Scott Roseff, MD of IVFMD, placed first in RateMD’s rankings of best reproductive endocrinologists in the sunshine state, based entirely on patient feedback, which also places the fertility expert on the global top ten list.
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Fertility may not be the first thing that comes to mind after a diagnosis, but Tara Kawass shared her story about giving life after the disease.
By: Kristine Fellizar
In general, it’s always a good idea to try to get as much vitamins and nutrients from the food you’re eating. The reality is, that’s easier said than done. In some cases, dietary supplements can really help and your doctor may even recommend it. But before you start stocking up on vitamins you think you may need, it’s important to be aware of the potential risks. If you’re not careful, some supplements can affect your fertility in the long-run without you knowing.
“We see patients now more than ever who are self-medicating [with] supplements,” Marta Montenegro, fertility lifestyles specialist at IVFMD, tells Bustle. “More than 70 percent of Americans are using supplements that may inadvertently affect their fertility.”
Since consumers see supplements being sold over-the-counter, in health stores, or being recommended in the news, the assumption is they’re totally harmless. But as Montenegro says, “We need to understand that supplements are not gummies.” They have the same effect as taking medicine. If you continuously supply your body with supplements, they can impact your metabolism, hormones, and your entire endocrine system, which regulates fertility.
As Dr. Daniel A. Skora, reproductive endocrinologist, with Fertility Specialists of Texas, tells Bustle, supplements are generally useful for people who have restricted diets. But with that said, you still need to be very careful of what you’re taking. “A majority of the vitamins sold online or even in health food stores are unregulated,” Dr. Skora says. “In other words, there is no governmental organization that oversees dosing or effectiveness of these supplements.”
There are so many different types of supplements out there and some come with their own set of risks. But here are some supplements experts say can impact your fertility.
Black cohosh is a dietary supplement that’s often used to treat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, there isn’t a ton of research on the effectiveness of this herb. In clinical trials, people who took black cohosh for as long as 12 months found no serious harmful effects. However, there have been some serious cases of liver damage associated with people who took black cohosh products. Either way, Brian Levine, M.D. the founding partner and practice director of CCRM New York, tells Bustle, it can cause incredibly strong uterine contractions and induce premature labor in women who are pregnant.
Vitamin A is important for your eye health, your immune system, reproductive system, and the proper functioning of major organs. But if taken in large quantities, Dr. Levine says this “seemingly benign supplement can have catastrophic effects if taken before something as simple as outpatient elective surgery.” When it comes to fertility specifically, Vitamin A, especially derivatives, should be avoided when trying to get pregnant. According to the National Institutes of Health, consuming too much Vitamin A (over the recommended 770 mcg RAE) in the early stages of pregnancy has been found to cause congenital birth defects like malformations in the eyes, skull, lungs, and heart.
In general, any product that claims to help with weight loss is something to be skeptical of. According to the National Institutes of Health, makers of weight-loss supplements “rarely carry out studies” to find out whether their products actually work or are safe. “Most of the dietary supplements that are focussed on weight loss are enriched with stimulants, such as yohimbe,” Dr. Levine. “This can cause high blood pressure, seizures, or even heart attacks, and other potential side effects which could be disastrous on a potential pregnancy.” Think of weight loss supplements as you would any kind of stimulant. For instance, if you need a ton of caffeine to get you through the day, that habit can affect your fertility. In fact, a study published in the journal Lancet found “women who consumed more than the equivalent of one cup of coffee per day were half as likely to become pregnant, per cycle, as women who drank less.”
If a woman is pregnant or trying, Dr. Michael Guarnaccia, Reproductive Endocrinologist at Extend Fertility, tells Bustle, megavitamins should be avoided. “They contain very high levels of certain nutrients that could be harmful to pregnancy,” he says. For women trying to conceive, a lack of key essential nutrients can make it more challenging. So it’s best to stick to eating healthy. Although megavitamins aren’t recommended, Dr. Michael Guarnaccia says the addition of a multi or prenatal vitamin can provide necessary nutritional support while minimizing the risk of complications.
the risk of complications.
