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DHEA Pioneers CHR to Collaborate with University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry

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Posted by Marie on May 10, 2012 at 9:33 am

May 10, 2012 (New York, NY) – The Center for Human Reproduction (CHR), a prominent New York City-based clinical CHRand research center specializing in female and male infertility treatment, announced a research collaboration agreement with the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry (URSMD) to commence on July 1st, 2012. This collaborative effort between investigators at URSMD and CHR aims to combine two institutions with strong common interests and expertise in exploring the process of follicle maturation, and especially the role of androgens in female reproduction.

Lead investigators are Aritro Sen, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, and Stephen R. Hammes, MD, PhD, Professor, both in the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at URSMD and who have published pioneering work on the subject in a rodent model; and Norbert Gleicher, MD, CHR’s Chief Scientist, and David H. Barad, MD, MS, Senior Scientist at CHR, who by introducing the androgen dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) into infertility treatment have revolutionized the treatment of women with low ovarian reserve worldwide.

“The goal of this research collaboration is to combine complementary animal and laboratory expertise at URSMD with clinical expertise at CHR,” explains Dr. Gleicher. “By combining research in URSMD’s unique animal model and CHR’s large clinical human experience, we aim to better understand how DHEA, as well as other androgens, improves female fertility.”

“This is a very exciting development,” adds Dr. Barad. “We have known for years now that DHEA improves pregnancy chances but only very recently learned that this very likely occurs through conversion of DHEA to testosterone. For all practical purposes, this means that the process very likely involves the androgen receptor (AR) on granulosa cells.” Dr. Barad continues: “For this kind of work, our colleagues at URSMD have the ideal mouse model.”

Dr. Sen, who will become a Visiting Assistant Scientist at CHR, chimes in: “we are very much looking forward to this collaboration, which should be very beneficial for both institutions.”

 

About Center for Human Reproduction
Center for Human Reproduction (CHR, http://www.centerforhumanreprod.com) is a leading fertility center in New York City with a worldwide reputation as a “fertility center of last resort,” offering cutting-edge, research-based treatment options to infertility patients. CHR introduced DHEA supplementation into infertility care in 2004. Dr. Gleicher, Dr. Barad and Dr. Sen are available for additional comments.

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Does IUD Use Contribute to Infertility?

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Posted by Heather Aarons on April 30, 2012 at 10:10 am

An intrauterine device (IUD) is a birth control method in which a small object, about the size of a matchstick is placed inside the uterus.

Using IUDs has a major advantage over using the Pill and condoms which is that they do not rely on using them perfectly. However, since they were first introduced, there have been health concerns surrounding their safety and whether or not they raise the risk of infertility, pelvic infection and the need to see a pelvic pain and myofascial release San Francisco expert, for example.

There are two types of IUDs, one that release copper to prevent pregnancy and another that releases the hormone progestogen. Some hormone releasing IUDS can prevent pregnancy for five years and the copper version for up to ten years.

The negative image of the IUD started back in the 1970s and 1980s when studies that were conducted on women using IUDs found that they increased risk for of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). If left untreated PID can lead to infertility and permanent blocking of the fallopian tubes. However, further research showed the sexually transmitting infections, such as chlamydia, are actually a major cause of PID and tubal blockage, not IUDs.

To learn more about pelvic pain treatments visit this pelvic health postpartum therapy Oakland specialist website

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Bans on infertility treatments in Europe draw criticism

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Posted by Franco Cignelli on April 23, 2012 at 7:57 am

Embryo donationMany European countries have strict rules on who is allowed to receive fertility treatments, restricting methods like embryo donation out of misguided fears.

France and Italy forbid single women and lesbian couples from using artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization to conceive. Austria and Italy ban all egg and sperm donations for IVF. Germany and Norway ban a donor egg, but not sperm.

Sweden requires that couples be together for at least a year to qualify for fertility treatment. Switzerland, among others, requires couples to be married.

And nearly everywhere in Europe except Ukraine, surrogacy is forbidden.

What this demonstrates is outdated laws. Many see placing bans on egg and sperm donation as discriminating against infertile couples.

Experts estimate thousands of Europeans travel to less restrictive countries each year to have a baby.

Reasons for the restrictions vary from country to country. Attempts to change the laws have failed. Fertility treatment remains a taboo subject in many European countries.

Germany’s history of eugenics where Nazis sterilized or euthanized people in an attempt to eliminate hereditary illnesses and handicapped people makes officials nervous about any procedures that handle embryos.

