Surrogacy 101

How to Identify a "Bad" IVF Clinic - A Guide for Patients Going Through IVF Treatment

If you have been doing any research you know that IVF has become a big business today.

How can you protect yourself from poorly equipped inexperienced doctors, who set up IVF clinics just to make money? It can be very hard for patients to differentiate between a "good" IVF clinic and a "bad" IVF clinic because they all seem to be the same - and patients are not sophisticated enough to be able to make out which offers a better service.

For example, many IVF clinics will advertise that they have bought the newest machine and have the latest technology . However, these are often marketing gimmicks to get media publicity - they do not really help the patient or improve success rates in any way. In fact, many of these "high tech wonders" often end up collecting dust in the lab, because they are never used after the first flush of excitement over their novelty value dies down.

Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. Just going by a clinic's reputation does not help (some big name clinics are just money making mills) - and even checking the success rates can lead you astray especially since they are 2 years old by the time the SART reports are available.

I feel the only effective solution is to be well-informed about what an IVF treatment cycle involves, so that you know the clinic you select provides state of the art technology.

Do they cryopreserve embryos?

Do they offer vitrification?
Do they offer blastocyst transfer?
Do they provide photographic documentation of your embryos?
Do they offer PGD ( preimplantation genetic diagnosis) and PGS (preimplantation genetic screening)


Here are some of the red flags which should warn you the clinic may not be very good.

They depend upon an out of town doctor who travels to the clinic for a few days every month to do the clinical procedures
They perform less than 100 IVF cycles every year
They do not have a full-time embryologist
They "batch patients" because they don't have the required expertise in-house and need to "import" qualified people for the treatment
They do not document their medical treatment protocols
They do not provide you with a medical treatment summary
They do not answer your questions
They do not provide you with photographs of your embryos

I feel the last is critically important. While the clinical outcome of an IVF cycle is always uncertain, since doctors cannot control embryo implantation, producing good quality embryos is a function of the IVF clinic, and correlates directly with the skill and expertise of the IVF lab. Good IVF clinics take pride in their skills - and by documenting the embryos they produce in their lab, they can show their patients that they are transparent and skilled!

 

Of course there are exceptions in every situation such as a good clinic may be small and only preform 50 transfers....or they may batch patients to make the cost more affordable. But there is no excuse for lack of documentation, unanswered questions and not providing medical treatment summaries. Do your research and then decide what clinic is the best fit for you. 

 

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Infertility Answers~ Research Your Options Here

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Frequently Asked Questions About Washington State Surrogacy Laws: Guest Post By Christina Park, Esquire

Surrogacy 101 Included in Top 10 Surrogacy Blog Contest for 2019

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for their favorite blogs! Surrogacy 101 took 7th place and I am happy and honored to be included in the top 10! If there is a topic you would like to see addressed in Surrogacy 101 just let me know! Many thanks to MySurrogateMom.com and David Bull for holding the contest and congratulations to my fellow participants! There are some great blogs out there offering a ton of information on surrogacy and other family building options. Click the link at the bottom of this post to see which blogs should be on your reading list!

 

The moment you understand that you will need the help of surrogacy to create the family you wish, so much can be scary and emotional. And when you start looking for information about surrogacy, you will realize that there are so many resources out there that it is natural to feel overwhelmed. Going through this by yourself can feel lonely at times, and that is normal. For this reason, we have decided to help you by researching the best surrogacy blogs and creating a list of the top ten surrogacy blogs for 2019!

 

These blogs were nominated by our readers, pre-selected based on content quality and how often they are updated, and finally ranked by your more than 3,000 votes in our contest, The Top Surrogacy Blog Awards 2019. We want to thank all of you for your participation in the process, from the initial nominations to the vote.

 

Before announcing the top 10 surrogacy blogs, remember that education is fundamental when pursuing surrogacy; the more you know, the better prepared you will be for what lies ahead. Research, read, learn, and ask!

 

And now click here for  the Ultimate List of Top Ten Surrogacy Blogs!

 

 

 

Is Infertility Really That Common? Then Why Does No One Ever Talk About It? A Blog Post by "Sassy Surrogate" of Colorado Surrogacy

Dear Sassy Surrogate- I don’t know what to do!!! I have been trying to conceive for a very long time and can’t get pregnant. I want to be a mom so much. I hear people say that infertility is common but if that is true, why does no one ever talk about it? Is it my fault I can’t get pregnant? I feel so alone.

From - Sad and Alone

Dear Sad and Alone -

I am so sorry for what you are going through. It is true that “7.4 million women, or 11.9% of women, have ever received any infertility services in their lifetime. Approximately one-third of infertility is attributed to the female partner, one-third attributed to the male partner and one-third is caused by a combination of problems in both partners or, is unexplained.” https://resolve.org/infertility-101/what-is-infertility/fast-facts/ This is an issue that affects a high number of both men and women, yet so many people suffer in silence.

I struggled with infertility for over five years. We went through years of unsuccessfully “trying” to get pregnant on our own, over a year of attempting artificial insemination (IUI) and then years of IVF treatment until we were blessed with our daughter. I spent most of that time feeling ashamed and like a failure. I felt inadequate and that my inability to get pregnant meant that there was something wrong with me. I was too embarrassed to talk about it or tell anyone about the pain we were going through. I did not want people to feel sorry for me, yet I spent every day feeling sorry for myself. The grief and sadness were so intense that I isolated myself and felt even more alone. I felt as if I were the only one in the world going through these feelings and experiences. At that time, it felt like everyone around me and everywhere I went people were either pregnant or had a baby (and then getting pregnant again). I had a hard time being happy for friends and family who were having babies and even started resenting going to baby showers. I did not like the person I had become. These feelings added to my shame and isolation. Where was that 11.9% of women when I needed them? Why did I feel so alone when others were clearly also experiencing the same things? We blame ourselves and shame ourselves into isolation instead of reaching out and seeking the support we need.

Now I share my experiences and struggles with everyone. I reach out to anyone I hear might be dealing with any sort of infertility. I never want anyone else to feel alone and isolated like I did. I want them to feel supported and to know they are not the alone in their feelings, emotions and struggles. It is important to spread the word, to let others know it is okay to talk about, to let people know that opening up about infertility can feel good. The more openly people are able to discuss their struggles, the less alone people feel and the more others will feel okay to open up themselves. The more women (and men!) support others who are struggling with infertility, the less alone they will feel and the more they will understand that no matter what, it is not their fault, there is nothing to be ashamed of and that they are not a failure. We need to help stop the stigma that surrounds infertility and the best way we can put an end to it is by talking about it. The more people share their experiences the more they learn and the more people can use each other as resources.

