RSI Infertility Blog

Bill would create tax credit for out-of-pocket expenses associated with in vitro fertilization

RSI — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 03:47:49 +0000

Fertility treatments can seem like a miracle for couples that haven’t been able to conceive a child on their own. But such scientific miracles come at a price, and that cost often isn’t fully covered — if at all — by most health insurance providers. Couples who are struggling to make up the difference have some important folks on their side: Rep. John Lewis (Ga.), who just introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives that would provide eligible taxpayers a tax credit for the out-of-pocket expenses associated with fertility treatments.

The bill is co-sponsored by Rosa DeLauro (CT), William Keating (MA) and Richard Neal (MA) and is called Family Act of 2011. The tax credit would apply to expenses related to in vitro fertilization and treatments to preserve fertility for cancer patients.

The tax credit is modeled after an existing tax credit available to taxpayers who incur adoption expenses. It mirrors the Family Act, S 965, introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) in May.

This is an exciting development for families who could use the tax credit to help them leap over that last hurdle standing in the way of their dreams of growing their family.

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Meta-analysis of studies suggests obese women have lower success rate with IVF

RSI — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:44:43 +0000

A new analysis of 15 controlled studies has found that a woman’s BMI has a relational effect on her fertility, with obesity associated with significantly worse pregnancy outcomes compared with women with a normal BMI.

It has long been believed that a woman’s general health can and does affect her ability to conceive, and to carry the baby to full-term, but past studies have been inconclusive in showing a direct link between obesity and infertility. However, according to this meta-analysis, obesity puts a mother-to-be at greater risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes when she conceives through in vitro fertilization.

Of the eight studies that reported clinical pregnancy rates among women undergoing assisted reproduction, 40.5 percent of obese women achieved pregnancy, compared with 43.8 percent of women of normal weight. Six studies reported live births, and those two were lower among obese women — the live birth rate was 23 percent among obese women and 25 percent among normal weight controls. Miscarriages occurred in 21.9 percent of obese women compared with 19.3 percent of normal controls.

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Gestational surrogacy an amazing, emotionally complicated process

RSI — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:42:07 +0000

If you’re considering surrogacy as a potential option for expanding your family due to issues of infertility, there are some things you should consider before moving forward. Gestational surrogacy — where a woman agrees to carry embryos that were formed using in vitro fertilization using the eggs and sperm of the intended parents — is a unique and relatively new process that comes with a number of emotional issues.

For women who cannot carry their own baby, the opportunity to still have a child that is biologically their own is a dream come true. But the connection between the surrogate and the child is a unique one. The surrogate, also known as the gestational carrier, may not believe it will be difficult for her to hand over your baby to you after giving birth, there already have been legal actions taken in some cases that underscore the reality that it can be difficult for a woman to relinquish all ties to the baby they carried in their womb.

Sometimes the gestational carrier is a sibling or close friend to one of the intended parents. While this can bring an even deeper meaning and joy to the process, it also means there will be an ongoing social connection between everyone involved, including the surrogate and the child.

Gestational surrogacy is a beautiful, amazing possibility in one’s fertility journey, but it is one that should be carefully considered by all involved beforehand. Talk to your partner about all your concerns, and keep in mind that we have counseling services available to help you and your partner work through some of the emotional issues that comes with such a decision.

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Communication is key to keeping union strong during fertility treatments

RSI — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 21:25:51 +0000

When couples show up at our clinic for their first appointment regarding fertility treatments, they bring a united front. They hold hands. They look at each other lovingly, excitedly. They are hopeful for the future they are working toward together.

Although undergoing fertility treatments is in itself a testament to the strength and future of a partnership, the actual process can emotionally wear down even the strongest couple. It is a strenuous process that can sometimes include setbacks, frustrations and fears. It’s difficult for partners to put into words their own fears because they don’t want to let down their partner.

It’s important to focus on this truth, that undergoing fertility treatments can bond you in ways you never dreamed possible. It has the ability to bolster your relationship and allow you to discover new strengths about each other. The key to making that happen is communication. Don’t be afraid to express to your partner your concerns, your doubts, your fears and most especially your hopes and dreams. Talk about what is happening to both of you, regardless of which one of you is undergoing the physical treatment at the moment. Remember that this is a journey you are both on together. Don’t lose sight of that!

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Male infertility breakthrough: Researcher creates sperm cells out of germ cells

RSI — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 21:20:53 +0000

Here at Reproductive Science Institute, we like to stay on top of the latest in fertility research, and a breakthrough was disclosed last week that we thought was interesting and exciting enough to share.

In a study conducted on mice, researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel produced sperm cells from mouse testicular germ cells. The research was conducted by Professor Mahmoud Huleihel. “It may open strategies for infertile men who cannot generate sperm, and/or pre-pubertal cancer patients at risk of infertility due to radiotherapy,” Huleihel said. Results of the study were published Nov. 7 in the Asian Journal of Andrology.

The fact that science is creating sperm cells from germ cells is thrilling, particularly for the hope and promise it gives to infertile men who have dreams of fathering their own biological children. We will continue to follow this and other exciting research in the field of fertility, and bring our readers the latest news directly from the labs.

