IVF Cost » Pregnancy IVF

Had Success with IVF but at a high price?

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:33:59 +0000

I have had a request from a magazine for help in finding somebody to do an article. Here are the details:

Has anyone spent £100,000 or there abouts on fertility treatment to have a baby? I am a health journalist looking for a couple who have spent a lot of money on fertility treatment and have been successful in having a baby. The article is for Fabulous – the News of the World glossy magazine – and it would involve an interview and having pictures taken. In return you will be paid. Please contact Rachel Ellis on rachel@ellisgroom.fsnet.co.uk

If you can help then plese contact Rachel, and a comment here on your experience and how you succeeded in your journey would be great.

Technorati Tags: IVF Success

Fertility After Forty

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:19:22 +0000

Here’s a very interesting article about the use of herbs and natural remedies to help the over 40s to concieve.

Fertility After Forty
by Susun S. Weed

The most fertile years of a woman’s life are those between 18 and 28. Even into the mid-thirties, it is usually fairly easy to conceive and carry a pregnancy to term. During these years the hormones that control ovulation, enhance conception, and ensure a healthy pregnancy are usually made easily and in generous quantities. And detrimental life-style choices have not had decades of repetition to create chronic problems.

But more and more women are waiting until their late thirties, early forties, even late forties, to have children. Is this too late? Are these destined to have high-risk pregnancies? Will these children have more birth defects?

The answer to these questions – and others like them – is “no!” for wise women who enlist the help of green allies to increase fertility, ensure conception, prevent birth defects, and promote a healthy pregnancy and an easy delivery.

INCREASING FERTILITY; ENSURING CONCEPTION

Increase your chances of conception by meditating. Cultivating a calm attitude, not surprisingly, enhances fertility. Even taking a quiet five minutes alone just for you, free of all responsibilities, can bring big results if done frequently enough.

Use lunaception to time your ovulation so you have the best odds of conceiving. It’s fine to have sex in the weeks before ovulation, especially if the sex is focused on the woman and her orgasm, but do save your best efforts for those three nights when your “moon” is full and bright and ready to frolic.

Orgasm on the part of the male is necessary for fertilization. The woman’s orgasm does increase the possibility of conception. Women who experience orgasm after their partner (up to 40 minutes after his ejaculation) have the very best chance of becoming pregnant.

Red clover is the single best remedy for women over forty who want to conceive but can’t – even if there are medical reasons for not conceiving such as blocked tubes, diabetes, ovarian cysts, internal scarring, or endometriosis. There are many heart-warming success stories I could share about red clover! But suffice to say, drinking 2-4 cups of the infusion of the dried blossoms (neither tincture nor tea nor pills will work for this application) seems to do wonders for fertility, no matter what your age.

PREVENTING BIRTH DEFECTS

Boosting your nutritional status makes birth defects less of a worry. Women who drink 2-4 cups of stinging nettle infusion daily and eat cooked leafy greens as well as lettuce salads are getting the abundant folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and other minerals needed to create a healthy baby. (Tinctures, pills, and teas contain little or none of these important nutrients.)

Vitamin E is an especially critical nutrient for fertility after forty and freedom from birth defects. Freshly-ground wheat flour, cold-pressed oils, and nut butters are all good sources of vitamin E, as are stinging nettle infusion and most cooked seaweed, such as kelp. The man’s vitamin E level has as much, if not more, bearing on freedom from birth defects as does the woman’s vitamin E level.

Avoid heat, both of you. Hot tubs, even prolonged soaking in a hot bath, can cause temporary (up to several months) sterility in some men. In women, it can endanger the early embryo and trigger a miscarriage or birth defects.

Avoid drugs, both of you, including alcohol, tobacco, coffee, as well as over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs (except those you absolutely need). Your liver needs to be strong and so do your kidneys, so you can conceive and gestate a child. Instead of alcohol, which damages the liver, drink herbal infusions or alcohol-free wine or beer. Instead of tobacco, which may contribute to birth defects and low birth weight, try smoking a little dried peppermint, or, better yet, go for a walk. Instead of coffee, which challenges the kidneys, you may wish to drink green tea or black tea, or try coffee substitutes, especially the one made with dandelion roots. Instead of drugs to ease everyday aches and pains, use the gentle herbal remedies instead.