Another important way to destigmatize infertility is to understand that infertility is a medical condition, and like many medical conditions, it is one that might require medical assistance and treatment. Making it a medical condition takes the personal blame and shame out of it and can make it easier to discuss and seek treatment. Science has made many advances and there are many alternatives to help couples seeking fertility treatment to get pregnant. For example, there are fertility drugs, IUI, donor sperm and donor egg, In vitro fertilization, Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, donor embryos, surrogacy and more. The opportunities for couples to become pregnant is so much higher than in past years. Let’s talk about it and share our experiences!

At the time I was experiencing infertility, I wished for a crystal ball. I needed to “know” that at some point I would be a mom, that my dream would come true. I did not mind (although unpleasant) the treatments, the appointments, the shots, etc. It was the unknown that was the most painful and difficult to bear. It is important to keep reminding yourself that you should not lose hope. You will find your path. Hopefully along the way you can seek support. The support is out there. Always remember you are not alone! The path to parenthood, whether IVF, surrogacy, egg/sperm donation, adoption, no longer matters once you hold your baby in your arms; the pain and uncertainty of the journey fades away and is replaced by a joy and love you never could have even imagined.
Colorado Surrogacy [www.coloradosurro.com] loves to support gestational carriers of all types: Sassy, sensational and splendid. Their entire team [https://www.coloradosurro.com/meet-the-staff] loves to provide support and encouragement through journeys of all types.

Surrogacy 101 Blog in Feedspot Top 50 Surrogacy Blogs

I received this message yesterday: 

"My name is Anuj Agarwal. I'm Founder of Feedspot.

I would like to personally congratulate you as your blog Surrogacy 101 has been selected by our panelist as one of the Top 50 Surrogacy Blogs on the web. 

http://blog.feedspot.com/surrogacy_blogs/

 

I personally give you a high-five and want to thank you for your contribution to this world. This is the most comprehensive list of Top 50 Surrogacy Blogs on the internet and I’m honored to have you as part of this!"

 

It's always nice to be validated and acknowledged and making the top 50 on the Internet for Surrogacy is pretty awesome! I hope that my dear readers also feel that the information found on Surrogacy 101 is helpful and easy to understand! I appreciate your continued support!

 

 Thank you!

Sharon LaMothe

LaMothe Services, LLC

http://LaMotheServices.com

LaMothe Surrogacy Consulting

http://LaMotheSurrogacyConsulting.com

InfertilityAnswers

http://InfertilityAnswers.org

Early Is Best-Starting the Conversation About How Your Family Was Made via Surrogacy or Donation

With egg and sperm donation, parents have the extra concern of what to tell their child regarding where they came from. This is not a simple birds and bees conversation yet it can be as simple as that. Parents often have unfounded fears that their child will reject them if they know the 'truth'.

Although there are papers, articles and books on this topic, in this post I would like to keep it as simple as possible. First and foremost accept yourself as your child’s parent! You are rising, nurturing, loving a human being whom you helped create. No little thought went into this very life changing decision. Acknowledge that you are the reason that your child even exists!

Secondly, remember that parents read books to their children starting at a very young age. When you chose your books like “I Love You This Much” or “Goodnight Moon” add in a couple of children’s books on egg donation such as “One More Giraffe” by Kim Noble or “Mom and Dad and the Journey They Had” by Molly Summer. Books like these will prepare your young child for future questions and answers regarding his or her origins. Talking about how different families are made and how what really matters, at the end of the day, is that children are loved and wanted. Reading books can set the ground work for honest communication as your child grows.

Third, I suggest that if you have fears that you can not seem to put to rest, contact a mental health professional in the field of third party reproduction. You will find several who help you find the words you need to explain to your child or children how they were created AND how much you love them.

If you have ever had a conversation with your child about surrogacy,  egg or sperm donation and would like to share it with our readers please contact us with your story! Many Intended Parents would benefit from hearing your thoughts and suggestions!

Want to Have a Baby One Day? Be Careful Who You Vote for This Election By Guest Blogger Stephanie Levich

An astounding 1 in 8 American couples will experience problems having children during their lifetimes, making infertility one of America’s greatest unsung medical epidemics. Unfortunately, the vast array of drugs and procedures available to help couples with fertility issues, including inseminations and homeopathic remedies, do not always work.

There is, however, a treatment that does work: in vitro fertilization (IVF). During my close to 15 years as a fertility consultant and through my own personal experience with IVF, I have discovered IVF to be a veritable miracle technique, enabling thousands of people, myself included, to overcome the heart wrenching diagnosis of infertility.

Imagine for a moment eagerly trying to start your family only to learn that you are a 1 in 8 and the only way for you to have a biological child of your own is through IVF. I was faced with this exact reality. Fortunately, we live in a time where options like IVF are available. But here's the scary reality: one of our presidential candidates is lobbying to end the existence of IVF. As someone who, not only helps clients have children through IVF, but is also a parent because of IVF, I take this very personally.

Ted Cruz released a chilling video last week which zealously showed his support for fetal "personhood" where zygotes would be considered legal "persons" and would therefore be granted full protection by the U.S. Constitution. “I enthusiastically support that resolution and, as president of the United States" he asserts, "I pledge to you that I will do everything within my power to end the scourge of abortion once and for all, that I will use the full constitutional power and the bully pulpit of the presidency to promote a culture of life, that I will sign any legislation put on my desk to defend the least of these, including legislation that defends the rights of all persons, without exception other than the life of the mother from conception to natural death."

Cruz, like others in his party, grounds his opinion in a conservative, theological belief that human life begins at conception. But the implications of these beliefs for those needing to undergo the IVF process to have a family are alarming. In an IVF cycle, numerous eggs are retrieved with the hope that a good number of healthy embryos will be created. Generally, any embryos that are not transferred are frozen. By granting full constitutional rights to embryos, fertility doctors would not be permitted to retrieve more than one or two eggs per IVF cycle. This would not only decrease success rates significantly, but would also make an already expensive process more cost prohibitive to patients because they would be required to undergo multiple retrieval procedures. Patients would also be subjected to increased medical risks for each egg retrieval they would be required to undergo.

