Medical Updates | Shady Grove Fertility

Shady Grove Fertility Center's Medical Updates provide the opinions and recommendations of SGFC's physicians on current infertility diagnosis and treatment options.

Response to LA Octuplets - eSET Reduces Multiple Pregnancies

February 2009 – Learn more about the octuplets born in LA in early 2009 as well as the measures Shady Grove Fertility Center is taking ensure this type of incident doesn't happen again. With the push for elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET), Shady Grove Fertility has been able to decrease its triplet rate to a national low of 1.3%.

2007 IVF Report

August 2008 – Shady Grove Fertility Center is proud to present our final 2007 IVF and Egg Donation delivery results. Once again, SGFC has produced pregnancy success rates that are among the very top in the United States.

New Ovarian Reserve Testing Protocols Provide More Accurate Assessment for Patients

July 2008 – Through research, experience and analysis of treatment data, we know now that using day 3 Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) combined with other tests rather than alone can be a more accurate predictor of fertility potential, especially in younger women with elevated day 3 FSH. Read more about the testing protocols, as well as Shady Grove Fertility’s recommended treatment guidelines.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome: Treatment Update

June 2008 – Recently, a large multi-center, double blind study was conducted that demonstrated that metformin alone was far less effective than originally believed in improving pregnancy outcomes. Read more about the findings of this study, as well as Shady Grove Fertility’s recommended treatment guidelines.

Pregnancy Hormone Support Following Fertility Treatment

This medical update describes the rationale for the use of estrogen and/or progesterone supplementation in each of a variety of therapeutic settings following infertility and assisted reproduction. The most commonly used medications and doses are outlined and the regimens for their use and discontinuation are described. Additionally, the protocols for administering and interpreting the Clomiphene Citrate Challenge Test (CCT) is included.

Recurrent Pregnancy Loss

Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) has been classically defined as 3 consecutive pregnancy losses prior to 20 weeks gestation and affects 0.5-3% of reproductive age couples. Read about the causes of RPL as well as Shady Grove Fertility’s recommended testing protocols.

The Effect of Weight on Fertility and Pregnancy

The general health implications of maintaining normal weight have long been understood. More recently, studies have given us a better understanding of the effects of weight on fertility and fertility treatment. Read more on what an optimal weight is for achieving pregnancy and how Body Mass Index (BMI) plays a vital role in fertility.

Age Plays Key Role in Achieving Pregnancy

Celebrity news and occasional stories about older first-time moms can make it seem like getting pregnant later in life is a possibility for everyone. The truth is that the media's efforts at attracting readers' attention can be misleading. Thanks to the Internet and numerous books by experts, women are learning about the optimal timing and treatments for fertility.

View common questions and answers in our Ask the Expert.