Is low dose IVF treatment just as effective?
Infertility treatments can become time-consuming, physically taxing and costly. Dr. Mark Rispler, head of our Manhattan Beach fertility center, believes in offering proven treatment options for our patients as cost-effectively as possible. With proven therapies such as ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI) and low dose IVF, we help men and women move from A to B.
Why our Manhattan Beach fertility center sometimes suggests low dose IVF
For a typical IVF cycle, patients take high levels of fertility medications to control their cycles and stimulate egg production. Dr. Rispler will then retrieve the eggs for fertilization in the IVF lab. The resulting embryos are evaluated, and then Dr. Rispler performs the embryo transfer.
Unfortunately, the high doses of gonadotropins can sometimes lead to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, especially in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and those we consider to be “high responders.”
These medications also require extensive monitoring, which means women come to the office for sonograms and blood tests. Low dose IVF is an alternative treatment, sometimes called mini IVF. For some women, low dose IVF offers the best of both worlds – IVF with lower dosages of meds and fewer office visits.
Dr. Rispler explains who should consider low dose IVF
Not all patients are candidates for low dose IVF. When you visit our Manhattan Beach fertility center, Dr. Rispler will perform a thorough fertility evaluation and determine the best course of action. With low dose IVF, patients take a combination of clomiphene and low dose injectable medications to stimulate the ovaries and coax a small number of eggs to mature each month. Dr. Rispler retrieves the eggs, fertilizes them and then cryopreserves the resulting embryos – collecting them until there is enough for a frozen embryo transfer at a later date.
Generally, Dr. Rispler recommends low dose IVF for these cases:
- Patients with PCOS at risk from overexposure to gonadotropins
- Young women with a good ovarian reserve
- Women who have low ovarian reserve or previous bad experiences with gonadotropins
At Innovative Fertility Center, we understand that dealing with infertility is difficult. Dr. Rispler and our entire team provide comprehensive care and top-notch treatment options, including low dose IVF. Contact our Manhattan Beach fertility center for more information or to schedule an appointment.