Candidates for IVF

People often ask Dr. Joshua J. Berger what types of patients are good candidates for IVF. It turns out that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is a great family-building option for just about everyone because it is such an effective fertility treatment.

While options like intrauterine insemination (IUI) are always available at our Manhattan Beach fertility center, we also offer IVF to all of our patients. We find that this treatment is a great way to bypass many barriers to conception and parenthood.

A look at some of the candidates for IVF

All same-sex male couples and single men need IVF when building a family with the support of an egg donor and a gestational surrogate. Additionally, women and their partners can also be candidates for IVF, especially in the following situations.

Advanced maternal age. As the quality and quantity of a woman’s eggs decrease with age, many women over the age of 35 are candidates for in vitro fertilization.

Blocked tubes. Repairing blocked tubes is rarely effective. As such, fertility specialists often recommend IVF as the standard protocol for blocked fallopian tubes.

Endometriosis. Endometriosis consists of uterine tissue implanting in other areas of the body, potentially causing scarring and fertility challenges. IVF can help patients overcome these issues.

Male factor fertility issues. Sperm production, quality or mobility issues could lead to the need for IVF. Doctors might also recommend intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Recurrent miscarriages. IVF with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) can reduce the chance of miscarriage, as it allows the doctor to transfer a chromosomally normal embryo.

The desire for a single birth. Couples wanting to avoid conceiving multiples can utilize IVF, as the doctor can transfer only one embryo into the woman’s uterus at a time.

Even patients who do not fit into any of the above categories can be good candidates for IVF at our Manhattan Beach fertility center. That’s because in vitro fertilization is so effective.

What can you expect during an IVF cycle?

The first step of an in vitro fertilization cycle at our Manhattan Beach fertility center involves the female patient or the egg donor taking ovulation induction medications. These medications cause multiple eggs to mature. The woman receives regular monitoring at our clinic during this time.

When enough eggs mature, Dr. Berger retrieves them during a short procedure. After the retrieval, he sends the eggs to the lab and an embryologist fertilizes them with sperm from a male partner or a sperm donor. The embryologist can test the resulting embryos for chromosomal abnormalities.

Next, Dr. Berger transfers an embryo into the uterus of the female patient or the gestational surrogate. The woman then takes a pregnancy test at our clinic about two weeks later.

Dr. Berger will work with you to explore your treatment options. He will then walk you through each step toward parenthood. Contact us for more information about in vitro fertilization.