Gestational Carriers: 6 of the Important Criteria Considered
When selecting a woman to be a gestational carrier, there are many considerations. These are exceptional women who are willing to make this commitment, and they must pass a number of screening criteria. Some of the selection criteria are subjective. They depend on an evaluation by the experts at the agency and the medical staff. […]
Picking an Ideal Egg Donor
It can feel daunting to be told by your infertility specialist that you should consider choosing an egg donor. If you have decided on the path of egg donation, the next decision is to choose an egg donor. The most wonderful opportunities arise when a potential recipient has a compassionate donor. This category of donors […]
Surrogacy Agencies Ensure a Smooth Experience to Patients
Surrogacy agencies/gestational carrier agencies are key in navigating all of the important twists and turns on this path. Surrogacy is a complex method of family building. However it is not common that a couple requires this service. It can be used when a woman has no uterus or a uterus unfit for pregnancy. Certain medical […]
Research Reveals Benefits to Genetic Testing in Patients 35 Years Old and Older
Genetic testing (PGT, formerly known as PGD or PGS) can result in higher pregnancy rates for women 35+ years old. Every year the top minds in fertility join at the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ARSM) conference where many innovative papers are presented, the most prestigious of which is the Oral Abstract Prize Paper. In […]
Sexuality and Infertility, Part 2: Pheromones and the Sense of Smell
Pheromones, the sexual chemical signals which have been studied a great deal in animals. What do we know about the sense of smell as it relates to sexuality? Over the past 30 years, there has been a good bit of attention to chemical signals which can be perceived by the sense of smell and cause […]
An Innovative IVF Pioneer at Pathways Fertility
Science Advances IVF in the ’80s In preparation to begin an IVF center, in 1983 Dr. Massey was fortunate to spend five weeks in Australia at the famed Monash University IVF Center. They took IVF success rates up to about 15% per cycle, excellent at the time. The lab director was Alan Trounson, PhD, who […]
Carrier Screening: Why We Recommend Patients Consider It
Carrier screening can help prevent fatal diseases like cystic fibrosis. The significant risk of cystic fibrosis in the general population has led to a recommendation that all women considering pregnancy should have cystic fibrosis screening. This fatal disease can be avoided by testing the mother (and father if needed). Medical technology has now advanced so […]
One and Done
Fertility doctors have a saying called “One and Done.” The term “One and Done” means that a patient can complete her family with only one full IVF cycle because enough eggs were retrieved to allow for some embryos to be frozen for later use or because she had twins the first time and does not […]
13 Important Questions about Sex Selection Ethics
Deciding which gender embryo to transfer for pregnancy during IVF brings up a lot of questions about sex selection ethics. Question: What are public attitudes about using preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) for sex selection? Answer: A study of the public attitudes in America showed that 68 percent of Americans disapprove of the use of PGS for sex selection only. A German […]
Gender Selection and the History of Preimplantation Genetic Testing (and 3 Myths about Gender Selection)
Genetic testing to screen out defective embryos before implantation in IVF also reveals gender, giving parents a choice to do gender selection. History of gender selection Preimplantation genetic testing was initially developed in England in 1990 to detect single-gene and sex-chromosome linked diseases in at-risk couples. The test then was adapted as part of in vitro […]