Thankfully, the picture is much brighter on the democratic side. Hillary Clinton embraces the widespread belief shared by most fertility professionals, that human life begins at fetal viability or birth. In 2015, while responding to the nationwide firestorm surrounding abortion rights and employer-financed contraception, Clinton remarked that, “deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed” so as to grant women proper access to “reproductive health care.”

Unlike other national politicians, Clinton seems to view access to family planning methods within the larger context of women’s rights. In an extensive interview she gave last year to The Des Moines Register, Clinton noted that, “The Republicans have made it clear in recent years that they are not only opposed to abortion, which they have been for quite some time, they are increasingly opposed to family planning and contraception. This is a direct assault on a woman’s right to choose health care.”

For Clinton, access to family planning methods is a matter of personal freedom. As not only a fertility consultant, but also a grateful parent thanks to IVF, I couldn't agree more. IVF allows people to experience the joy of parenthood. All Americans, especially any American with hopes of starting a family one day, should bring their fertility concerns to the voting booth, demanding that politicians not only get behind but also protect this miracle technology.

 

 

Stephanie Levich is the Founder of Family Match Consulting, LLC,which assists clients in finding their perfect egg donor and surrogate candidates. Stephanie has been named one of America’s Top Entrepreneurs Under the age of 30 by Inc. Magazine and has been featured in various publications including Valley Life, and ForbesWoman. She is very grateful for the miracle of IVF which helped bring her to her very proudest accomplishments: her two beautiful children.

 

Related articles

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Tips: Working with your clinic

Check Out Dr. Michael Feinman's New Website for Those Who Experienced Failed IVF in the Past: IVF Implantation Failure Clinic

Are Surrogate's "Playing God? Just My Thoughts...

 

 

 

How many times have you heard as a surrogate that "you are playing God!"? The common phrase here is "Basically, if God wanted Intended Parents to have children they would get pregnant on their own. If that wasn't a possibility then they, the Intended Parents, should adopt." 'Surrogacy' is preventing them from looking at adoption as an option by a woman offering a healthy body to carry their child. Some child out there would be homeless because of surrogacy! A stunning conclusion, I know. And comments like that may make a person pause and think...but often it will not change minds. 

 

     So here are some of my views on the GOD issue. Surrogates are not playing God. Egg Donors are not preventing adoptions from taking place. Reproductive Endocrinologists and Embryologists are NOT pretending to be God. We are all using the gifts that said God gave us. We are using our brains and our bodies to make and give life. And if you are really REALLY religious,  are we not making another follower of God? A Catholic? Baptist? Jew? Methodist? add your religion here_______! And What about all the other medical marvels happening in the world? Heart transplants? Kidney donations? Bone marrow donations? How about blood transfusions? Are these not prolonging or enhancing life? And doesn't a new human being, a very much wanted baby, make a life complete for those parents who desire to enhance THEIR own existence?

 

     One last thought...would any "God" really allow a human to take the credit for our own creation? I think not!

 

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Surrogacy All Over The World-What Are the Laws?

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What is Happening at the Surrogacy Agency- Managing Expectations-Surrogate Fee Caps and Benefits or What More Do You Want?

Question: I am wondering, especially in the case of Gestational Surrogacy, does the blood of the surrogate mother run through the baby she is carrying?

Answer: This is a question that is often asked when the issue of surrogacy is on the table. A Reproductive Endocrinologist once explained it to me very simply, that the fetus makes it's own blood supply. The more technical answer is this: the placenta is the organ that attaches the developing embryo or fetus to the uterus (womb) and is composed of maternal and embryonic tissue, it links the blood supply of the embryo to the blood supply of the mother, allowing the exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products. Please note that the two blood systems are not in direct contact, but are separated by thin membranes, with materials diffusing across from one system to the other. The placenta also produces hormones that maintain and regulate pregnancy. It is shed as part of the afterbirth.

 

During my first surrogacy, my couple decided to bank the cord blood. I wondered if I could use it if I personally ever needed to and the answer was no because those babies were not related to me. 

 

Sharon

www.InfertilityAnswers.net

Infertility Answers~ Research Your Options Here

There are many reasons why you might be looking for an alternative way to create your family and Infertility Answers is designed to assist you in that very personal decision. If you are considering Gestational Surrogacy, Traditional Surrogacy, using an Egg or Sperm Donor or even Embryo Donation then we welcome you! Infertility Answers even has a section dedicated to pregnancy issues! As you read through this site you will find information that addresses these topics and so much more.

The Infertility Answers Mission...  

... is to assist you, as Surrogate, Donor or Intended Parent, to learn all you can about Third Party Reproduction so an informed decision can be made. Perhaps you have been frustrated at your attempt to gain knowledge through agencies, clinics or attorneys. Having your basic questions answered here will help you ask the right questions when the time comes to put your Assisted Reproduction plan into action.

Did You Know?? LaMothe Surrogacy Consulting offers a Full Service Consulting Package

LaMothe Surrogacy Consultants offer an entire surrogacy management package. This package is offered to those who have already found their surrogate though their own search be it a family member, friend, or through online classified ads. This Package includes the initial meeting plus assisting in all of the details of a surrogate arrangement without the matching process. This package lasts from the time you pay our retainer, throughout the medical and psychological testing, contract negations, embryo transfers (max 3 transfers with the same surrogate), pregnancy and birth. Attending appointments and birth are included in this service with you only paying the additional travel expenses. Please call us for pricing and further details.

 

Here is a brief outline of some of the services included in this Full Service LaMothe Surrogacy Consultants Package:

 

Initial meeting including materials for you and your surrogate

Assting you in finding a psychologist for the mental health screen

Helping with a health, life and disability policies if needed

Finding an attorney for the surrogate and Intended Parents 

Being available for embryo transfers and other appointments

Arranging to send verbal/e-mail agreements between parties to the attorney to be included in the contract

Coordinating and/or locating a RE/clinic to work with the surrogate arrangement (in the case of a satellite office if needed)

Assisting with locating a "surrogate friendly" OB office

Coordinating escrow/trust Accounts for the distribution of funds throughout the contract time frame

Assisting with mediation and/or counseling

General case management and support

Attending transfers/appointments and births

(Plus travel expenses)

 

Call LaMothe Surrogacy Consulting for your FREE 40 minute consultation to learn more about our services. 727-458-8333

Please Join Me at A Family of My Own Conference at the Wyndham Glenview Suites in Glenview, Illinois September 29th!

