Natural cycle ivf

MINI-IVF TREATMENT, LESS IS MORE

Most of us remain awestruck by the mystical power women have to create & bring new life into our world, even with all our advanced science and technology. And, even though some of us need a little help to nurture nature along, deep down we still wish an IVF pregnancy could be more natural--or as close to natural as possible. Finally, it's possible. That is indeed the promise of our Mini-IVFTM treatment: to align in vitro fertilization as close to nature as possible--the way nature intended for a woman's body to create new life. It captures only the natural egg(s) nature blesses her with each month, without excessive fertility drugs, because we know these natural eggs promise the greatest chance for a precious new baby.

How does this work? As we all know, in any given menstrual cycle a woman naturally produces one mature egg for a possible pregnancy. As fertility scientists, we know she actually has a few extra (usually 3-5) in reserve each month that also have a good chance for pregnancy. The Mini-IVFTM treatment, called minimal stimulation IVF elsewhere, is a holistic IVF approach that aims to recruit only those 3-5 "quality" eggs, and it does so with the use of minimal IVF drugs, while achieving similar pregnancy success rates to conventional IVF methods. Conversely, conventional IVF methods require excessive injectable IVF drugs intended to produce a plethora of eggs.. But, we know that even with conventional IVF most eggs produced beyond the 3-5 reserve eggs are typically genetically abnormal and unable to produce a lasting pregnancy.

So, it is no surprise the Mini-IVFTM treatment is becoming increasingly popular, because women wish to become pregnant with as few medications as possible, and now they can--closer to nature's way. Women's preference for the Mini-IVFTM treatment extends far beyond fewer drugs. Nearly 40% of women opt out of conventional IVF treatment due to the stressful side effects of IVF drugs. These high dropout rates are directly attributed to procedure-related stress, as well as discomfort and pain from 1-2 daily injections (20-60 per cycle vs. 1 daily oral pill with Mini-IVFTM), bloating and pain from ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS), not to mention the high cost (2,500-5,000 euro per cycle vs. 800 euro per Mini-IVFTM cycle) of IVF drugs.

Further, studies show that 25-35% of all conventional IVF cycles lead to twins or multiples, which introduces another range of issues including increased incidence of premature birth (by 7.4-fold), a significant increase in stillbirth, and, often, C-section & admission to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Consequently, fertility specialists are rethinking conventional IVF treatment, & we are entering an era of single-embryo transfers (long promoted by the practitioners of Mini-IVFTM treatment) to eliminate the complications that occur with multi-embryo transfers and multiple births.

Even the egg retrieval experience is less invasive & easier with the Mini-IVFTM treatment, since fewer follicles (where eggs reside) need to be punctured, minimizing bleeding and post-egg retrieval discomfort. In most Mini-IVFTM cases, egg collections are done using only local anesthesia instead of the IV sedation commonly used in conventional IVF. The entire procedure takes 3-10 minutes & a woman can resume her daily routine as normal once she leaves our center. For these reasons, the Mini-IVFTM treatment was created for women who prefer the natural & easy way to become pregnant, if they need IVF treatment.

The MINI-IVFTM Treatment: 21st Century Technology Meets Tried and Tested Science The Mini-IVFTM treatment is rooted in forty years of proven science. And in the past ten years, through the advent of hi-tech embryology lab technology and advanced ultrasound & endocrinology innovations, it is now becoming more prominent, and is the primary IVF treatment at Embio IVF Center.

The underlying science of the Mini-IVFTM treatment is based on its chosen ovulation induction drug, clomiphene citrate or Clomid, which recruits & promotes the growth of eggs. Clomid was originally developed in 1956 as an oral contraceptive, but on the contrary, a 1960 study showed it stimulated the ovaries to produce and release eggs; this catapulted Clomid into the IVF arena & it was approved for use in the United States in 1967. Since then, clomiphene citrate has consistently been, and still is, the most prescribed fertility medication in the world.

In the early years, a clomiphene citrate IVF cycle produced low pregnancy rates because--due to the technology it was used in combination with--ovulation often occurred before the eggs could be retrieved. Today, in combination with a quick hormone assay system and a Buserelin nasal spray medication or Buserelin subcutaneous injections(used to induce & time ovulation), Clomid is the ideal low-dose, oral drug for use in IVF treatment. In addition, advances in ultrasound technology allow easy monitoring of egg growth during each menstrual cycle, which provides doctors with knowledge of how close a woman is to ovulation based on the size of her eggs. These advances have increased the popularity & efficiency of the Mini-IVFTM treatment. Also, learn about our Natural Cycle IVF treatment.

How Does the Mini-IVFTM Treatment Work?

The Mini-IVFTM treatment process is similar to most IVF treatments. After your initial consultation, you and your doctor will determine the best personalized treatment plan for you based on your unique circumstances. Then, you will visit our office for routine ultrasounds and blood tests several times during your menstrual cycle. During this time you will mostly likely be prescribed two oral Clomid per day, and given 1 to 3 injections during the entire course of the cycle. We will then retrieve your eggs at a time close to ovulation and fertilize them with sperm. When they have matured we will implant or transfer them into your uterus.For a detailed explanation click here or learn more about how to get your treatment started here...

Fertility Drugs used in the Mini-IVFTM Treatment

Clomid is the oral medication (usually consumed once daily) primarily used in The Mini-IVFTM treatment. It tricks the body into producing additional FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) by blocking the estrogen receptors. Clomid also blocks the production of LH (luteinizing hormone), which helps to prevent premature ovulation. The Mini-IVFTM treatment provides women the opportunity to use an inexpensive, well-tested medication (Clomid) to produce good quality eggs for IVF. It also avoids the need for Lupron, since it blocks the release of LH on its own. And, an HCG injection to induce ovulation is not needed. Instead, a simple nasal spray of Synarel or an equivalent medicine is sufficient. This avoids the need for extended periods of progesterone injections after the transfer, which is typically needed in conventional IVF.