France and Italy have strong relationships with the Roman Catholic Church, which forbids IVF, primarily because the procedure may involve the destruction of embryos. The church is against artificial insemination because it believes procreation should only be by a husband and wife through the natural act of sex.

People in Western Europe who seek medical treatment elsewhere cannot be prosecuted at home even if the treatment is illegal in their own country. But there can be other complications. For example, in France, children born through surrogacy are not entitled to a French passport.

For gay and lesbian couples in France, Italy, Switzerland and elsewhere, only one partner can be the child’s legal father or mother.

Whatever the methods, whether embryo donation, or donor egg, it is clear that the laws in Europe must change with the times and to meet the demands of infertile parents who want to start or add to their family.

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The murky world of Canadian assisted reproduction laws

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Posted by Franco Cignelli on April 16, 2012 at 8:13 am

Embryo donationHealth Canada of Assisted Human Reproduction (HCAHR) was created in 2006 to develop regulations to support a new government law on assisted human reproduction. It closed this year due to budget cuts.

Canadian laws ban payments to surrogate mothers and sperm and egg donors and allow the federal government to license and regulate fertility treatments, doctors and clinics.

The HCAHR closure has drawn attention to the controversial world of assisted human reproduction in Canada that leaves infertile couples in an environment with gaping holes in legislation and regulations.

It barely got off the ground before the Supreme Court of Canada struck down sections of the Assisted Human Reproduction Act they said infringed on provincial jurisdiction.

The federal and provincial governments have yet to address the grey areas the court decision created, including the topic of embryo donation and adoption.

Canada still bans things such as human cloning and payments for sperm donors, egg donors and surrogate mothers, the courts said the provinces have the jurisdiction for health-care matters such as regulating fertility treatments and deciding how many embryos can be implanted.

The gaps have opened the door for black-market surrogacy arrangements.

While it is illegal to pay for a surrogate to carry your baby or for people to donate sperm or eggs, it is legal to pay them for out-of-pocket expenses. However, even these terms lack a clear definition.

The government feared women would be exploited — particularly poor young women — if having a baby for someone else can net a profit.

Similar sentiments were behind the decision to ban payments to sperm and egg donors, but banning the practice didn’t actually solve the problem, if there was one to solve.

The functions of the Assisted Human Reproduction Canada agency are still needed, but there is no denying the murky legislations and regulations Canada is operating.

There is no doubt among Canadians that embryo donation and egg donors should be permitted without the fuss that Canadian laws have enacted.

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FERTINATAL™, the Much-Anticipated First DHEA Supplement for Female Fertility, Hits the Market

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Posted by Marie on April 13, 2012 at 10:38 am

FertinatalApril 13, 2012 (New York, NY) – FERTINATAL™, the first and only dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) nutritional supplement designed to enhance female fertility, has entered the market today.

The launch took longer than expected, because Fertility Nutraceuticals, LLC – which developed the supplement – made unusual efforts to ensure that FERTINATAL™ DHEA for women would fulfill all of the required specifications which the product was designed for, with consistency across every tablet, according to Fertility Nutraceuticals. The required repeat rounds of quality-assurance testing at independent laboratories delayed the launch, initially scheduled for January.

“It was extremely frustrating, especially since we have seen increasing demand since we announced FERTINATAL last December,” notes Yu Kizawa, the company’s Director of Marketing and Sales. “Now, we are excited to be able to offer probably the most reliable micronized DHEA product on the market, and the only one specifically designed for women who have a difficult time conceiving.”

FERTINATAL™ was developed with strict adherence to the specifications of the Center for Human Reproduction (CHR, http://www.centerforhumanreprod.com), a research-driven fertility center in New York City that introduced DHEA supplementation for women with diminished ovarian reserve. Because of the high quality standard of FERTINATAL™, CHR, the only holder of female fertility-related U.S. patents for DHEA supplementation, endorses FERTINATAL™.

“Over-the-counter DHEA products can be very inconsistent in quality, even within the same brand,” explains Norbert Gleicher, MD, medical director of CHR. “Based on the unique quality control process of FERTINATAL™, we are confident that this new product will deliver the kind of consistency and quality we, up to this point, have been able to achieve only through pharmacy-compounded DHEA by prescription.  We, therefore, feel confident in endorsing FERTINATAL™.”

FERTINATAL™ is available for purchase at $69.50 per box (a one-month supply), online at http://www.fertinatal.com.