Do you know someone trying to have a Family of their Own? Find out how to make it possible
by joining me, Sharon LaMothe of LaMothe Surrogacy Consulting, and get all the
information you need to become a family at Family of My Own Fertility & Adoption Conference on Saturday, September 29 at the Wyndham Glenview Suites.

This is the premier event in Illinois that will bring together top medical professionals and
industry experts in one room for one day.  

Couples who are trying to start a family, but have questions, reproductive health and adoption experts will be available to answer questions on the latest advances in fertility as well as adoption. In addition, the business expo will feature
leading companies that will showcase products and services relevant to fertility and adoption. Sponsors of the event to date include aParent IVF, Fertility Centers of Illinois, InVia Fertility and Walgreens and to register for the event visit www.AFamilyofMyOwn.com

Forever Family (Working Title) A Groundbreaking New Docu-series

Over 1.2 million women in the US seek treatment each year for infertility. 

It is estimated that U.S. citizens adopt around 120,000 children each year.

Since 1976, there have been about 25,000 surrogate births in the USA and more than 250,000 babies have been born using the in vitro fertilization technique. IVF offers infertile couples a chance to have a child who is biologically related to them.

From one of the producers of Extreme Makeover “Home Edition” comes a new one hour docu-series that celebrates couples and individuals who have decided to create their family in a variety of non traditional ways.

Each week our Host, a nationally recognized celebrity who has a experienced a personal journey with adoption or  infertility will meet and interview couples and individuals, who are in various stages of creating new families utilizing one of these fast growing alternative trends of surrogacy, adoption, assisted insemination or IVF.

As the cameras document each heartwarming story, our host may also introduce our audience to other celebrities who themselves have gone through the process and want to share their passion and experience in creating their families using one of the above mentioned alternative approaches.

We are casting couples and individuals who are in various stages of creating a family using alternative means such as: surrogacy, adoption, assisted insemination and IVF.

This is a groundbreaking new docu-series, if you would like to share your story and currently live in the Southern California region, we would love meet with you.

Contact: Sherry Calhoun 818-400-9094 

A Great Symposium for Infertility and Reproductive Professionals: START ART

Infertility is a challenging and rewarding field of nursing, and one that is evolving rapidly and dramatically, requiring nurses and other healthcare practitioners to constantly remain current with the latest state-of–the ART technology. Those in practice, as well as nurses in transition, accept that this ever changing arena requires an ongoing commitment to pursue new information, techniques, and best practices. And, equal in priority, is the IVF nurse’s sensitivity to parents’ quest to create families and the fragility of early embryonic life.

 The Annual REI Nursing Congress: Scientific & Therapeutic Approaches To Assisted Reproductive Technology (STARTARTSM) provides a unique and comprehensive educational opportunity, featuring critical updates on the latest advances in reproductive medicine, from procedures and protocols to psychosocial and legal issues. The goal of this Congress is to provide late-breaking information and cutting-edge techniques to improve ART outcomes - a goal that is matched by the IVF nurses’ skills, compassion, and caring that make this field so remarkable.

This activity is intended for the education of nurses, nurse practitioners, and other healthcare professionals specializing in reproductive medicine and assisted reproductive technology. (It's great for surrogacy and egg donation agency owners too!)

During lunch on both Thursday, August 4 and Friday, August 5, participants will have the opportunity to join accredited sessions of interactive roundtable discussions. Topics will be posted at the meeting registration desk, where participants may sign up for discussions of issues of special interest. A moderator or faculty member will lead each group. (I am, once again, planning to lead a round table on the topic of Gestational Surrogacy.)

Register HERE https://www.123enroll.com/STARTART

I hope to see you there!!

 Sharon

Surrogacy and Embryo, Sperm, & Egg Donation: What Were You Thinking?: Considering IVF & Third-Party Reproduction by Theresa M. Erickson: A LaMothe Book Review

I was very excited to receive my copy of Surrogacy and Embryo, Sperm, & Egg Donation: What Were You Thinking?: Considering IVF & Third-Party Reproduction by Theresa M. Erickson. What I expected was a book filled with guidelines and tips for those who are venturing for the first time into the unknown territory of Third Party Family Building and I was not disappointed!

 

Education and research is key when considering any third party reproduction route and there are several books out on the market that can assist Intended Parents in making a sound decision. But along with reading books like Surrogacy and Embryo, Sperm, & Egg Donation: What Were You Thinking? visiting website's and researching all options, it is wise to surround oneself with seasoned professionals in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology. Theresa Erickson is one of those highly sought after reproductive attorneys that can provide sound advice and guidance just as she provides in her books.

 

Surrogacy and Embryo, Sperm, & Egg Donation: What Were You Thinking? is divided into four 'fertility options' as stated in the title but there is so much more to be discovered here. With chapters on Disclosure, Reproductive Tourism, Agency vs Independent and Online Matching, Trust and Escrow Accounts, and much more, this book is a must read for any Intended or Recipient Parent considering working with a third party to build their family.

 

About the Author Theresa Erickson:

 

Theresa M. Erickson is one of the few attorneys in the United States who practices exclusively in reproductive and family formation law. The managing partner of Erickson Law, APLC, she is also the Founder and Chair of Conceptual Options, The Surrogacy and Egg Donation Center, and lives in San Diego, California.

All About Frozen Embryos

Although Infertility Answers has some of the information below located on our site...Miracles Waiting has much more to offer. Click on any of the links below to visit their website. 