The root of a dong quai plant is commonly used to reduce menopausal symptoms like hot flashes, as well as menstrual cycle conditions like migraines. It’s said to have similar effects of estrogen, which is why it’s known as the “female ginseng.” There isn’t too much research done on its effectiveness and side effects, but Dr. Skora puts this in the list of supplements to avoid as it can cause uterine contractions and increase the risk of miscarriage.
Some people may take testosterone to help enhance their libido. But as Dr. Tiffany Jones, M.D. of Dallas IVF, tells Bustle, this can not only have an effect on male fertility, but can also cause significant harm to a female fetus. When it comes to male fertility, Dr. Paul Turek, board certified urologist, tells Bustle that any medication containing testosterone or any of its components (androstenedione, DHEA), should be avoided. “Sperm production is driven by hormones that are separate from testosterone,” Dr. Turek says. “Testosterone-containing supplements act hormonally to reduce hormonal input to make sperm, and can either lower sperm counts or decrease them to zero (i.e. sperm production stops).”
This may be a controversial one, since red clover is known for being the “fertility herb.” On the plus side, it is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals. It’s also known for helping to regulate hormone levels and increase cervical mucus. But red clover is an “estrogen mimicker,” Dr. Skora says. Since it contains estrogen-like compounds, it can possibly increase the risk of women developing cancer in the endometrium. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says harmful changes to the uterine lining hasn’t been found in short-term usage.
According to experts like Dr. Guarnaccia, there is not enough data to suggest any type of supplements out there will really help protect your fertility (i.e. slow the decline in egg supply). So if you are taking any supplements, be sure to talk to your doctor to make sure they’re safe.
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By: Natalia Martin Canero
“Cuando mi marido y yo decidimos tratar de concebir un bebé, me quedé embarazada rápidamente. Estaba muy contenta. Esperamos 12 semanas antes de compartir la buena nueva”, señala Nicole Roberts, de North Stonington, en Connecticut. Pasadas las primeras 12 semanas, sin embargo, Roberts sufrió un aborto espontáneo. “Quedé devastada. Nos parecía que la única manera de curar este dolor sería con un nuevo embarazo”.
La aventura se transformó en decepcionante y angustiosa. Cada test de ovulación y de embarazo provocaba un gran estrés en la pareja. Entonces Roberts comenzó a utilizar AVA, una de las aplicaciones para la fertilidad más populares. “Finalmente pude relajarme un poco, y utilizar los datos para ser más estratégica mientras trataba de concebir“, explicó la mujer de 32 años en un correo electrónico enviado a Univision Noticias. En dos ciclos se quedó embarazada de su bebé Amelia, que nació el 19 de marzo, el día de su cumpleaños.
Pocas esferas de la vida se libran ya de la influencia de las apps, y desde luego la fertilidad no es una de ellas.
Hacer cuentas y calcular fechas (ser estratégica, como señala Roberts) es, al fin y al cabo, crucial cuando se quiere tener un bebé, como bien saben las parejas que remueven cielo con tierra para optimizar las posibilidades de ampliar familia. Así que no es de extrañar que se haya convertido en terreno abonado tanto para prevenir los embarazos como para conseguirlos más rápido.
En una sociedad donde las parejas dedican más tiempo a ver series en Netflix que a la “danza del bebé” (la expresión favorita en los foros donde las mujeres comparten sus dificultades para concebir), y la edad de concebir es cada vez más tardía, hay prisa. Mucha prisa. El porcentaje de nacimientos entre las mujeres de menos de 30 años ha ido cayendo desde 2010, mientras sube el de las mamás de más de 30, 40 y hasta 50, según las estadísticas oficiales.
Acelerar el proceso –ir más al grano– es justamente lo que prometen apps como AVA gracias a una pulsera que recoge mediciones de la temperatura de la piel, el pulso, la respiración o el sueño. Estas mediciones van a parar al móvil, y un algoritmo de su propia creación (una fórmula matemática) permite calcular cuáles son los días fértiles de cada ciclo de la usuaria, según asegura la compañía.
Desde que comenzó a comercializarse, en 2016, 10,000 clientas se han quedado embarazadas, según sus fundadores. AVA es de pago (cuesta 249 dólares) pero existen multitud de apps gratis como Glow, Clue, Period Tracker Lite , o Flo. Después están los monitores de fertilidad, que incluyen una app y un termómetro, como Kindara/Winky Daysy. Además de la ropa inteligente como Bellabeat’s Leaf o Duo Fertility’s.