 

About Fertility Nutraceuticals, LLC
Fertiltiy Nutraceuticals, LLC, is a company specializing in nutritional supplements for women in reproductive years. The company is dedicated to developing highest-quality nutritional supplements for women with fertility problems, trying to achieve healthy pregnancies. FERTINATAL™ is the company’s first product, with additional products planned for rollout throughout 2012.

Posted in: DHEA, Fertility, Infertility, Pregnancy in Older Women
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DHEA has proven to be a useful supplement for treating low ovarian reserve

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Posted by Franco Cignelli on April 11, 2012 at 7:33 am

DHEAClinical trials have show that women who have low ovarian reserve can be treated with DHEA.

DHEA supplementation is a relatively recent development for female infertility.

Diminished ovarian reserve occurs either due to premature ovarian aging (POA) in younger women, or as a consequence of female aging.

DHEA supplementation has demonstrated remarkable results. Many women who were told by their fertility specialist that their only chance of conception was through egg donation, have been able to conceive, with use of their own eggs, using DHEA supplements. In those women with diminished ovarian reserve, DHEA supplementation used in connection with IVF protocols has resulted in pregnancies.

DHEA treatment has gradually gained worldwide recognition and momentum. A survey in 2010 found that about a third of all IVF centers in the world were already utilizing DHEA to improve pregnancy chances in women with DOR by improving quality and quantity of eggs and embryos.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is an endogenous hormone — made in the human body — and secreted by the adrenal gland. DHEA serves as precursor to male and female sex hormones (androgens and estrogens). DHEA levels in the body begin to decrease after age 30. No studies on the long-term effects of DHEA have been conducted.  However, DHEA supplementation has had quite remarkable and beneficial effects rejuvenating ovarian function.

As more studies are being conducted it is recommended that expectant parents contact a fertility specialist to learn more about DHEA.

 

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Efficacy of “Mini IVF” Under Question, New Study at Center for Human Reproduction Reveals

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Posted by Marie on April 4, 2012 at 2:13 pm

CHRApril 4, 2012 (New York, NY) —A new study by New York’s Center for Human Reproduction (CHR) has cast doubts on the efficacy of low intensity IVF (LI-IVF) programs, marketed under various names like “mini IVF” and “natural IVF.” According to the study, LI-IVF programs, which utilize lower doses of fertility medications to reduce costs and monitoring visits, do not live up to their proponents’ claims of pregnancy rates comparable to those in conventional low cost IVF.

To evaluate the claims that LI-IVF is more economical and more “patient-friendly,” researchers at CHR matched patients in LI-IVF cycles to comparable patients undergoing traditional IVF cycles. In the resulting study, just published online in the medical journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online1, patients in LI-IVF cycles produced significantly fewer oocytes and embryos, and faced much lower pregnancy rates. Lower pregnancy rates for LI-IVF patients were observed both in initial IVF cycles and cumulatively, taking account of subsequent transfers of cryopreserved embryos.

Most surprisingly, however, when overall costs to achieve a pregnancy were compared, highly touted “cost savings” with LI-IVF were nowhere to be observed. Lower pregnancy rates associated with LI-IVF meant that LI-IVF patients on average needed more cycles to have a take-home baby, which meant the lower per-cycle cost of LI-IVF did not translate into lower cost to achieve a successful pregnancy and delivery. Patients in LI-IVF cycles also took longer to conceive.

“LI-IVF appears to reduce pregnancy chances and prolong time to conception without offering any appreciable compensatory financial benefits,” summarizes Norbert Gleicher, MD, the study’s lead author and medical director of CHR. “When patients started asking for LI-IVF at our center, we, like many other IVF centers, decided to offer the procedure. In contrast to other centers, we, however, explained to our patients that LI-IVF should still be considered ‘experimental’ since no data existed, that compared this method of IVF to standard IVF.”

CHR required that patients sign “experimental” informed consents, and started accumulating outcome data.  Dr. Gleicher now notes: “As the result of our study well demonstrates, doing otherwise would have been rather unethical.”

“We must caution patients against resorting to ‘mini IVF’ or ‘natural IVF’ without carefully weighing their options,” warns David Barad, MD, another author of the study and director of clinical ART at CHR. “Until more data becomes available, physicians should offer LI-IVF only as an experimental procedure.”

1Gleicher N et al., A case-control pilot study of low-intensity IVF in good-prognosis patients. Reprod Biomed Online 2012; In press. [Epub ahead of print].

