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Press Releases
| Women & Infants Named a Center for In Vitro Maturation Excellence |
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06/09/08
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Advances in medicine are making it possible for women who never thought that they could conceive to now maintain a pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. One of the latest developments in infertility treatment is in vitro maturation (IVM), a process by which immature eggs are harvested from the ovaries and matured in the laboratory.
The Center for Reproduction and Infertility at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island has recently been designated as a Center for IVM Excellence by its partner, SAGE In Vitro Fertilization, a CooperSurgical company. The doctors and embryologists are highly trained in this specialized technique. Women & Infants is currently the only training center for SAGE In Vitro Fertilization and for teaching IVM to other doctors and technicians.
“At our Center for Reproduction and Infertility, we provide advanced, specialized care with a contemporary approach to women’s health care. The addition of IVM treatment to our full range of testing and treatment services further enables us to achieve success with personalized plans for each individual patient,” said Sandra Ann Carson, MD, director of the Center for Reproduction and Infertility and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. “Being selected by SAGE to serve as the Center for IVM Excellence is certainly a testament to the expertise of all of our physicians and staff. We are excited to be on the forefront of training in the latest treatment arsenal for infertility.”
“SAGE In Vitro Maturation Media allows immature oocytes to be cultured to maturity and then ultimately to the embryo state, eliminating the patient’s need for stimulating hormones, and thus creating a ‘natural cycle’ treatment option,” said Patrick Quinn, PhD, HCLD, vice president of research and development for SAGE In Vitro Fertilization.
During traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment, medication is used to encourage the production of multiple mature eggs. These eggs are then harvested and fertilized. “With IVM, less medication is used,” explained Jared Robins, MD, reproductive endocrinologist at Women & Infants Hospital and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Alpert Medical School. “Immature eggs are retrieved and are then matured in the laboratory before fertilization. This shortens the treatment cycle and decreases the chances of some side effects from the medication.”
IVM is a viable option for women who are less than 37 years old, have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a history of hyperstimulation on fertility medications, a history of poor oocyte (egg) quality, or who are planning to have chemotherapy. There are a number of benefits to this form of treatment, including avoidance of the side effects resulting from gonadotropin stimulation; lower patient cost; less patient discomfort; and simplified treatment involving fewer medications and needles.
Women & Infants’ Center for Reproduction and Infertility is affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Tufts-New England Medical Center. The staff provides a comprehensive approach for both male and female infertility patients with a team that includes reproductive endocrinologists, nurses, social workers, and other providers, working along with specialists in male infertility, as needed. Specialized genetic services and consultation are also provided. For more information, go to www.womenandinfants.org/infertility.
Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, a Care New England hospital, is one of the nation’s leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns. The primary teaching affiliate of Brown Medical School for obstetrics, gynecology and newborn pediatrics, Women & Infants is the seventh largest obstetrical service in the country with more than 9,000 deliveries per year. In 2003, Brown University and Women & Infants were named a National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Women & Infants has been named one of the best hospitals in gynecology in the 2000, 2001 and 2004 editions of America’s Best Hospitals in U.S. News & World Report. For information about Women & Infants, log on to www.womenandinfants.org.
SAGE In Vitro Fertilization, a CooperSurgical company headquartered in Trumbull, CT, provides a broad range of unique products used by infertility specialists for assisted reproduction procedures. More information about the company may be found at www.coopersurgical.com. |
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