given birth to twins using a revolutionary new fertility treatment for the first time in the UK.

The fertility technique, called in vitro maturation (IVM), could be a good alternative to conventional IVF for some high-risk women, say experts.

Under the process, women do not first need to take potentially risky fertility drugs as they do with IVF.

The technique is also cheaper and faster - but its success rate is lower and it is not available on the NHS.

Doing well

The twins were delivered a minute apart on Thursday 18 October.

The boy was born first, weighing 6lb 11oz, while his sister weighed 5lb 14oz. Both were said to be doing well.

Their names have not been released by their parents, who wish to protect their privacy.

Under IVM, the mother gave birth to the twins using her own eggs matured in a laboratory

In January, the Oxford Fertility Centre was awarded the only licence in the UK to offer IVM.

The technique is still relatively new - about 400 IVM babies have been born globally, compared to 2 million IVF babies.

For standard IVF treatment, a woman needs to take drugs to shut down her ovaries and then undergo two weeks of daily hormone injections so that mature eggs can be retrieved from her ovaries.

With IVM the woman needs only one injection. The immature eggs are retrieved from a woman's unstimulated ovaries under ultrasound guidance and then matured in the laboratory for 1-2 days.

Some women develop a potentially fatal reaction to the powerful drugs needed for normal cycles of IVF.

With both treatments, once the eggs are fertilised in the lab the resulting embryos are transferred to the woman's womb.

Tim Child, consultant gynaecologist at the Oxford Fertility Clinic says IVM has clear benefits over IVF for some women, particularly those with polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Not only does it reduce inconvenience and discomfort, it also removes the risk of a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).

In mild and moderate cases, affecting up to 20% of women undergoing ovary stimulation, this leads to symptoms such as swelling and breathlessness that resolves.

However, in about 1% the symptoms can become so severe that they are deadly. Among women with PCOS, the rate is nearer 5-10%.

Expense

IVM treatment is also shorter and less expensive than IVF.

On the flip-side, the success rates are lower, however.

Mr Child said: "IVF, overall, has a better success rate, but the side effects are higher.

"Patients should have the choice of an alternative. IVM is safer, simpler, cheaper and more acceptable."

Some have expressed theoretical concerns that the maturation process could somehow damage the eggs and lead to abnormalities in any resulting babies.

This has not been borne out by the IVM births to date, although experts say they will continue to scrutinise the safety of this new treatment.

Mr Child said the twins, who were born 18 October, were both doing well.

Dr Richard Fleming, of the Glasgow Centre for Reproductive Medicine and the British Fertility Society, said: "This is good news. There is always a need for alternative ways of doing things."

He said women should be counselled about the pros and cons of both treatments.

A spokeswoman for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said the organisation would be closely tracking the use and outcomes of IVM.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7058291.stm