EMOTIONAL ISSUES

Ambivalence about pregnancy and parenthood is normal and natural. But the older a woman gets, the more complicated her emotions about it may be. Add to her emotional soup pot strong opinions from family and friends, confusing information spread by the popular media, and fear-inducing pronouncements from “helpful” medical professionals, and that pot will be in danger of boiling over. Herewith then, some wise woman hints for keeping your cool in the midst of overt and covert confusion.

Contrary to current opinion, having children in your forties is ordinary and common worldwide. The Bible mentions several women having children in their fifties. What is unusual and unique to our time is having a first child in one’s forties. Our mother’s, mother’s, mothers were having their fifth or eighth or tenth child when they were in their forties, not their first. If people tell you it just isn’t done, close your eyes and call upon the spirit of your great-great-great-great grandmother, then smile and tell them it seems utterly ordinary to you.

Feeling tense and distressed about choosing or refusing motherhood? Motherwort tincture is my favorite calmative. A dose of 10-20 drops helps clear your mind, eases your tension, and assists you in discerning the best path to follow.

Bach flower remedies excel as helpers when you are feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Try:

Aspen when you feel anxious, apprehensive, or afraid of the unknown.

Mimulus when you are dwelling on a specific fear.

Elm when you feel overwhelmed or inadequate.

Red Chestnut when you are afraid for or worried about your baby to be.

Rock Rose when you are trembling, shaking, or weeping from anxiety or fear.

Regular gentle massage or Reiki treatments not only help you calm your distress, they also guide you in creating a strong center that’s resistant to being pushed around by other people’s opinions. Massage and/or Reiki also help prepare your mind/body for a healthy pregnancy and a safe birth.

SPECIAL ALLIES FOR PREGNANT WOMEN OVER FORTY The single most important herb for pregnant women over forty is comfrey (Symphytum uplandica hybrids). The leaves of the mature plant contain an abundance of constituents beneficial to mother and babe, including generous amounts of minerals, alantoin, proteins, and many vitamins. The minerals in comfrey help ensure healthy nervous system growth; the fetus’s developing brain uses the proteins. And the alantoin helps the mother’s tissues become stretchy and elastic.

Aging can lead to increased stiffness and brittleness in bones and muscles, making pregnancy more arduous and painful, labor slower and more difficult, and injury more likely during birth. The hormones of pregnancy, which help soften and relax the pelvic tissues, may not be produced in adequate amounts. Comfrey comes to the rescue! Comfrey creates flexible and strong tissues throughout the body especially mucus surfaces (including intestines, uterus, bladder and vagina), the bones, the ligaments and tendons, and the skin.

Regular use of the leaf infusion, at least a quart a week, promotes a safe delivery by:

strengthening uterine muscles and preparing them to work easily and well

strengthening perineal tissues so they become resistant to tearing

strengthening uterine ligaments so the uterus does not prolapse

strengthening the bladder and increasing resistance to bacterial infection

strengthening the vagina and helping to promote an environment hostile to infection

providing easily assimilated minerals to prevent eclampsia and other complications

helping the bones of the pelvis flex and open during birth

increasing iron in the blood and thus forestalling post-partum hemorrhage.

I harvest the flowering stalks when they are fully formed; and I am careful to use the cultivated garden comfrey, which grows very tall and has purplish, pinkish, bluish flowers. I avoid wild comfrey, which stays rather small even when flowering, and has cream-colored, white, or yellowish flowers.

Some people feel that comfrey is not safe to use during pregnancy. Some people feel comfrey is not safe to use internally at all. I disagree. The roots of comfrey do contain compounds that are best avoided during pregnancy (as do all parts of the wild plant). In fact, I rarely use comfrey root because of the possibility of liver congestion, and I strongly caution those who have had hepatitis, chemotherapy, or alcohol problems to strictly avoid comfrey root. Yet even these people can benefit from use of comfrey leaf infusions.