Se multiplican como hongos, sí, pero esto no quiere decir que estas apps sean infalibles.
“Una de sus limitaciones es que pueden ser imprecisas, sobre todo en pacientes con ciclos menstruales irregulares, justamente el grupo de mujeres que más se beneficia de la identificación de la ventana de fertilidad”, señala a Univision Noticias el doctor Enrique Soto, ginecólogo especialista en fertilidad con sede en Miami.
El problema es que estos métodos se basan en los cambios de la temperatura basal asociados con la ovulación. Pero hay muchos elementos que afectan a este factor, desde una fiebre a unas copas de más la noche anterior.
” El uso de estas aplicaciones no cambia la recomendación de acudir a un experto de fertilidadluego de 12 meses de intentar conseguir un embarazo si la mujer tiene menos de 35 años, y de solo 6 meses de intentar concebir cuando la mujer tiene más de 35 años”, recuerda Soto.
La única app que tiene el visto bueno de la Agencia de Alimentos y Medicamentos (FDA) para publicitarse como contraceptiva es Natural Cycles. Esta app, que consiguió luz verde hace unos días en medio de la polémica, se basa en las lecturas de la temperatura basal del cuerpo (la más baja que alcanza, a primera hora de la mañana) para determinar la fertilidad.
Como la temperatura de la mujer se incrementa ligeramente justo después de ovular, cada vez que la usuaria introduce sus datos la app obtiene información acerca del momento del ciclo menstrual en el que se encuentra.
Natural Cycles, que incluye un termómetro con la suscripción anual (de cerca de 80 dólares), también usa su propio algoritmo para determinar si la mujer está o no en un día fértil.
¿Por qué es la única que puede comercializarse como método anticonceptivo? La FDA tomó esta decisión tras revisar estudios clínicos en los que participaron 16,000 mujeres que lo usaron durante ocho meses. Las mujeres que lo usaron “a la perfección” se quedaron embarazas en un 1,8% de los casos, lo que se considera un porcentaje de fracasos normal, según la compañía.
Esto no significa que sea segura. La agencia que regula la publicidad en Reino Unido prohibió la publicidad de Natural Cycles esta semana por considerar que sus pretensiones de ser un método “altamente preciso” y de que ofrece una alternativa clínicamente probada a otros métodos son engañosas, e instó a la compañía a no exagerar su eficacia. Desde su lanzamiento en 2014, la app ha conseguido más de 300,000 usuarias.
A principios de año salió a la luz un episodio que puso su efectividad en entredicho cuando un hospital sueco informó de que 37 de las 668 mujeres que habían solicitado un aborto en sus instalaciones se habían quedado embarazadas mientras usaban esta app. Sus creadores alegaronque estos “errores” son típicos de cualquier método de control de natalidad.
Al margen de este suceso, cabe plantearse si el aluvión de datos que dan estas apps es la solución para las peticiones, muchas veces desesperadas, de mujeres con dificultades para quedarse embarazadas. Estas apps dan alas al Quantified Self, un movimiento que busca mejorar el conocimiento personal a través de cifras.
Sus seguidores creen que sus vidas mejoran gracias a un mayor conocimiento sobre sus actividades diarias. Los detractores, sin embargo, aluden al cartel que supuestamente colgaba en la oficina de Albert Einstein: “No todo lo que cuenta puede medirse, y no todo lo que puede medirse cuenta”.
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By Risa Kerslake
Experiencing a miscarriage can be devastating, not just for the loss of a pregnancy, but also, in part, because the cause of a miscarriage can be so inexplicable.
According to the Mayo Clinic, 10 to 20 percent of confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriages.
The number is even higher in chemical pregnancies, where the miscarriage happens after a positive pregnancy test but before they’re confirmed on ultrasound. Chemical pregnancies are estimated to account for about 50 to 75 percent of miscarriages.
While many assume the miscarriage happened because of something going wrong in the pregnancy, most of the time, it’s because there was something wrong with the embryo itself.
Now experts want women to know there’s testing that can help them get answers. This is good news because steps can then be taken to avoid the potential heartbreak later on.
What causes most miscarriages?