How are embryos created during an In Vitro Fertilization cycle? At what stage are embryos frozen? What is an oocyte?  Is it the same as a gamete? What is the difference between an embryo and a pre-embryo? What is a 2PN embryo? What is a Zygote?  What are Blastomeres? What is a Morula? What is a Blastocyst? How does implantation occur? What is assisted hatching? Is it better to transfer 8-cell embryos or blastocysts? How are embryos frozen and stored after an IVF cycle? How long does it take for embryos to thaw? How does the thawing process work? Will all the embryos survive the thaw? How long after they are thawed are embryos transferred? How long can embryos be frozen and still be viable? Will frozen embryos be as likely to produce a pregnancy as fresh embryos after they are thawed? Can embryos be frozen more than once? What are the factors thought to affect embryo quality? How are embryos graded? What is “normal development” for an embryo at the time of transfer? What is PGD? Is it possible to have genetic tests performed on embryos that have been frozen? Is it possible to tell the gender of an embryo? What is the typical success rate with frozen embryo transfer? When do embryos implant in the uterus? What are the symptoms of implantation? How soon can I take a pregnancy test? What factors can be used to assess the likelihood that an FET will be successful? Are children born from frozen embryos normal?

 

Your urgent and immediate action on two bills introduced in the Georgia State Senate is of vital importance. .

In talking with Evelina, who is in GA (and on the EDSPA Board) and very involved with fighting this (which may be voted into law by next Thursday!) This bill is about only being able to MAKE 2 or 3 embryos at a TIME....not just what you can transfer. So if you are under 40 and have 12 eggs, only 2 can be fertilized...if you are over 40 then only 3 can be fertilized! No more then that....We need to clearly get the truth of this bill a crossed to everyone because who is going to want to make just 2 or 3 embryos at a time? Who can pick and choose which eggs would be the best to fertilize AND then there would be NO EMBRYOS LEFT for freezing! (perhaps you can freeze the eggs however that is not perfected yet and the cost....well....it just wouldn't be worth it) Apparently it's the right to lifers who are pouring money into this GA bill so that there will/would be no more 'babies on ice"...

On another note, if this bill passes I hear that the ASRM will consider moving the Oct. meeting to another location.

Please forgive me for posting this but I wanted everyone to read this!
Sharon LaMothe (comments welcome!)

This was posted by Mark Perloe~

Your urgent and immediate action on two bills introduced in the Georgia State Senate is of vital importance. .

The Georgia Senate Health & Human Services Committee will hold a hearing on two bills: SB 169 and SB 204 this Thursday, March 5, at 9:00 AM in Room 450 of the State Capitol. At the hearing, the committee will hear testimony on the bills. Reproductive medicine physicians from across the state, along with Resolve and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) oppose both of the bills. The hearing is open to the public and we encourages you to attend the hearing and send a letter to the Committee members before Thursday. To send a letter immediately, click here.

Senate Bill 169 would restrict doctors' ability to perform IVF in accordance with best medical standards. Here are the key provisions:
- No more than 2 or 3 eggs could ever be fertilized in a cycle; if a woman produced more eggs, they still could not be used.
- Only 2 embryos could ever be transferred to the uterus, unless the woman is age 40 or over (then a max of 3).
- No extra embryos could be cryopreserved. If they are created, they have to be transferred.
- No financial relief, such as insurance coverage, is proposed to help with the added financial burden of using less effective treatment. Patients will still have to pay out of pocket for less effective treatment.
- Bans all financial compensation for donor gametes, such as egg donor, sperm donor, or embryo donation, which would reduce the pool of available donors in Georgia.

SB 204 is an embryo adoption bill. It would subject embryo donation to all the same provisions as required by law for adoption of a child. This would subject infertility patients needing an embryo donation to go through the judicial proceedings, home visits, and other procedures required for an adoption. Such treatment is not appropriate nor is it needed for embryo donation.

If you care about open access to the best care possible, let the Committee members know before Thursday that you oppose these two bills. To send a letter or fax to the Committee, simply click here http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://secure2.convio.net%2Fres%2Fsite%2FAdvocacy%3Fcmd%3Ddisplay%26page%3DUserAction%26id%3D219 for a letter template that will be automatically sent to each of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee members. You can also call your state Senator even if they are not on the Committee and tell them you oppose these two bills. A full list of the Committee members can be found by clicking on the link below, then clicking on the Senators name for a link to their direct contact information: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.legis.ga.gov%2Flegis%2F2009_10%2Fsenate%2Fhealth.php

Please be respectful in all communications to the elected officials and their staff. Please remember that rude communications work against our interests.

Thank you for taking action today and showing the Georgia Senate that you care about open and available access to care for the women and men diagnosed with infertility in the state of Georgia.

To send a letter to the Committee members immediately, click here. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://secure2.convio.net%2Fres%2Fsite%2FAdvocacy%3Fcmd%3Ddisplay%26page%3DUserAction%26id%3D219

To view the full text of the bills please follow the links below:

SB 169: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.legis.state.ga.us%2Flegis%2F2009_10%2Fsum%2Fsb169.htm

SB 204: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.legis.state.ga.us%2Flegis%2F2009_10%2Fsum%2Fsb204.htm

Georgia Economic Impact
• More than $200 million in revenue and countless jobs would be lost by Georgia medical practices, psychologists, lawyers, pharmacists, as well as by those in the restaurant and lodging industry who provide services to those traveling for care.
• An expected 50-60% drop in live births associated with legislation limiting the number of oocytes fertilized or transferred would create a powerful incentive for Georgia couples to seek care outside Georgia. Alternatively, they would have to consider multiple treatment cycles to achieve the same success rate as we now see. The cost for additional treatment cycles as well as lost productivity due to time away from jobs can not be immediately calculated.
• Embryo donation is the most a cost effective option for many couples hoping to build a family. Yet this legislation would impose additional legal expenses and home studies that would create a significant cost barrier for many with limited financial resources. As a result this option would no longer be available for many couples
• The majority of higher order multiple pregnancies [triplets or more] result from ovulation induction and not IVF. This legislation will result in a marked decrease in local IVF services and a dramatic increase in the number of ovulation induction cycles with the higher risk of multiple births and the resultant costs.
• The American Society of Reproductive Medicine is planning its annual meeting in Atlanta this fall. Approximately 5,000 people are expected to attend. Passing this legislation will induce many to stay at home. The resultant revenue loss for our convention and travel industry comes at a very difficult time for our economy.
• This legislation will preclude the use of preimplantation embryo screening to prevent diseases such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, Huntington’s diease and other genetic conditions that result in an enormous financial burden to the individual and often to the state to provide ongoing medical care.
• The financial cost of defending court challenges to HBB during an economic downturn is a needless tax on government funds.
• Biotech industry seeking to relocate will likely have second thoughts about moving to Georgia with passage of this legislation.