Another important herbal ally for women over forty who desire a child is chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castii). It has been used in Africa and parts of Europe for several thousand years to discourage the male libido. In women, the effects seem to be the opposite! It may also be a fertility enhancer. Most importantly, chaste tree is a strengthening tonic for the pituitary gland, the master control gland for the endocrine system. Daily use of the tincture of the berries (1 dropperful/1 ml 2-3 times daily) had been shown to increase progesterone – the hormone of pregnancy – and luteinizing hormone – which promotes conception. Because it can lower prolactin levels, chaste tree is best discontinued during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) is not recommended for women over forty. In general, this herb promotes blood flow to the uterus and surrounding tissues. This can promote the growth of fibroids and increase the risk of post-partum hemorrhage. Ginger is a better warming tonic; motherwort is better at relieving pain; and raspberry is better at preparing the uterus for birth.

For more information about herbs and pregnancy, including herbs to use during birth, to improve lactation, and to help the newborn infant, see: Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, by Ash Tree Publishing. To receive a free brochure of classes and correspondence courses available from Susun S Weed, contact her at:
Susun Weed
PO Box 64
Woodstock, NY 12498
Fax: 1-845-246-8081

Visit Susun Weed at: www.susunweed.com and www.ash-tree-publishing.com. For permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@hvc.rr.com

Vibrant, passionate, and involved, Susun Weed has garnered an international reputation for her groundbreaking lectures, teachings, and writings on health and nutrition. She challenges conventional medical approaches with humor, insight, and her vast encyclopedic knowledge of herbal medicine. Unabashedly pro-woman, her animated and enthusiastic lectures are engaging and often profoundly provocative.

Susun is one of America’s best-known authorities on herbal medicine and natural approaches to women’s health. Her four best-selling books are recommended by expert herbalists and well-known physicians and are used and cherished by millions of women around the world. Learn more at www.susunweed.com. Susun’s books include Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, Healing Wise, Menopausal Years the Wise Woman Way, and Breast Cancer? Breast Health!

Help requested from pregnant women in the UK

admin — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 08:53:06 +0000

I have had a request from Renegade Pictures for help in making a television programme for the BBC. So if any of you have had IVF success please do contact Paula and let’s put our opinions across. Here are the details:

Hi there,

I’m writing to you from Renegade Pictures regarding a programme we’re making for the BBC about pregnancy. The documentary will be a warm, thoughtful look at pregnancy today, in which our expectant presenter will meet 7 women having a baby at different times of their lives – and with equally diverse lifestyles. We’re really keen that this documentary will explore the wide range of options that are available to women, providing a fascinating insight into this very special time.

We’re looking to contact women in the UK who are having their first baby and are particularly keen to feature women who are in their late 30’s, 40’s or 50’s who are currently pregnant and have been successful through IVF or alternative fertility treatments. We hope this will be a positive opportunity for them to talk about their experiences, choices, and outlooks, and really want to offer them the opportunity to put their opinions across – perhaps challenging stereotypes if they are passionate about that.

If you’re interested in finding out more you can call me on: 07548 948 995 or email: baby@renegadepictures.co.uk.

Many thanks and best wishes,

Paula

Technorati Tags: ivf, pregnancy, Television Programme

Use of Estrogen for IVF Success

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:47:42 +0000

I received the following question on my blog which I thought very interesting:

Hi,
I’ve read that if I get pregnant, I’ll use estrogen until the 11th week of pregnancy. But I know that estrogen is in the X category and most likely to cause fetal abnormality. So I’m quite confused now. I want to be pregnant but don’t want an abnormal baby…

I forwarded the question to MD Mr. Olegs Tucs at the Nairobi IVF Centre in Kenya (he is always VERY helpful in answering any questions) and this is the response that he gave:

During pregnancy estradiol and progesteron levels are naturally highly elevated if compared to non-pregnant conditions. In IVF or assisted reproduction in general extra estrogens are given only if there are indications of Your body not producing enough estradiol of its own. It is in case of menopause, ovarian failure and mostly in egg donation program. In those cases You will be given both progesteron and estrogen to mimic natural processes and in doses corresponding to normal body production of hormones during pregnancy. It is also necessary for Your doctor to monitor hormonal levels during treatment and adjust the dose accordingly.