Chromosomal abnormalities are the main cause of miscarriages. In fact, “about 70 percent of miscarriages are due to fetal chromosome aneuploidies, which means the gain or loss of a chromosome,” Mandy Katz-Jaffe, PhD, reproductive geneticist and scientific director at CCRM, reports to Healthline.
The majority of these abnormalities relate to the age of the woman. A woman is born with all the eggs she’ll have in her lifetime, and, as she gets older, her eggs do too.
With the aging of the eggs, the incidence of abnormal chromosomes goes up, making the embryos nonviable. It’s how nature protects us from having an unhealthy baby.
Dr. S. Zev Williams, chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University Medical Center, said doctors will focus very heavily on genetic factors when trying to understand the cause of a miscarriage.
“When you’re thinking about a miscarriage, it’s happened and we’re trying to understand the cause. It’s basically genetic or everything else,” Williams told Healthline.
Testing for chromosomal abnormalities tells doctors what’s going on with the chromosomes inside cells, both within the parents as well as in the embryos or miscarried tissue itself.
Having a miscarriage because of an abnormality doesn’t mean later pregnancies will end the same way.
One exception to this is what’s called a “balanced translocation,” in which pieces of the chromosome have swapped spots. “[The] majority of chromosomal abnormalities are related to age of the eggs, but there’s the occasional situation that we see on a regular basis where mom or dad are experiencing balanced translocation that induces preprogrammed miscarriages in 60 to 70 percent of the cases,” Dr. Juergen Eisermann, founder and medical director of IVFMD, reports to Healthline.
How can testing help people concerned about miscarriages?
In very complex cases, fertility doctors use whole exome sequencing on the parents. Embryos can be tested this way as well.
As a result, mutations that cause miscarriage may be discovered that haven’t been seen before.
“We had one couple who had a very sick child who was born, and then they had two other losses all with very unusual anomalies,” Williams told Healthline. “All the testing came back normal. We did a whole exome sequencing and discovered a very novel mutation that she and her partner carry, the thirteenth case in the world of it, and now we could screen their embryos to make sure they don’t have another affected child.”
Besides genetic testing on the parents, it’s important to test embryos or products of conception for chromosomal abnormalities as well.
“If the miscarriage sample is normal, then it’s unlikely that the parents have some abnormality that’s causing them to have a chromosomally normal miscarriage,” Williams explained.
For women who have miscarriages as a result of abnormal embryos, in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be an option.
Although it’s an expensive and lengthy process, it does help try to eliminate unhealthy embryos for the best chances of a pregnancy.
The woman or the couple will go through the IVF process to produce embryos, and those embryos are screened to ensure they don’t have any abnormalities, such as missing or extra chromosomes. The abnormal embryos are discarded and only the healthy unaffected ones will remain to be put back into the uterus.
“The knowledge about whether a woman carries a genetic mutation that would predispose her to recurrent miscarriages would be powerful,” Katz-Jaffe says to Healthline, “and [would] allow her to make informed decisions regarding her reproductive options.”
Updates to testing
While this type of testing has been expensive and takes weeks for results to come back. Williams and his team at Columbia University have been working on new technology to get test results faster.
They have helped create a handheld DNA sequencer to make genetic screening of these cells or tissue more accessible, and at a fraction of the cost, something that can be a relief to anxious parents. Instead of waiting weeks for test results to come back, they could have answers that same day.
“It allows us to do very, very rapid DNA sequencing and can be used to pick up chromosomal abnormalities and genetic mutations, and what we sequence depends on the clinical need,” Williams reports, “[DNA] can come from embryos where a couple of the cells are plucked off from the embryo, and that’s what’s used on the sequencer, but the other area where we use it would be miscarriage samples and CCS (comprehensive chromosome screening) samples.”
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By Jeremy Brown
Infertility is one of the hardest experiences a young couple can experience. When they are informed that they are unable to conceive children, both men and women tend to experience a profound sense of heartache, loss, and grief. Research shows that men and women regularly report that news of infertility was the most upsetting experience of their lives. And, according to Harvard Medical School, a study of 488 American women who filled out a standard psychological questionnaire before undergoing a stress reduction program concluded that women with infertility felt as anxious or depressed as those diagnosed with cancer, hypertension, or were recovering from a heart attack.
