Archive for the ‘egg freezing’ Category

Oocyte Cryopreservation Offers Option For Delayed Pregnancy

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Most women today are deciding to put-off having a child. Among the reasons for this include women that are are focused on a career, women who have are returned to school/college, or because they simply haven’t met the right person with which to start a family. For women who fit into this group, egg freezing, also referred to as oocyte cryopreservation, is a revolutionary technology and one that allows women the ability to make life choices.

Another reason egg freezing is such a revolutionary technology, is the fact that oocyte cryopreservation allows for women diagnosed with cancer to undergo chemotherapy treatments, while retaining the option to have children later. In most cases, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments lead to infertility. While options vary depending on age, type of cancer and cancer-treatment plan, egg freezing can provide these women the opportunity to preserve their fertility.

Posted in In vitro fertilization, egg freezing, fertility, los angeles, oocyte cryopreservation, santa monica, santa monica fertility specialists | No Comments »

In Vitro Fertilization With Frozen Eggs

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Unlike sperm and embryo cryopreservation, which have become routine processes in assisted reproductive technology, success with freezing eggs has historically been difficult to achieve. This is because the egg is the largest cell in the human body and contains a considerable amount of water.

When eggs are frozen, ice crystals form that can destroy the cell. To prevent this, the egg must be dehydrated prior to freezing. The water is then replaced by a special “antifreeze” that inhibits the formation of ice crystals. Because the eggshell hardens when frozen, sperm must be injected with a needle in order to fertilize the egg. This is known as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and is a standard technique also used in IVF.

Posted in In vitro fertilization, california, egg donation, egg donor, egg freezing, ivf, los angeles, santa monica | No Comments »

Are Multiple Pregnancies Dangerous?

Wednesday, January 20th, 2010

Over the past decade, improved fertility treatments has lead to a rise in the incidence of twins, triplets and even higher-order (Quadruplets etc.) multiple pregnancies. Although most of these multiple pregnancies are fraternal (each from one egg), the incidence of identical twinning has also increased, probably due to embryo manipulation in the laboratory.

Fertility treatments utilize hormonal injections that increase the number of eggs produced. Following hormone injections, a woman can be artificially inseminated, or undergo in-vitro fertilization whereby the eggs are fertilized in the laboratory and actual embryos are transferred into the uterus.

Multiple pregnancies are considered high-risk pregnancies. For the mother, the risks include increased chance of hypertension in pregnancy, gestational diabetes, cesarean section and hemorrhage at the time of delivery. For the babies, the main risks relate to preterm delivery and the risk of disability or death from underdeveloped organs.

Posted in Dr John Jain, In vitro fertilization, california, egg freezing, fertility specialist, fertility treatments, ivf, santa monica | No Comments »

Oocyte Cryopreservation In The Clinical Practice

Tuesday, December 15th, 2009

The incorporation of oocyte cryopreservation into the clinical practice of assisted reproduction long has been a goal of many practitioners. Oocyte cryopreservation complements assisted reproduction by extending its application to fertile women. It may be used to avoid long-term embryo cryopreservation, to rescue cycles complicated by ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or failure to obtain sperm, and to avoid synchronization issues in oocyte-donation cycles.

Fertile women may take advantage of this technology to electively delay childbearing or as a strategy for fertility preservation when faced with a new diagnosis of cancer and sterilizing therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation or extirpative surgery. Recent advances in assisted reproduction and embryology, including improved culture media, fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and optimization of cryoprotectants, have made oocyte cryopreservation a viable reality. This review focuses on the etiology of oocyte cryopreservation, history of oocyte cryopreservation, recent advances, and clinical outcomes.

Posted in Dr John Jain, FACOG, Fertile, assisted reproduction, california, childbearing, egg freezing, fertility specialst, oocyte cryopreservation, santa monica | No Comments »