Love and a little help

from us make a family.

In over 35 years of practice, we’ve been

responsible for the births of over 12,000 babies.

GESTATIONAL CARRIERS

CRAMPS OR ENDOMETRIOSIS

DOES AGE AFFECT FERTILITY

AFFORDING TREATMENT

A hot topic in today's news. Who is a good candidate? We break it down.

Odds of conceiving changes with age.When couples should seek help.

A top priority at the Center is to help patients realize their dreams.

1 in 10 women in the US suffers yet endometriosis is often overlooked.

(Cover story begins inside)

Volume 3 Issue 1 Spring 2018

Our record of individualized care has made us the most successful fertility center in Connecticut and one of the most successful centers nationwide. It also underscores a simple reality …

INFERTILITY IS A LOT MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK.Infertility as a disease: it’s one of the most common conditions for people between the ages of 20 and 45. About 10 to 15% of all couples are affected by infertility. And, it’s a problem that increases with time. For example, about 85% of couples with “normal” fertility will conceive within a year of trying. But if conception does not occur within that timeframe, the chances of getting pregnant will decline each month. The longer a woman tries unsuccessfully to get pregnant, the lower her chances are of conceiving without medical treatment, a trend that accelerates with age.

Infertility can be a source of great frustration and stress. So, it’s important to remember, you’re not alone.

WHAT CAUSES INFERTILITY?There are many factors. For example, a woman’s age is a major contributor. A healthy woman in her 20s or early 30s will have a 25-30% chance of conceiving each month. By the time she reaches 40, however, her chances will decline to 10% or less. It’s a bit of a cliché, but there really is a “biological clock.”

Ovulation problems – stemming from conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, thyroid disease, or other hormonal disorders – can affect fertility. Being overweight or underweight can also have an impact on ovulation.

Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes – the tubes that are attached to the uterus where the sperm and egg usually meet – can cause infertility, or an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy outside the uterus). Women who’ve had endometriosis, or pelvic surgery, or an STD may also have a greater chance of having blocked fallopian tubes and, therefore, greater difficulty in getting pregnant.

IT TAKES TWO.Men are sometimes reluctant to admit it, but about one third of all cases of infertility are related to male issues. For men, the problem can be an inability to make or ejaculate sperm. The quality of sperm – measured by its amount, movement and shape – can also be an issue. Other medical problems can affect a man’s ability to produce an adequate amount of “quality” sperm. Diabetes, cystic fibrosis, smoking, obesity, or

recreational drug use can all contribute to problems with sperm quality and quantity, or the ability to ejaculate.

WHAT YOU CAN DO.If you have been unsuccessful in trying to have a baby, it may be time to seek help. Our fertility specialists will do a thorough assessment to determine the likely cause of infertility, as well as an appropriate course of treatment. Our team of dedicated specialists and support staff – more than 100 strong – is ready to provide the individualized care you need to help you realize your dream.

Loveand a little help

from us make a family.

» Percentage of couples that

struggle with infertility

» Percentage a healthy women

in her 20s or early 30s has of

conceiving each month

» Percentage of infertility cases

related to a combination of

problems with both partners or

the cause cannot be explained

» Percentage of infertility cases

related to a male problem

(and growing!)

» Number of births we’ve

helped our patients achieve

» Size of our team of fertility

specialists and support staff

who are ready to help

(Cover story)

INFERTILITY NUMBERS YOU NEED 2 KNOW

option of using a gestational carrier has become a hot topic lately, with celebrities like Kim

Kardashian West and Guiliana Rancic sharing their personal experiences. So, what is a gestational carrier, how does it differ from surrogacy, and who is a good candidate?

A gestational carrier is a woman who carries another couple’s fertilized embryo to term and delivers their baby. A surrogate differs in that the woman will donate her egg and also carry the child to term. Therefore, a gestational carrier is in no way genetically linked to the child, where a surrogate would be.

Candidates for the gestational carrier program would be couples who experience fertility problems that prevent them from carrying a pregnancy to term. Clinical indications for gestational carrier services are:

◊ Women who have had their uterus removed but retain one or both ovaries

◊ Uterine factors such as fibroids, severe scar tissue, DES exposure, or congenital anomalies that cannot be surgically corrected

◊ Serious medical conditions in which a pregnancy would put a mother’s health at a significant risk

Here’s how the gestational carrier program works. The intended parents undergo an IVF cycle where the mother’s ovaries are stimulated with hormones, and her eggs are retrieved. The mother’s eggs and father’s sperm are then used to produce embryos, which are then transferred into the uterus of the gestational carrier. The carrier is given hormones to synchronize her uterus and support a pregnancy so that she may carry and deliver the couple’s child.

the

A GESTATIONAL CARRIER

CAN BE A MIRACULOUS

OPTIONwww.uconnfertility.com | (844) HOPEIVF

♥Our Patient’s Share Their Joy

HELPING OUR

PATIENTS AFFORD

TREATMENTThe dream of having a baby can be difficult to

plan for financially, and even more difficult for those who are on the IVF journey. Our top priority at the Center is to help our patients realize their dreams, and that includes helping our patients find ways to pay for their care.

