At Metro Fertility Care, 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. First, the eggs 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. Durso will provide your personal chances of success at our center. Dr. Durso performs IVF procedures in conjunction with the Muasher Center for Fertility and IVF.
Metro Fertility Care now offers minimal stimulation in vitro fertilization (MS-IVF) at our Alexandria center, convenient 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 does 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 lower pregnancy 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 42 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 you are considering in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reside in the Northern Virginia, southern Maryland, or Washington, D.C. region, please contact our office in Alexandria today for more information.
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Contact Metro Fertility Care to schedule an IVF consultation with Dr. Durso at our Alexandria office, serving Northern Virginia, Maryland, and the Washington, D.C. area.
Metro Fertility Care
6355 Walker Lane
Suite 500
Alexandria, Virginia 22310
Call: 703-313-6997
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