Unanswered Questions
• Will cryopreserved embryos that already exist be subject to this law?
• Will this law be applicable to embryos that have been created in another state?
• Will this law apply if the individuals are not Georgia state residents?
• Does this law allow for inheritance rights for embryos deemed to be children?
• Are embryos entitled to social security survivor benefits?
• Will embryos be entitled to child support in the case of divorce to cover the expense of storage?
• Will women who have undergone embryo transfer be able to use the HOV lane….there is an additional “child” on board.
• What happens to embryos that were frozen more than two at a time?
• What about agencies that charge a fee to match recipients and embryo donors while not providing a medical service? Will this be considered the same as selling a baby?
• If an embryo has been frozen longer than 18 years is it still a child? How do you calculate a child's age if the embryo is 20 years old, but the child was born two years ago, how old is the child?
• Not too infrequently, a one cell embryo splits resulting in twins. As this bill describes a single cell embryo as a child do we consider these identical twins as one child or two?
• If an embryo has been frozen longer than 18 years is it still a child? How do you calculate a child's age if the embryo is 20 years old, but the child was born two years ago, are we dealing with a child or an adult?
• The bill states that its purpose is to promote the best interest of the child. As cryopreserved embryos are classified as children and only 20-30% of embryo transfers results in pregnancy, we must ask if this means all embryos should undergo cryopreservation rather than transferring them to avoid the 80% loss rate for these "children"?
--------------------

Another chance for the infertile~embryo 'adoption'

I believe the last paragraph is the most interesting statements that this article is sharing with it's audience. I won't even make you scroll down to read it!

"Indeed, Nightlight Christian Adoptions, which runs one of the largest "embryo-adoption" services in the country, says its program has resulted in 194 births over the last decade. Another large program, the five-year-old National Embryo Donation Center, has logged nearly 100."

These numbers say to me that Embryo Adoption/Donation has a long way to go and that perhaps more education in the Infertility Clinic would be helpful. What are your thoughts?

Sharon
www.InfertilityAnswers.net

Another chance for the infertile

"Embryo adoption" services touch on some controversial issues, starting with their name.

By Janet I. Tu

SEATTLE TIMES

SEATTLE - The day the frozen embryo arrived via FedEx was the day Maria Lancaster began experiencing firsthand what she said she had always believed: that human life begins at conception.

Lancaster was 46 and, after three miscarriages, she and her husband, Jeff, longed for a child. One day, they heard about "embryo adoptions," in which couples who have gone through in-vitro fertilization donate any leftover embryos to infertile couples. Several months of soul-searching later, they received a frozen embryo from a North Carolina clinic - cells that were thawed and implanted in Lancaster's womb.

Now Lancaster looks at her 5-year-old daughter, Elisha - lively and precocious - and thinks: miracle. "It was a demonstration to us that every embryo is a complete, unique and total human being in its tiniest form," Lancaster said.

Last month, Lancaster launched an "embryo adoption" service through Cedar Park Assembly of God Church in Bothell. The service aims to match couples who want to donate embryos with those who want to receive them.

It's one of only a few such services nationwide and, as far as Lancaster knows, the only one run by a church, though many such services are Christian-based.

While the practice of donating embryos to infertile couples is, in itself, not particularly controversial, the question of what's to be done with an estimated 400,000 frozen embryos in storage nationwide touches on some of the most controversial issues of the day, from abortion to stem-cell research.

The stored embryos are the result of fertility treatments. When a couple undergoes in-vitro fertilization, the doctor retrieves a woman's eggs and mixes them with sperm in a lab. If embryos result, a certain number are transferred to the woman's uterus and any extra ones are frozen for future use.

But often, especially once a couple has children, the additional embryos are no longer needed. The couple can then donate them to other infertile couples, give them away for research purposes, discard them, or pay to keep them in storage.

Those who support research using stem cells derived from embryos see in it hope for cures for diseases that afflict millions, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and diabetes. Others believe such research is wrong.

Maria Lancaster, president of a ship-supply company, acknowledges that when she first heard about embryo transfers, "the thought of putting someone else's kid in your body" seemed strange.

For her, seeing Elisha come into being from two cells that had been frozen for four years before being implanted in her womb gave form to the words from the Bible, where God says: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you."

Though brochures for Embryo Adoption Services of Cedar Park clearly come out against embryonic stem-cell research, Lancaster sees her work as noncontroversial, saying it gives infertile couples the gift of a child and embryos currently stored in freezers a chance at life.

Sean Tipton, spokesman for the 8,500-member American Society of Reproductive Medicine, says his group supports embryo donation as one of several options open to in-vitro patients.

What he objects to is the term "embryo adoption," saying it is used by groups that "want to elevate the moral status of the embryo to be the equivalent of an existing child."

Scientifically speaking, that's simply flawed thinking, he says, explaining that in natural conceptions, only 25 percent of fertilized eggs develop into babies.

Embryo transfers themselves are often unsuccessful, since many embryos don't survive the freezing-and-thawing process. And even after an embryo has been implanted, the pregnancy rate is not high.

Equating a fertilized egg with a living child would mean "you can't allow freezing of these embryos for later use [because] we don't freeze babies," and you can't allow abortions or some forms of contraception such as IUDs, Tipton said.

"I think in most people's minds there's a difference between a fertilized egg and a baby," said Karen Cooper, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Washington. Calling embryo donations "adoptions" is a "political stunt, appealing on emotions," she said.

In any case, given the 400,000 frozen embryos in storage, the number of embryo transfers has been small. Tipton thinks that's because potential donors are uncomfortable with the idea of one of their genetic children being raised by someone else, and those who go to fertility clinics do so wanting to have their own child.

Indeed, Nightlight Christian Adoptions, which runs one of the largest "embryo-adoption" services in the country, says its program has resulted in 194 births over the last decade. Another large program, the five-year-old National Embryo Donation Center, has logged nearly 100.

 

Baby born after ovary transplant

So we hear in the news and read from the medical journals that preserving your fertility is easier, faster and more available then just a few short years ago....who would have thought that ovary transplants would be on the list of ways to extend a woman's fertility and possibly delay menopause? Read below!