Such responses make sense, of course: To find out you can’t conceive a child is to find out that child you wished a dreamed for will not arrive. Grief and sadness are natural emotions. As is stress. Reproductive issues are hard on people under any circumstance but when the problem is one of male infertility, it often becomes more difficult. Why? Not only does the idea of male infertility often carry a harsher societal stigma, but, due to stubbornness or some notion of masculinity, men are also generally less likely to address their feelings in an honest way. These two factors mingle, forming the toxic idea that they are somehow ‘less of a man’ because of fertility issues.
“How many times have you heard someone say, ‘Way to go man!’ when a buddy of theirs shares that his wife is pregnant?” says Dr. Marissa Long, a reproductive health psychologist and founder of Thrive WISE, The sentiment expresses an accomplishment that is different from the standard, ‘congratulations’ that women receive.” The difference, Long adds, speaks to a widely accepted social idea that men ‘get women pregnant’ rather than a couple conceiving. As such, Long says, the societal implication becomes that, if a man can’t impregnate his wife, then his manliness is at stake.
Another contributing factor: fertility in general often carries with it very feminine associations. “It’s traditionally a female-driven pursuit and men have kind of been outcasts when it comes to trying to conceive and trying to start a family,” says Dr. Greg Sommer, creator of the Trak At-Home Male Fertility Testing Kit. Walk into a Walgreens and you’ll also notice the family planning aisle is full of pink products.
This feminine stereotype is often played out in the media as well, where movies and sitcoms that address infertility issues often cast the woman as the one struggling with having children and the man is simply there, stoically offering support.
“I can recall watching an episode of Friends years ago and feeling such gratitude that the writers highlighted both male and female factors as the cause of their characters’ infertility,” says Long. “The preponderance of focus in the media, however, is on women struggling with fertility issues, which can create the idea for men that infertility along with the emotional struggle it creates is a woman’s issue.”
But the fact of the matter is that male infertility is not uncommon. In fact, the National Survey of Family Growth found that 7.5 percent of men younger than age 45 have gone to a fertility doctor at some point and roughly seven percent of men are unable to conceive children. According to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, one-third of infertility cases are caused by male reproductive issues, one-third by female reproductive issues, and one-third by both male and female reproductive issues or by unknown factors.
Still, it can seem as though men with reproductive issues often feel as though they are ‘lesser.’ The general problem stems from a large part about the misconception that fertility is related to virility. Which it isn’t. “Unfortunately fertility and manliness get lumped together a lot,” says Sommer, “and people think having a high sperm count means you’re more of a man.”
Enrique Soto, MD, a South Miami-based fertility specialist with IVFMD, agrees that the idea of sex drive being somehow connected to the ability to conceive is both false and misguided.
“Testosterone, which is associated with libido and erectile function, is in fact required for sperm production but testosterone levels are not necessarily correlated with fertility,” he says. “One could have normal testosterone levels and have infertility.”
Regardless of the reasons, or the misguided notions of virility that surround the issue, the fact remains that there is still a stigma that goes hand in hand with male infertility and it brings up very difficult feelings of depression in men.
For men who are having reproductive issues, Dr. Long says it’s essential to convince yourself that there’s nothing inferior or wrong. Communication, too, is key. Men need to talk openly with their partners, friends, or, if necessary, professionals about what’s going on. And exercise, too, is essential when dealing with immensely stressful subjects. Such adaptive coping methods are healthy and move you forward. “You should find something to engage in where you can feel a sense of efficacy and empowerment since a sense of control is often absent in this process.”
Dr. Soto adds that the best course of action when men are having reproductive difficulties or infertility issues is to become as proactive and informed as possible.
“The best approach is to have a consultation with a fertility expert,” he says. “A urologist that specializes in fertility or a reproductive endocrinologist.” Having a proper diagnosis and treatment of the cause of male infertility, Soto adds, will dissipate many of these feelings and frustration. He also says that making an appointment with a professional psychologist or psychiatrist that has experience with infertility can also be of excellent value for more severe cases.
Sommer also runs a resource and community for men with fertility issues. He says it’s healthy to seek out someone with whom you can speak about these issues in plain, even playful terms. “Anything that gets over that awkwardness barrier can go a long way towards getting the information that you actually need to take care of this,” he says.