 

About Center for Human Reproduction
Center for Human Reproduction (CHR, http://www.centerforhumanreprod.com) is a leading fertility center in New York City with a worldwide reputation as a “fertility center of last resort,” offering cutting-edge, research-based treatment options to patients with even the most complex cases of infertility. Dr. Gleicher and Dr. Barad are available for additional comments.

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Unexplained Infertility Diagnosis? Don’t give up

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Posted by Franco Cignelli on March 9, 2012 at 1:25 pm

Unexplained Infertility Diagnosis? Delve Deeper

For many couples, an “unexplained infertility” diagnosis can be frustrating. Yet 30 per cent of infertility patients receive this news, which means that a standard infertility evaluation was completed and the results were normal.

That’s why FertilityAuthority.com advocates that patients delve deeper. Their featured article this week includes expertise and advice from world-renowned fertility specialist Dr. Norbert Gleicher who says, “We never see a patient where we have not been able to find the probable cause for infertility.”

For patients with unexplained infertility, Dr. Gleicher conducts a careful assessment and often finds that they have one of the following three conditions: premature ovarian aging, overlooked tubal disease or immune deficiencies.

To learn more read the full article here: Unexplained Infertility Diagnosis? Delve Deeper on FertilityAuthority.com

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Infertility Tax Credit Proposed to House of Reps.

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Posted by Amanda Rahi on February 16, 2012 at 7:42 pm

Representative John Lewis from Georgia introduced a bill to the U.S House of Representatives for reimbursing out-of-pocket expenses for infertility medical treatment.

San Diego tax preparation experts make their clients aware of the many tax reimbursement available to individual tax filers and families. The infertility tax credit under what would be known as the “Family Act of 2011” if passed would be yet another tax credit for families or couples wanting to start a family.

Co-sponsors of this bill include Rosa L. DeLauro of Connecticut, William Keating of Massachusetts, and Richard E. Neal of Massachusetts as well. The Family Act of 2011 is intended to be applicable to in vitro fertilization related expenditures. The bill also applies to treatments that preserve fertility for cancer patients, as radiation from chemotherapy can permanently damage a woman’s follicles and turn a woman infertile earlier than expected in life.

Fertility treatments are rarely covered by insurance and can be pricey, making the ability to have a family available to only those that can afford the high costs. In a press release from United Business Media, Rep. Lewis is reported to believe that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right. The bill would grant access to fertility treatments to many people that once thought it was out of their budget.

To learn more about applying for tax credits visit the Depauw Johnson tax preparation Encinitas webpage.

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How Are Ultrasounds Used During Infertility Tests?

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Posted by Amanda Rahi on January 24, 2012 at 4:30 pm

A pelvic ultrasound allows fertility doctors to view the woman’s pelvic organ during infertility tests and procedures.

Diagnostics and cardiologist North Miami Beach specialist offer a number of advanced diagnostic tests including pelvic and abdominal studies in order to best determine a patient’s medical condition.

How Does a Diagnostic Ultrasound Work?

Ultrasound is a technology that is nonsurgical and safe that utilizes high-frequency sound waves that move throughout the body organs and tissues at different speeds. The ultrasound takes these waves and reflects then back to a detector so that they can be imaged and portrayed in a picture.  One of the major advantages of ultrasound examinations is that they do use the dangerous ionizing radiation that is used in x-rays.  Another advantage of ultrasound is that it provides a real-time image so that the body’s internal organs and blood flow can be seen.

Cardiologist Aventura professionals at Cardiovascular Longevity use this same technology to provide ultrasound diagnostic testing in vascular, abdominal, kidney, pelvic, extremity, prostrate, breast and neck studies.  Depending on the test being performed moderations of the ultrasound device are used.

Ultrasounds for Infertility Tests

In fertility testing and evaluations, ultrasounds offer a non-surgical, effective and safe method to view a women’s reproductive organ. An ultrasound can help the doctor determine the health and integrity of the patient’s uterus and ovaries, the endometrium, which is the thickness of the uterus lining, and the follicle development of the ovaries. This imaging test will show the number and size of the follicles as well.

By monitoring the development of follicles the in ovary prior to ovulation with ultrasound, a fertility doctor can most accuracy schedule an artificial or intrauterine insemination to coincide with ovulations. An ultrasound can also be used to remove eggs for use in fertility treatments.

To learn more about diagnostic testing and preventive cardiology Miami Beach care read What Is a Thallium Stress Test?

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