We understand how stressful fertility treatments can be, especially for those who don’t have insurance coverage for the treatments they need. That’s why, for each of our patients, we provide a financial consultant specialized in dealing with insurance companies and looking for ways to make the financial impact as affordable as possible — and that includes fertility medications.

Fertility drugs are a very necessary, and often costly part of the fertility treatment process. However, patients often lack coverage for the medications they need as part of their treatment plan. It is our mission to work closely with our patients to identify the absolute best, low-cost option for them. We have researched, identified, and partnered with many different programs that are designed to assist both insured and uninsured patients. Our financial counselors work to ensure each patient receives any, and all, assistance that is available to them.

By Claudio A. Benadiva, MD, HCLD

According to the March of Dimes, of the 150,000 babies born with a birth defect each year, chromosomal and/or genetic anomalies are either solely or partially to blame.

Preimplanatation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a procedure that screens embryos for genetic abnormalities before they are transferred into the uterus. PGD can be used for couples of normal fertility that have been

identified as high-risk for passing on a genetic disease, as well as for couples experiencing fertility problems.

The Center was the first program in Connecticut to offer PGD as an alternative to prenatal testing for those at risk of transmitting a genetic disorder. The advantage of PGD is that it reveals these genetic defects before pregnancy, as opposed to amniocentesis

and CVS that show these defects during pregnancy.

PGD is most commonly performed in three different situations:

• Examining for possible genetic disorders, where family history or carrier testing indicates the potential.

• Testing for chromosomal abnormalities due to advancing maternal age.

• Reducing the risk of recurrent miscarriages by determining which embryos are the most likely to result in a healthy pregnancy.

The accuracy rates of PGD testing are overall very high, though it can depend on which diseases is being tested. At the Center, we work with dedicated embryologists trained specifically in the most recent biopsy techniques to help insure the highest quality of results.

PGD WHEN IS

PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS AN OPTION?

In medical speak; the term “advanced maternal age” is considered to be any female who is over 35. Now, that

doesn’t mean getting pregnant is out of the question, but it does mean the odds change a bit, and seeking help in conceiving might be an option for you.

According to the Center’s Dr. Nulsen, “It’s not so much the age we look at as it is the length of time a woman has been trying to conceive. For example, we consider infertility to be

defined as a couple that has been trying to conceive for one year without success. That definition, however, alters with a woman’s age.”

According to Nulsen, while one year is the benchmark for women under 35 trying to conceive, for a woman over 35, six months is the average time span before it’s recommended you seek help.

Nulsen says the first step for any couple experiencing infertility is to talk to your primary Ob-Gyn, and then decide if the next step is to consult a reproductive endocrinologist who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility.

If you know you plan to wait until you’re in that “advanced maternal age” range, you might want to explore egg freezing as an option.

Yes! Age Does Affect Fertility Meet Susan Daigle; she

is one of our Financial Service Representatives. On any new patient’s first visit to the Center they will meet with Susan, or one of our other financial consultants. In advance of the patient’s first visit, Susan will contact their insurance company to review any coverage they may or may not have, as well as handle any pre-authorizations required for treatments. Susan will also discuss any additional financial concerns a patient might have and look for the best solution for that patient’s journey.

“What I love most about my job is the reward of helping patients through a very difficult time in their lives. And when they get pregnant after a long journey…that’s the best part of my job.”

★ meet our team ★

This is Cynthia McAllister, Senior Embryologist at

the Center. Cynthia creates and monitors the development of embryos to ensure our patients have the best chance of having a pregnancy and a healthy baby.

“When you’re in the lab you’re dealing with plates and specimens, but when we get to see the actual baby, the person, and a smile, that’s what really brings it home to me…that we’re doing something that’s huge.”

AN ONLINE RESOURCE FOR INFERTILITY INFORMATIONFrom physician Q&A’s and patient testimonials, to debunking myths and offering insight, our video library is a constantly growing resource for individuals and couples looking for information. Here are just two videos (out of hundreds) where our team discusses topics relating to fertility treatment.

The two most commonly used medications for infertility

treatment are either a pill format (Clomid or Letrozole), or

injectable gonadotropins. The pill format medications help the

brain stimulate the ovary more efficiently and more effectively

to recruit follicles, where the injectable medications are protein

hormones normally secreted by the brain to help stimulate the

ovaries to produce follicles. The medications have been well

studied and are considered very safe. Dr. Schmidt provides

more information on IVF medications in the video “Are Fertility

Medications Safe?”

