New Hope is Here on the Weekends!

ivf nyc

Trying to schedule your fertility treatment among all the other things on your “To Do” list can be difficult.  That’s why our team of committed fertility specialists, RNs, MAs, sonographers, phlebotomists and embryologists are available 365 days of the year.

New Hope Fertility’s West Side clinic not only makes commuting easy by sitting in New York City’s Columbus Circle, but also ensures you get a seat in our waiting room — even on the weekends.

If you’re having trouble making the time for a consult during the week, don’t forget our office is open from 7AM to 3PM on the weekends.  If you’re already part of the New Hope family, you can schedule your monitoring between 7AM and 2PM on Saturday and Sunday as well.

Get ahead of summer plans and start realizing your dreams — visit New Hope on the web to schedule a consultation or give us a call at (212) 400-9614.

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Single vs. Double Embryo Transfers

safe ivf, single embryo transfers

Since its founding in 2004, New Hope Fertility has always strived to bring safer and more effective IVF practices to the forefront of fertility care.

A leading advocate of Single Embryo Transfers (eSET), our protocols support a less is more philosophy.  When it comes to your fertility care, we believe in less danger and more safety for the mother and child.  This means transferring less embryos during your IVF treatment to ensure we can fulfill this peace of mind.  A recent study published in the March edition of Fertility and Sterility supports the safety and efficacy of eSET.

In the study, the health of two singletons from the same mother (eSET) and the health of IVF twins and their mother (double embryo transfer) were the primary focus.

The findings? The health conditions of the mother and child following eSET treatments were much more favorable than that of IVF twins:

The neonatal and maternal outcomes were dramatically better for women undergoing two IVF singleton pregnancies compared with one IVF twin pregnancy after double-embryo transfers.

Not only were IVF twins born “very” pre-term with significantly lower birth weights, but were reported as having more serious complications, including respiratory issues and jaundice (a yellow complexion associated with too much bilirubin in the blood that can lead to birth defects).  Mothers who elected for double-embryo transfers were more likely to experience pre-eclampsia and go into labor early, too.

We’re always thrilled to read more research that supports our most important protocols. To read more on our minimally invasive approach to IVF, visit us on the web or schedule a consultation.

Here’s to spreading safer and more effective practices!

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Guest Post: Mini-IVF™ & Natural Cycle for Same Sex Couples

Mini-IVF™ for same sex couples

IVF & Same Sex Couples – The ‘Same’ Subjects?

With the government recently announcing the legalisation of marriage for same sex couples, it’s understandable that many parties are taking on a number of stances. Whilst religious believers question the nature of same sex marriage, another ‘hot’ topic has also made the headlines with the NHS raising the age limit for IVF treatment from 39 to 42.

Two very different, but altogether, intensely related and dependable matters that do not only raise their own questions, but also those that are entwined.

Hitting The Headlines

With both of these issues, come’s the unavoidable ethical queries; Should it be allowed? Does it breach our moral fibres? What are the damaging effects? But whilst these can be argued and debated till the end of time, the reality of the situation is that IVF treatment and same sex marriage are two very real concepts in today’s modern society.

Since the ‘birth’ of In Vitro Fertilisation back in the late 70’s, many a couple have been able to experience the feeling of parenthood in the face of infertility. Providing couples with the chance to raise a family of their own has always been a resounding factor. But in the instance of same sex couples, many people do appear to be missing the point.

Two Topics, Both Alike

As well as occupying the concept of fairness and equality, IVF allows same sex couples – both gay and lesbian – to also experience the realms of parenthood from a situation where the ability to conceive is not conventionally possible. But whilst heterosexual couples turn to IVF when infertility is an issue, it is not the fertility of same sex couple that is of concern, but the lack of ‘integral’ parts.

In conventional types of IVF treatment, ovarian stimulation and fertility-inducing drugs are used in order to increase the chances of a fertile egg. The presence of such drugs does come with some side effects such as nausea, fullness and diarrhoea to more serious and threatening complications such as multiple luteinised cysts within the ovaries due to Ovarian Hyper-stimulation Syndrome.