 

Sharon

www.InfertilityAnswers.net

 

Baby born after ovary transplant

LONDON, Nov. 12 (UPI) --

A baby girl was born in London to a 38-year-old woman who received an ovary from her identical twin sister, a doctor said Wednesday.

The Daily Mail reported it was the world's first full ovary transplant.

Dr. Sherman Silber, a U.S physician who conducted the transplant, said the child was healthy, weighing 7 pounds 15 ounces. The infertility specialist, who practices at the Infertility Center of St Louis, said women could have an ovary frozen in their 20s and then have it implanted in their 30s or 40s.

Women can always have egg donation but this is so much nicer and more convenient if it's safe, he said. A young ovary can be transplanted back at any time and it will extend fertility and delay the menopause. You could even wait until you were 47.

Times of the Internet

No global consensus on when human life begins biologically

I know that I might have posted about this topic one too many times however I wanted to follow up on what others are talking about when the question is asked: When does human life begin? E-mail me with your thoughts! 

 

Sharon

www.InfertilityAnswers,net

 

No global consensus on when human life begins biologically

October 30th, 2008 - 6:23 pm ICT by ANI -

London, Oct 30 (ANI): An international poll has come out with varied results on one of the most debatable questions among scientists when human life “begins” biologically?

The results come prior to a controversial constitutional amendment next week in Colorado, which will confer legal rights on embryos at the point of fertilisation.

Out of the 650 votes polled in, only 22.7pct of voters selected fertilisation as the point when human life begins.

But, detection of foetal heartbeat scored the highest, with 23.5 pct vote in its favour, and at the third position was implantation of the embryo in the womb lining with 15pct.

Jaclyn Friedman of Reproductive Biology Associates, the IVF clinic in Atlanta, Georgia, which commissioned the poll, said that the poll question asked respondents when human life began in a biological sense of being an original entity.

“We didn”t ask when it’’s a person. There’’s a distinction between when a group of cells is considered living, and when it deserves human rights, and that’’s what comes into play with this amendment, New Scientist quoted her, as saying.

However, the amendment has proposed that fertilisation is not only when human life begins, but also that this is when someone becomes a person, deserving the same legal rights and protection under the American Constitution as any baby, child or adult citizen.

People might say this or that is when life begins, but it doesn”t necessarily confer legal rights on that entity, said Thomas Elliott of Reproductive Biology Associates,

Theres a clear divide of opinion based on religion and geography when it comes to the question of when biological life begins.

Roman Catholics were found to have the highest proportion voting for “sperm-egg” fusion, with 31pct. On the other hand, a total of 29 pct Jewish respondents voted for agnostics and 27pct of Muslims opted for foetal heartbeat and the same was seen with 38pct of IVF patients.

Geographically, just 13pct of UK respondents opted for “sperm-fusion”, with 43pct choosing “fetal heartbeat” as compared to 47pct of Australasians, who voted for “sperm-egg. Only 7pct voted for “foetal heartbeat”.

The figures in North America was more even, with 27pct opting for “sperm-egg”, 24pct “foetal heartbeat” and 18pct “implantation”.

The results of the study will be presented in San Francisco at the Annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. (ANI)

Spanish 'saviour sibling' attracts pro-life opposition

Here is one use for stem cells....although this is an extreme case and controversial,  I can only imagine the relief of the parents knowing that they can have a healthy baby AND save the child that they already have!

 

Sharon

www.InfertilityAnswers.net

 

Spanish 'saviour sibling' attracts pro-life opposition

Ailsa Taylor Progress Educational Trust 26 October 2008 [BioNews, London] Last week saw the birth of Spain's first so-called 'saviour sibling' - a term used to describe babies conceived following embryo testing to ensure their umbilical cord blood will provide tissue-matched stem cells for an existing sick child. It is hoped that stem cells from baby 'Janvier's' cord blood will provide a cure for his 6-year-old brother, Andres, who has 'beta-thalassaemia' - a genetic blood condition requiring monthly blood transfusions to avoid life-threatening anaemia. The technique leading to Janvier's birth involved creating embryos by IVF and then testing them to ensure that they would result in a baby both unaffected by beta-thalassaemia and who would also be a suitable tissue match for brother Andres. One of the embryos which was tested was implanted back into the womb to continue developing. The remaining embryos, which were either affected by beta-thalassaemia, not a tissue match, or excess to needs, were then either frozen or discarded. The only cure for beta-thalassaemia is a stem-cell transplant from a tissue matched donor. It is hoped that stem-cells from Janvier's umbilical cord blood, taken painlessly at birth, can be used to repopulate his brother's bone marrow, thus allowing him to produce normal red-blood cells and curing his beta-thalassaemia. However, the birth of baby Janvier has provoked a flurry of protest from the Roman Catholic Church and Pro-Life groups, who believe that any process which involves destroying embryos equates to taking a human life. According to The Times newspaper, a document published by the Spanish Bishops' Conference, the ruling body of the Roman Catholic Church in Spain, read: 'You cannot kill one human being to save another.'    Also quoted in The Times, Manuel Cruz, director of the Life Foundation, objected to the prospect of picking and choosing embryos on any basis, deeming it 'degrading for human beings'. In 2006, a change in the law permitting stem-cell research in Spain provoked outcry from the conservative church. Nevertheless, the field remains controversial in Spain - Andalusia, the region where Janvier was born, is the first to allow embryo screening as a public health right.

Scientists grow eggs from five-year-old girls

I am not sure what else I can add to this...it looks like hope for young females with cancer is on the way....in 5 years? Read below!

Sharon

www.InfertilityAnswers.net

Scientists grow eggs from five-year-old girls

Scientists have grown eggs from tissue taken from five-year-old girls meaning future childhood cancer sufferers could go on to have children of their own.

 

By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor, and Caroline Gammell
Last Updated: 10:05AM GMT 27 Oct 2008

Children and young people who go through cancer are often left infertile by the treatment and are faced with having to use donated eggs and sperm or adopting to have their own family.

The problem is especially difficult for children who develop cancer before they reach puberty because they cannot freeze their own eggs and sperm.

But now scientists have managed to grow eggs in the laboratory from samples of ovarian tissue taken from girls as young as five.

Immature eggs can be removed from the tissue and grown to maturity in special culture.

The next step will be to see if they can be fertilised to create viable embryos. These could then be frozen and stored for future use or the unfertilised eggs could be frozen using the latest techniques which have proven more effective.