“Men come on [our forums], and they’re posting questions and they’re talking to other men and sharing their stories,” he says. “And they’re doing it in kind of a private and anonymous safe space. They’re not walking into their local fertility clinic wondering about who they’re going to see in the waiting room.”
There are numerous online resources where men can find answers and talk with both professional and others going through the same issue. For instance, Dr. Soto highly recommends RESOLVE, part of The National Infertility Association, which he says is a vibrant community where many infertility support groups can be found.
The bottom line is, per Sommer, for men to recognize that they’re not alone. “Infertility,” he adds, “is a common struggle for men and there are a number of techniques and tools to help them take it on.” Once there, optimism can take over.
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by: Business Observer | Staff
NAPLES — The campus of orthopedic medical device company Arthrex, is one of Collier County’s top employers, is now host to IVFMD, a South Florida specialized care fertility practice that reports higher success rates than the national average and draws patients from across the country and around the world.
A ribbon cutting to open the new location was recently held at the campus at 1265 Creekside Parkway in Naples. The new center is one of two non-Arthrex practices to operate in the four-story 38,000-square-foot Polaris building.
The Naples IVFMD location is one of five centers in Florida, joining the headquarters in Miami and centers in Boca Raton, Cooper City and Jupiter. Founded in 1991, IVFMD treats patients in its local communities, while also attracting national and international visitors seeking fertility treatments and complimentary second opinions.
“The new Naples IVFMD center offers patients the personal and individualized care for which IVFMD is known, rendering our extraordinary success rates in an exceptional space for the added comfort of our Southwest Gulf Coast community and visitors,” says Dr. Connie Alford, lead fertility specialist.
Founded in 1991, by Dr. Juergen Eisermann, IVFMD offers individualized fertility treatment plans. The new IVF center provides wholistic diagnostic tests and fertility treatments, including in-vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), diagnostic andrology laboratory services, inseminations, low-cost IVF, mini-stimulation protocols, fertility preservation and egg freezing.
Families struggling to have a child are getting a glimpse of hope.
Collier County’s only in vitro fertilization clinic has expanded and reopened Thursday.
The full-service IVF clinic, called IVFMD, is on Arthrex’s campus in North Naples right off Immokalee Road.
In vitro fertilization has come a long way since the first IVF baby was born in 1977. That’s why the doctors at IVFMD said having a state of the art facility right on Arthrex’s campus is such a benefit to patients in Collier County.
Though she works for IVFMD, Cynthia Hunt knows all too well what it’s like to be a patient, unable to have children without help.
“I ended up with a twin pregnancy, miscarried, did a few frozen embryo transfers, and wasn’t successful,” Hunt said.
With the help of the IVFMD offices, she’s the proud mother of 19-year-old twins.
“I’m so grateful to be a mom. My kids are the world to me, it’s a great gift,” Hunt said.
To create this same miracle for many others, IVFMD needed to upgrade its facility in Collier County.
Thursday, the ribbon was cut on their new state-of-the-art center.
“The technology is constantly advancing to make what we do a lot more successful,” Dr. Connie Alford with IVFMD said.
Staff at the facility do it all from consultations, to ultrasounds, to growing embryos. They have specialized freezers as well, which is important to note after two facilities in other states had freezer failures this year, jeopardizing frozen eggs and embryos.
“It will not slip through the cracks,” Alford said. “We have alarm systems on the tanks, we have several people that are involved in checking on these alarm systems.”
In the end, it’s all about making families possible for people who need the help.
“It means that we’re able to treat more patients, we’re able to give that helping hand and to give them that miracle,” Hunt said.
One of Hunt’s 19-year-old sons, so inspired by his mother’s journey, is now studying to become an embryologist himself.
“To go through so many struggles, have him, and then his journey in life is to help other couples, it’s like wow,” Hunt said.
The new facility is already open and taking patients.
Families struggling to have a child are getting a glimpse of hope.
Collier County’s only in vitro fertilization clinic has expanded and reopened Thursday.
The full-service clinic, called IVFMD, is on Arthrex’s campus in North Naples right off Immokalee Road.
In vitro fertilization has come a long way since the first IVF baby was born in 1977. That’s why the doctors at IVFMD said having a state of the art facility right on Arthrex’s campus is such a benefit to patients in Collier County.
