At Washington Fertility Center, we are pleased to offer the option of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to our Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. area patients. Initially developed in 1978 for women with blocked, damaged, or missing fallopian tubes, IVF is now used to overcome infertility caused by endometriosis, male factor issues, sperm antibodies, ovulatory problems, or other unexplained reasons. In the United States, more than 17,000 healthy babies are born each year through successful IVF procedures.
In simplest terms, IVF involves stimulating the woman's ovaries with medication to produce multiple eggs. Ultrasound and blood hormone tests are used to determine when the eggs are mature. When the eggs are ready, they are removed by a needle through the vagina while the woman is under a light anesthesia. Next, the man's sperm and the woman's eggs are combined in the laboratory, traditionally in a petri dish. The resultant embryo is then implanted into the woman's uterus through the cervix in hopes of achieving a successful pregnancy. Usually, two to four embryos are implanted each time IVF is performed (called a cycle). Success rates of IVF vary according to the woman's age, reason for performing IVF, and the egg quality. During your consultation, Dr. Asmar, Dr. Durso or Dr. Sarajari will provide your personal chances of success at our center.
At Washington Fertility Center, Dr. Nancy Durso now offers minimal stimulation in vitro fertilization (MS-IVF) at our Virginia centers, conveniently located for Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. area patients. Minimal stimulation IVF is a proven, cost-effective alternative to standard IVF. The standard IVF protocol involves the use of a combination of fertility medications to stimulate the growth of eggs. Though egg retrieval and embryo transfer procedures are the same in both protocols, minimal stimulation IVF requires less fertility medications than standard IVF. This decreases the overall cost of the IVF program. However, the end result of MS-IVF is a lower number of retrievable eggs and higher canellation rate. For younger patients or patients for which the cost of standard IVF is prohibitive, however, MS-IVF may provide an effective fertility solution.
Minimal stimulation IVF may not be the right option for all patients. Women over the age of 40 or those with uterine abnormalities or the presence of a hydrosalpinx do not make good MS-IVF candidates. Also, those with insurance coverage for IVF may wish to consider the standard IVF protocol. Patients are encouraged to schedule an appointment for a consultation to learn more about their IVF options.
ICSI is used together with IVF to assist with fertilization. After the stimulation and egg retrieval with either standard IVF or minimal stimulation IVF, a single sperm is selected for each egg. This sperm is then inserted into the egg cytoplasm. Activation of the nuclear material still needs to occur for fertilization to be completed. This procedure works well for men with sperm counts below 5 million, have a low morphology or for couples with unexplained infertility. Some men who have had a previous vasectomy or vas blockage problem that require sperm aspiration are required to use ICSI. If a vasectomy reversal is not possible then a surgical or non-surgical sperm removal procedure can be done in conjuction with a urologist to remove the sperm for use with ICSI.
Egg donation, also known as oocyte donation, provides the chance to have the complete pregnancy experience to women who otherwise could not conceive. Women who have reached menopause and women who have poor egg quality, premature ovarian failure, or an elevated follicle stimulating hormone level (FSH) are among the patients who choose egg donation.
At Washington Fertility Center, we guide our patients through the entire egg donation process, from the initial consultation to the embryo transfer. In the interest of matching recipients with donors that best suit them, the consultation will include questions designed to get to know each individual patient, their personality and interests, in order to match them with a donor that shares these characteristics.
After the consultation, patients are given the opportunity to view the profiles of prospective egg donors through our sister company - Egg Donor, Surrogacy USA. Visit the website eggdonorsurrogacyusa.com to view donor profiles and start the match process. Profiles may include photos of the donor, personal interviews, academic achievements, and family medical and mental health history.
After a donor is selected and confirmed, it will take a few weeks to synchronize the cycles of the donor and the recipient. The donor takes injections to stimulate her ovaries. When the eggs are mature, the egg retrieval is performed. The eggs are then inseminated with the sperm of the recipient's partner, or from the sperm of a carefully selected donor. The resulting embryo is then transferred into the recipient's uterus and a pregnancy test is administered two weeks following.
If you are interested in donating eggs, visit our website eggdonorsurrogacyusa.com to get more information and to start the process.
Gestational Surrogacy is appropriate when a woman’s uterus is not capable
of carrying a pregnancy or she has had a hysterectomy. If her ovaries are
still present through the IVF process, eggs can be harvested from the
biological mother, placed with her husband’s sperm and the resulting embryos
are placed into the uterus of the surrogate. The surrogate then carries the
pregnancy and delivers the baby that is not her biological child. If the
mother does not have ovaries that are functioning then she can use a donor
egg and have the embryos placed in a different woman to be the carrier. In
many states, legally, the egg donor and carrier cannot be the same person.
If you are interested in our gestational surrogacy program you may look at
options for possible carriers at our sister company – Egg Donor, Surrogacy
USA. Visit the website eggdonorsurrogacyusa.com.
If you are interested in being a gestational surrogate, visit our website eggdonorsurrogacyusa.com to get more information and to start the process.
If you are considering in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reside in the Northern Virginia, southern Maryland, or Washington, D.C. region, please contact our office today for more information.
Contact Washington Fertility Center to schedule an IVF consultation with Dr. Durso at our Annandale office, serving Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the Washington, D.C. area.
Annandale Square
4316 Evergreen Lane
Annandale, Virginia 22003
Call: 703-658-3100
Fax: 703-658-3103
Cowan Center
2533 Cowan Blvd
Suite 500
Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401
Call: 540-371-1100
Hospital Center Medical Plaza
1830 Town Center Drive
Suite 306
Reston, Virginia 22090
Call: 703-481-1500
Fax: 703-318-8580
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