Between 1,500 and 1,700 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with cancer each year and half of those are under the age of five.

The most common form of cancer in children is leukaemia, which affects 35 per cent, followed by brain or spinal tumours.

Research published online in the journal Fertility and Sterility revealed that a team at Hadassah Hebrew University Medical Centre in Jerusalem examined the ability to remove and preserve ovarian tissue from young female cancer patients and then retrieve, mature and freeze eggs from that tissue.

They worked with 19 patients between the ages of five and 20. On average they were able to retrieve an average of nine eggs per patient and 34 per cent of them were successfully matured.

"As our ability to treat childhood cancers improves, it becomes more important that those survivors are able to live rich, full lives, including the ability have children," said David Adamson, MD, President of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

"This research helps move us to the goal of allowing paediatric cancer survivors to become parents." Fertility doctors have attempted several methods to help young people going through cancer to conceive their own children.

Ovarian tissue has been successfully removed, frozen and reimplanted after the cancer treatment is complete. Some women have had babies through IVF and naturally after using this method.

Fertility specialists in the UK have also looked at developing a treatment to grow eggs from non-cancer sufferers, to allow them to delay motherhood.

The first stage of the technique involves removing slivers of ovarian tissue through keyhole surgery. Although only a few millimetres wide, each sample would contain thousands of immature eggs.

The procedure, which has been criticised by the pro-life charity Life, is seen as a low risk to women and has the added benefit of securing thousands of eggs rather than just a few.

It can then be stored until a woman is ready to try for a baby. The procedure is expected to be offered to patients within five years.

Fertility Clinic Can't Be Sued for Wrongful Death

Below is an example of what might happen if embryos are considered a "person". Just think how far this could go! Cryobanks could be sued if the embryos accidentally thaw in their care for wrongful death. Fertility Clinics could be sued for a perceived wrongful handling of these "little people". And what about contraceptives? Would the morning after pill be banned? How about the use of IUD's? Every month would be a personal case of "wrongful death" for each and every woman using these (and other) methods! Your thoughts?

 

Sharon LaMothe

www.InfertilityAnswers.net

Fertility Clinic Can't Be Sued for Wrongful Death

     CHICAGO (CN) - A couple cannot sue a fertility clinic for wrongful death after a failed attempt at in vitro fertilization, the Illinois Court of Appeals ruled, rejecting the notion that pre-embryos are human beings covered by the Wrongful Death Act.
     Alison Miller and Todd Parrish sued the American Infertility Group of Illinois after the clinic did not cryogenically preserve a blastocyst (early embryo) for future use.
     The clinic did not inform the Millers of this failure until the Millers requested to have the blastocyst transferred to another clinic.
     Justice O'Mara Frossard overruled the circuit court's ruling that a pre-embryo is a human being who is covered under the Wrongful Death Act.
     "There was no mention of in vitro fertilization during the legislative debates" regarding the Act, the judge wrote. "The Wrongful Death Act has never been interpreted to apply to situations involving the in vitro fertilization process."
     O'Mara Frossard added that the law would have to be changed by the legislature, not by a judicial pronouncement. 

Embryo legislation: Do your research before you vote! Please!!

If you are a voter in any of the following states you have an interesting bill that you might want to research before you vote. Embryo bills and amendments are attempting to change the legal status of frozen embryos. Depending on these bills being passed or not they are (seemingly) raising our awareness of looking at what makes a human being a person and this debate will be at the heart of every reproductive decision. Should OB's and Planned Parenthood offer the morning after pill? Are some birth control methods harming "potential people" in uteruo? IF an embryo is indeed a person who will be responsible and carry out the "rights" of these little people? And what about stem cell research...will that be dead in the water? (At least the research using embryos...)

Ahhhh elections! Time to take a stand!

Sharon

www.InfertilityAnswers.net

 

 

 

Embryo legislation, by state

 

Proposed bills that would change the legal status of frozen embryos:

Colorado: Amendment to the state constitution would define a fertilized human egg as a person. On November ballot.

Indiana: Bill would allow an abandoned embryo to be adopted for implantation under certain and specific circumstances; would make destruction of an abandoned human embryo a misdemeanor. Pending action.

West Virginia: Bill would prohibit frozen embryos from being moved out of the state and bar their destruction. Pending action.

New Jersey: Bill would prohibit fertilization of a human ovum unless it's intended to be implanted in a woman's body. Would prohibit destruction of embryos and research on embryos. If a parent dies or decides not to have an embryo implanted, the embryo would become a ward of the state. Pending action.

Georgia: Bill would provide legal status for the embryo. Pending action.

Montana: Petition for the November ballot amending the state constitution would define human life as beginning at the moment of conception. Petition failed.

Federal: HR 4157 from Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.), the Sanctity of Human Life Act, would define life as beginning with fertilization, and thus an embryo would "have all the legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood." Pending; referred to subcommittee.

 

Are some women having a 'miscarriage' every month?

 

I have to get right into this...jump in with both feet so to speak. There are people who insist that an embryo equals a baby. A boy or girl. A human being with rights. If this is really the case and that same embryo is transferred via IVF into a ready and waiting uterus and doesn't implant we would have to treat failed IVF as a miscarriage mentally and emotionally. If this is the case, then every month a woman who "might" be pregnant and has a period is also having a miscarriage EVERY SINGLE MONTH. (whether she wants to be pregnant or not) Please! I really feel that this is bordering on the ridiculous. Take it a step further.....women who are just praying that they are not pregnant this very month are really praying for the death of an unborn child. Really? I think NOT! And each month a woman who may have had unprotected sex, to become pregnant or not, is NOT having a miscarriage if she is having yet another normal period.

 

 Left over embryos from either a successful IVF or from a couple who have simply run out of time or money, can give the human race and scientific community a wonderful gift through stem cell research. I truly respect the feelings of the "religious rights" however I sometimes have the feeling that they are a bit...hypocritical. These are the very same people who are submitting to bone marrow transplants, blood transfusions, kidney donation, and even heart transplants, all without batting an eye to the research and the testing it took to get to this point where humans could benefit from these medical breakthroughs. If some could come to terms with the question of what is an embryo then more people who are already born can be saved!

Sharon LaMothe

www.InfertilityAnswers.net