Though she works for IVFMD, Cynthia Hunt knows all too well what it’s like to be a patient, unable to have children without help.
“I ended up with a twin pregnancy, miscarried, did a few frozen embryo transfers, and wasn’t successful,” Hunt said.
With the help of the IVFMD offices, she’s the proud mother of 19-year-old twins.
“I’m so grateful to be a mom. My kids are the world to me, it’s a great gift,” Hunt said.
To create this same miracle for many others, IVFMD needed to upgrade its facility in Collier County.
Thursday, the ribbon was cut on their new state-of-the-art center.
“The technology is constantly advancing to make what we do a lot more successful,” Dr. Connie Alford with IVFMD said.
Staff at the facility do it all from consultations, to ultrasounds, to growing embryos. They have specialized freezers as well, which is important to note after two facilities in other states had freezer failures this year, jeopardizing frozen eggs and embryos.
“It will not slip through the cracks,” Alford said. “We have alarm systems on the tanks, we have several people that are involved in checking on these alarm systems.”
In the end, it’s all about making families possible for people who need the help.
“It means that we’re able to treat more patients, we’re able to give that helping hand and to give them that miracle,” Hunt said.
One of Hunt’s 19-year-old sons, so inspired by his mother’s journey, is now studying to become an embryologist himself.
“To go through so many struggles, have him, and then his journey in life is to help other couples, it’s like wow,” Hunt said.
The new facility is already open and taking patients.
Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Celebrates Grand Opening of IVFMD at the Arthrex Campus
MIAMI and NAPLES – IVFMD, a South Florida specialized care fertility practice that reports higher success rates than the national average, today hosted the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony of its new location within the Arthrex campus at 1265 Creekside Parkway, Suite 202.
In attendance for the inaugural event were Collier County Board of County Commissioners Chairman Andy Solis; Paul Hobaica, MD, Arthrex Medical Center; Dan Hall, vice president of shareholder relations and taxation for Arthrex, along with Connie Alford, MD, lead fertility specialist for the new IVFMD center.
“It is with great anticipation that Collier County celebrates the opening of IVFMD’s new state-of-the-art center to help our residents and visitors fulfill their dream of creating a family,” said Commissioner Solis.
Founded in 1991, by Juergen Eisermann, MD, IVFMD specializes in providing highly individualized fertility treatment plans for patients and leveraging assisted reproductive technologies. The Naples IVFMD center is fully equipped across a 3,854 square-foot suite to provide wholistic diagnostic tests and fertility treatments, including in-vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), diagnostic andrology laboratory services, inseminations, low cost IVF, fertility preservation, and egg freezing.
“The new Naples IVFMD center offers patients the personal and individualized care for which IVFMD is known, rendering our extraordinary success rates in an exceptional space for the added comfort of our southwest Gulf Coast community and visitors,” said Dr. Alford.
The new Naples location is one of five IVFMD centers in Florida. Others include the IVFMD headquarters in Miami and centers in Boca Raton, Cooper City, and Jupiter. IVFMD treats patients in its local communities, while also drawing national and international visitors seeking fertility treatments and complimentary second opinions.
Arthrex, an orthopedic medical device company, is one of Collier County’s top employers. The new Naples IVFMD center is one of two non-Arthrex practices to operate out of the four-story 38,000-square-foot Polaris building.
“We are thrilled to welcome IVFMD into its new home and we look forward to its continued success in our shared vision of improving patient outcomes,” said Hall.
Dr. Alford is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and a Fellow of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is an associate member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and Society of Reproductive Surgeons. She participates as a reviewer for Fertility and Sterility, one of the sentinel journals in the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Dr. Alford received a master’s degree in biology from the University of South Alabama and a medical degree from the University of Florida.
IVFMD is a fertility treatment and testing center, designated as a Center of Excellence for key measures of success including its high live-birth rate. Founded in 1991, IVFMD is distinguished by its highly personalized care and individually tailored treatment plans, which also include lifestyles. With five South Florida locations, IVFMD’s internationally renowned physicians and staff deliver a full spectrum of fertility services – from modalities for induced ovulation, genetic testing, intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to egg freezing, tube reversal and surgical interventions – as well as a complimentary second opinion for new patients. For more information, visit www.ivfmd.com
Editor’s note: Interviews are available upon request.
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