Kind regards,
MD Mr. Olegs Tucs
The Nairobi IVF Center Ltd.
www.nairobiivf.com

I hope this reply will be helpful to others who have similar concerns.

Technorati Tags: Estrogen

Infertility Answers

admin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:41:49 +0000

Having spent time on the telephone today to a clinic in Ireland who were stressing to me, as numerous other clinics seem to be doing, that the likelihood of me becoming pregnant with my own eggs is very slim due to my age, it is looking more and more likely (although I must admit that at the moment I am in total denial!) that I will need to go the egg donation route.

Although I am not ready to give up on being able to use my own eggs (as I told you – total denial!) my attention was brought to a very informative site, Infertility Answers. They state that they specialise in surrogacy and egg donation, however the information on the site is relevant to all of us. I found the list of tests that are done for both male and female infertility interesting – at last I can put some names to the tests I have had!! (Is there anybody else out there like me who does not remember what everything is called?)

It’s worth checking the site out, there’s lots of good information there.

Sue

Technorati Tags: IVF Information

IVF Cost at the Nairobi IVF Centre, Kenya – great information!

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:42:30 +0000

The following reply to my letter requesting information on IVF cost, IVF success rates and the IVF procedure was received from Nairobi IVF Centre in Kenya the day after I made the request.

This is a great response, Mr Olegs Tucs has answered all of my questions directly – I have added the approximate US$ values in red, he had already converted them to Euros for me. The success rates for my age group appear very good, although as I have mentioned elsewhere on this blog it is very difficult to compare there.

Overall I think this is a great response and Mr Tucs will certainly be going on my shortlist. The full contact details for the clinic are:

The Nairobi IVF Centre Limited

LandMark Plaza, Mezzanine floor
Argwings Kordhek Road
P.O. Box 29748 00202
Nairobi
Kenya
Tel/Fax 254 20 2731978/82
e-mail:
NairobiIVF@gmail.com
noreh@africaonline.co.ke

If you check out the website there is a full list of costs, their current success rates and a very useful dictionary of infertility for people like myself who are not too well clued up on all of the jargon! I have contacted Mr. Olegs Tucs on a number of occassions and he is VERY approachable and willing to answer all questions.

Here’s Mr. Olegs Tucs reply:

Thank You a lot for the interest in our services.
Please see answers below:

> What is the current success rate for your clinic? (preferably by age as I know that the success rate will be much lower for somebody of my age)

Success rate for the first 6 months of 2008 is 41% of clinical pregnancies per cycle started. For the age group over 40 we have much lower success rate of 23 %, for egg donation programm the overall success rate is 56 %. Now we are going to publish our results in East Africa Medical Journal, so hopefully in short time the most detailed information will be available.

> How many cycles do you perform per year at the clinic?

An average of 140 IVF/ICSI cycles per year

> What is the maximum age that you treat?

We do not have an age limit for IVF with donor eggs, in case of own eggs we do not do the treatment if FSH level on menstrual cycle Day 2-3 is higher than 17 mUI/ml. So we actually do not look at the age but at ovarian reserve as such.

> Are there any fertility conditions that you will not treat?

We are unable to do sex selection and PGD. Otherwise we try to find suitable solution for every case.

> What is your embryo transfer policy? How many embryos will you replace at one time?

We prefer to transfer no more than 2 embryos, but final decision is base on embryo quality and patients medical history.

> What is the basic cost of the IVF treatment?

The basic cost is KSHS 300,000 (appr. EUR 3000) (approx. US$4,100) incl. medications.

> What additional costs would / could be incurred?

ICSI (microinjection) if necessary – 20,000 KSHS (EUR 200) (approx. US$275), first consultation KSHS 2000 (approx. US$28), sperm analysis if not done elsewhere in 6 months before the treatment, KSHS 2000 (approx US$28). Health screen and hormonal profiling if not done elsewhere in 6 months before the treatment, KSHS 30,000. (approx. US$410) I can provide more information what tests are necessary if You need so.