Unnecessary Risks

When fertility is not the underlying issue, it does not make sense to expose donors and couples to such health risks, which is why Natural or Mild-stimulation IVF techniques must be adopted. Mothers and donor mothers can conceive naturally through the collection of an egg during the woman’s natural menstrual cycle without the use of drugs.

This not only eliminates the side-effects and complications that can arise from using such drugs, but also removes the risk of any long-term effects to both the mother and child. This is especially the case when the effects of using fertility inducing drugs in the long term are still relatively unknown. Whilst some studies proclaim that the long term effects are minimal to non-existence, is the life or your baby, donor or even your own life worth the risk?

Whilst the ethics, beliefs and scientific will continue to be a source of debate, the implementation of Natural or Mild Stimulation IVF treatments for same sex couples is one that could not be more black and white.

Research, Develop, Pro-create

With many same sex couples reliant on the development and accessibility of IVF to experience the joys of parenthood, the emphasis on devising, developing and advancing more natural and ‘drugless’ methods of conception could not be of more importance. Institutions such as the International Society for Mild Approaches in Assisted Reproduction (ISMAAR) have made substantial steps in evolving our understanding and integration of naturally astute procedures and with more funding, it can continue to develop its research.

Is it a coincidence that these two heavily debated subjects have recently been in the news? Or is it an eye-opening opportunity for us to contemplate two subjects that, in terms of science, could not be further apart? Yet, what really stands out is the way that they are seamlessly conjoined by life and its wondrous and unpredictable nature.

Create Health Clinic are renowned for their innovative and forward-thinking approach to providing Natural and Mild IVF treatments. Their commitment and work alongside with ISMAAR has allowed them to develop a range of IVF treatments and fertility test which are focused towards patient care and quality as oppose to a dependance on ovarian stimulating drugs.
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Remembering the Father of IVF | Robert Edwards

first test tube baby doctor dies

The man behind the first IVF birth, Dr. Robert Edwards, passed away yesterday at the age of 87.

Heralded as the “Father of IVF” he was instrumental in the birth of Louise Brown back on July 25, 1978 (source: Wall Street Journal). In 2010, we reported on Dr. Edwards successful delivery of the world’s first “test tube baby” when he was recognized with the Nobel Prize in medicine.  Alongside OBGYN Patrick Steptoe, Dr. Edwards’ persistence in early IVF research is recognized by many as he faced criticism from the public and colleagues throughout the late 1970s.

If you could talk to Robert Edwards today about your journey, what would you say?

In memory of Robert Edwards.

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New Hope Recap | Returning Patients

pgd ivfWe’re pleased to see a familiar face in our office these days — our very first CGH patient, who kindly shared her original IVF success story with New Hope after the birth of her first child in 2011.

She first came to our clinic with a history of miscarriages — one of which occurred after carrying for 18 weeks — and turned off by aggressive protocols at other clinics. Attracted to New Hope’s holistic approach to fertility care, she proceeded treatment with a Natural Cycle transfer — the embryos collected from a few Mini-IVF™ cycles in order to increase her chances of collecting more than one healthy egg during treatment.

She opted for PGD with CGH testing in order to detect any genetic abnormalities that may be present, since she suffered from an autoimmune disorder. If genetic abnormalities exist within an embryo during IVF treatment, this can lead to miscarriage.  She eventually became pregnant and Edward was born in December of 2011.  She was the first case in which we used genetic testing to pick only the healthiest embryos for use during her minimal stimulation protocol.

Ms. CGH is back to try for a sister for Mr. Edward at the age of 44. We can’t wait to help you again and add another baby to the New Hope Family!

CGH, or Comparative Genomic Hybridization, is a service we offer during treatment to make sure you’re getting the most from your cycle here at New Hope Fertility Center.

Although we’ve been offering PGD testing since our opening, we’ve partnered with Reprogenetics  to ensure we’re providing the latest in embryo-testing technology.

In the past, PGD was used solely for gender selection and finding specified chromosomal abnormalities.  The current CGH testing is the most comprehensive test to detect significant genetic abnormalities in existence to date.

For more information on CGH testing, please visit us on the web to schedule a consultation.

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