The Center’s IVF lab is designed to mimic the natural uterine

environment as much as possible. Everything that comes into

contact with the embryos or eggs is kept at 37 degrees Celsius,

which is body temperature, because we know that embryos and

eggs are susceptible to temperature changes. This is where we

collect and process eggs and sperm, make embryos, culture

embryos, select embryos for transfer, and freeze embryos for

future use. Our lab environment ensures we’re providing the most

optimal environment for our patient’s embryos. Learn more about

the lab and what an embryologist does from Alison Bartolucci in

the video “What Happens In The IVF Lab.”

There are so many toxins in cigarette smoke that are bad for ovaries and bad for your body. These toxins kill eggs. They move the mean age of menopause up to four years earlier. And they affect fertility and reproductive life. Obesity is also a serious health

concern. It affects a woman’s ability to ovulate regularly. It increases the risk of miscarriage, it decreases the response to fertility medications, and it decreases IVF outcomes. Weight loss to a healthier weight can help. If you’re trying to get pregnant, you ought to be as healthy as you can be.

Weight Smokingand FertilityBy Daniel Grow, MD

Just Killer Cramps or EndometriosisDid you know that an estimated 1 out of 10 women suffer from endometriosis in the United States, yet many cases go undiagnosed? Because many symptoms occur during or are associated with a woman’s menstrual cycle, this disease is often overlooked.

Endometriosis is found to be more common in women during their reproductive years and can cause severe pain, inflammation, scarring, adhesions and in some cases may lead to infertility.

Some of the symptoms of endometriosis include:

• Crippling menstrual cramps

• Chronically heavy or long periods

• Bowel and urinary disorders

• Significant lower back pain

• Painful sexual activity

• Infertility

• Migraines and chronic fatigue

Are you experiencing any or all of these symptoms? If so talk to your doctor. There are diagnostic tests and treatments available, including the minimally invasive laparoscopic excision surgery, which is considered the gold standard of treatment for endometriosis.

www.uconnfertility.com | (844) HOPEIVF

An academic affiliate of UCONN School of Medicine

www.uconnfertility.com | 844.HOPEIVF

FARMINGTON

2 Batterson Park Road

Farmington, CT 06032

(844) 467 3483

NEW LONDON

4 Shaws Cove

Suite 201

New London, CT 06320

(877) 860 8044

HARTFORD

50 Columbus Blvd.

Suite 2

Hartford, CT 06106

(860) 525 8283

OUR STORY: The Center is an academic affiliate of the UConn School of Medicine. We are a specialized program of the division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Fertility and one of the largest and most successful IVF programs in the Northeast. We offer one of less than 40 postgraduate fellowships for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) in the United States. Due to our national reputation as a “Center of Excellence,” acceptance to one of our fellowship positions is very competitive. Fellows also participate in ongoing clinical research. This has resulted in several first author publications and national conference presentations for our fellows. Over the past three years, the fellows have presented 18 abstracts at national meetings and have published 13 articles in peer reviewed journals. Plus, we not only have REI fellows, but also Ob/Gyn residents and medical students training here as well.

MONTHLY EVENTS

FIRST & THIRD Wednesdays

YOGA 5:30-6:30pm

THIRD Thursdays

RESOLVE Infertility Peer Support Group 7-9pm

Watch the News & Events section of our website for updates.

For the most up-to-date information, like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter,Instagram, or LinkedIn

T he Center continues to demonstrate success:

Not only in the percent of live births achieved, but also in our ability to lessen the potential for pregnancies with twins, triplets or more. With over 12,000 babies born since our inception, we continue to lead in both the region and the nation.

To learn more about our success rates and those of other programs, please visit the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies website (www.sart.org). Click on IVF Success. A comparison of clinic success rates may not be meaningful because patient medical characteristics and treatment approaches may vary from clinic to clinic.

WARM QUINOA WITH VEGGIESQuinoa is a complex, gluten-free carbohydrate with lots of fertility-boosting nutrients like folate, fiber, and zinc. Unlike refined carbs (processed foods, breads, sugary snacks), quinoa is a complex carbohydrate that supports reproductive health and blood sugar maintenance. Quinoa is actually a seed and not a grain. As a complete protein, it’s perfect for vegetarians.

Ingredients:1 Tablespoon coconut oil1 Yellow onion, chopped1 Red bell pepper, chopped1 Large carrot, chopped1 Cup of broccoli, chopped2 Cloves of minced garlic1 Cup of raw quinoa2 Cups of vegetable stock1/2 Teaspoon of ground cumin1 Teaspoon sea saltBlack pepper

Directions:1. Melt the coconut oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the onion, pepper, carrot, and broccoli for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until all of the vegetables are tender, about another 5 minutes.

2. Add the quinoa and stock, and season with cumin and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat. Cook until the quinoa is tender and all of the liquid is absorbed about 15 to 20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper and serve warm.

From Ami Chokshi, Certified Health Coach at the Center, “This dish is a perfect side or meal, and I love it when it’s chilly outside. Mix it up by substituting your favorite, in season, and on sale veggies.”