> What happens to the costs if the cycle has to be abandoned?

In such a case You have to pay only for what have been done. Price breakdown will be given in details. If the first cycle fails we offer second attempt at KSHS 250,000. (approx. US$3,430)

> How long would I need to be in Kenya for?

Ideally for the whole duration of treatment – it is ca. 3 weeks if You have a regular cycle. You can also do ovarian stimulation locally under supervision of local specialist and come for actual procedure only. Stay time will not exceed one week then and You will have to pay about half-price- that is laboratory expences.

> Who deals with the logistics of flights and accommodation?

We can arrange both flight and accommodation incl. airport transfer if necessary. Or we may give You hotel details and You can arrange the accommodation on Your own.

> How is the pre-treatment carried out?

First we need some information about Your medical history, please see the application form attached. Based on information we have the treatment schedule will be set up.

> How do I get medication?

Normally You will get medications on Your first visit to us. Alternatively we can give You the list of medications necessary so You can get those at Your location.

> How will I be monitored?

Several ( at least 2) ultrasound check ups are necessary during stimulation and we do it locally at the Clinic.

> How will I know that I am not being under / over stimulated?

On the first scan ovarian response is determined as number and size of follicles growing and we will follow You up every two days to keep the stimulation under control.

> If I have a problem whilst in the UK who would I go to?

It depends where in UK You live. We have specialists in London, but elsewhere You may need to find out who is experienced IVF specialist in Your area.

> Is the clinic registered with any regulatory body?

So far there are no appropriate regulatory bodies for IVF in Kenya so we are registered as private gynecological clinic at the medical board.

Hope I have provided at least some information You need and You are welcome to ask more questions if by chance something is missing. In Your case FSH blood level is the most important criteria for us to decide if we can do IVF.

Kind regards,
MD Mr. Olegs Tucs
The Nairobi IVF Center Ltd.
www.nairobiivf.com

Technorati Tags: Kenya, My IVF Shortlist

New test is available in India that can stop wasted IVF attempts

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:39:18 +0000

A new test has been developed that can test for defective eggs, hence stopping the cost and emotional turmoil of an IVF attempt that would never have worked. The test is available at Dehli’s Pheonix Hospital and costs around US$215 on top of the IVF treatment. Check out the full article here.

Technorati Tags: India, IVF News

New Advancements in IVF Treatment

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:50:40 +0000

This week has seen the announcement of two new advancements in IVF technology. The first, very exciting, is that scientists at Oxford University have discovered why some embryos fail to implant in the womb. Apparantly this is down to two protiens called Rac1 and RhoA – or the lack of these. They’ve even caught it on film – see the video below! If the implantation of embryos can be more guaranteed then the success rates for IVF treatment could potentially double! In other words the IVF cost could half! Check out the full article here.

Technorati Tags: IVF News

Britains most successful IVF doctor – in the news again.

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:13:18 +0000

Britains most successful IVF doctor – achieving almost double the national average success rate – is attracting a lot of press this week. Mohammed Taranissi has been up against allegations from the HFEA and the General Medical Council. Just this week the HFEA have backed down on their allegations and Mr. Taranissi has been cleared to run his London clinic again.

Check out all of the news on this in the following sources:

Technorati Tags: IVF News, U.K.

Pregnant w/ IVF at SFC in Charleston, SC

admin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:29:17 +0000

http://sefertility.com IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is an assisted reproductive technology that helps about 55 percent of infertile women under age 35 become pregnant. This video explains the IVF procedure at Southeastern Fertility Center in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. John Schnorr describes the fertility drugs and medical procedures that constitute a successful IVF treatment cycle. For more information, please our website www.sefertility.com or call us, 1-843-881-3900, to make an appointment at one of our convenient offices near you: 1375 Hospital Drive, Charleston, South Carolina 1410 Blanding Street, Suite 204, Columbia, South Carolina 4728 Jenn Drive, Suite 102, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Duration : 0:1:56

Technorati Tags: IVF Success