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Understanding how ART can help you create your masterpiece

RSI — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:15:36 +0000

If you’re new to the world of fertility treatments or are just beginning your research into it, chances are you’re being inundated with acronyms, some of which you may not know. Here’s a big one that you’ll see often — ART. Assisted Reproductive Technology is nothing like the art you did in grade school, but it is an art form in its own right, one where science and technology work together to create a masterpiece — human life.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ART refers to fertility treatments that involve the handling of both eggs and sperm. This can include procedures in which eggs are surgically removed from a woman’s ovaries, combined with sperm in the laboratory, and returned to the woman’s body (in-vitro fertilization) or donated to another woman. ART does not include treatments in which only sperm are handled, such as intrauterine insemination or artificial insemination, or procedures in which a woman takes medicine only to stimulate egg production.

Since 1981, ART has been used in the United States to assist women in their quests to become pregnant. According to the CDC, today more than 1 percent of all infants born in the U.S. were conceived using ART. Are you interested in ART helping to create your own masterpiece? Contact us for an appointment to discuss your options.

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Family with shocking IVF result finds happiness with twins carried via surrogacy

RSI — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:43:31 +0000

Sean and Carolyn Savage of Toledo, Ohio, introduced their twins Regan and Isabella to the world on NBC’s Today Show last week, bringing the Savages’ story of surrogacy and in-vitro fertilization full circle, with a happy ending — times two!

The Savages first made headlines in 2009 when, in a quest to expand their family of five to a family of six, Carolyn underwent IVF. But shortly after she became pregnant using the fertility treatment, they were shocked by the news that another couple’s embryo had been implanted — she was carrying someone else’s child. Carolyn decided to carry the baby, a healthy boy named Logan, to full term and return him to his biological parents. They wrote a book, “Inconceivable,” about their journey.

After Logan was born, Carolyn knew she couldn’t take her chances on another high-risk pregnancy (the couple has three older children) but still wanted to expand their family. So they turned to surrogacy to make their family dreams come true, and were blessed with twins, which their surrogate carried for them.

The Savages are an example of the miracle of modern medicine and what fertility treatments can do for a family. They are an inspiration and we wish them all the best with their five healthy children!

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Survey finds many women don’t understand age and fertility decline

RSI — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:39:35 +0000

How much do women know about common fertility issues? Perhaps not as much as you might think.

In a recent survey sponsored by biopharmaceutical firm EMD Serono Inc., with investigators from RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, more than 50 percent of the 1,000 women questioned failed to correctly answer at least seven out of 10 basic fertility questions.

The questions that stumped many of them had to do with infertility as it relates to age and how long it may take to get pregnant at ages 20, 30, and 40. That’s not surprising, given the boon of health and beauty products that purport to keep a woman looking and feeling young as she ages. The problem is, there’s no magic anti-aging tonic for a woman’s reproductive system, which does continue to decline with time, making it considerably harder for a woman to conceive at 40 than at 20.

Researchers found that women think they can easily conceive into their late 30s and early 40s because celebrities make it look so easy. What they don’t realize, however, is that celebrities often call on fertility treatments, including in-vitro fertilization, donor eggs and surrogacy, to increase their chances of having a baby later in life.

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New diagnostic tool for endometriosis being studied

RSI — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 20:50:40 +0000

The doctor who developed the Laparoscopic Supracervical Hysterectomy procedure, which eliminates endometriosis while keeping the cervix in place, is working on a variation of the diagnostic procedure that uses new light technology to better pinpoint areas of endometriosis and therefore remove it more efficiently and effectively.

Dr. Tom Lyons, medical director of the Center for Women’s Care & Reproductive Surgery in Atlanta, is working with Dr. Chuck Miller in Chicago and Dr. Herman Barreuto in Baltimore to study whether the use of different colors of light helps detect endometriosis better than the traditional white light of the laparoscope.

The FDA-approved diagnostic study is using Olympus’s Narrow Band Imaging (NBI).

“We will first look at the disease area with white light, marking areas that we see is diseased with laser dots, then with NBI to see if that expands our visualization of diseased areas,” Dr. Lyons said in a recent press release. “With inflammation from endo, an area will be more vascularized (more blood vessels) and possibly we can more easily detect disease. We will then biopsy the area.”

We’re excited to see what this study finds in terms of better diagnostic services for women with endometriosis.

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Research shows recurring PID flare-ups can still affect a woman’s fertility

RSI — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 20:47:44 +0000

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center have been studying the long-term consequences of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and have found that repeated bouts of the disease can double a woman’s risk of infertility.

PID is a complication of sexually transmitted infections and is marked by the inflammation of the reproductive organs. It can cause chronic pelvic pain and ectopic pregnancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PID affects more than 800,000 women in the U.S. each year, and one in 10 of those women develops infertility.

The new research conducted by those at Johns Hopkins explored whether long-term effects of PID had changed in recent years along with changes in PID-causing pathogens and new treatments. The research showed, however, that long-term effects of PID are still serious when it comes to a woman’s fertility. In the study, women with recurrent PID were nearly twice as likely to report infertility as women who never had another PID flare-up after initial PID treatment.

If you’ve had recurrent PID episodes, there might be damage to your reproductive organs that is getting in the way of you conceiving a child. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss your unique health situation and your fertility treatment options.

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