General IVF Treatment FAQs
What’s the cut-off age for IVF?
There is no specific cut-off age for IVF. All women are different. Some go through irreversible menopause at an early age while others remain fertile long after the average woman has entered menopause. We treat every woman as an individual and do not create meaningless artificial cutoffs.
What tests do I need to complete before IVF treatment?
There are several tests that may be needed prior to fertility treatment. The tests chosen are individualized for you. You may have already done some of these tests recently. If you are able to provide your recent test results, we are pleased to accept them. We do not want you to repeat any tests unnecessarily. Contact us for detailed information.
What’s the cut-off age for embryo transfer?
In general, we do not do embryo transfers for women over the age of 59. Pregnancy is a challenging process and we want to do everything possible to make sure that both the pregnant patient and the baby remain healthy throughout the process.
I heard that your embryo transfer is quite different. Can you explain?
Over the years Dr. Wood has developed a way of doing embryo transfers that is very different than almost any other fertility specialist. Everything from how the cervix is prepared prior the transfer to how the actual transfer is performed is unique to Gen 5. Virtually all of Dr. Wood’s transfers are done under vaginal ultrasound guidance while the vast majority of embryo transfers done around the world are still done using an older method that commonly involves an uncomfortable full bladder and an abdominal ultrasound. There is a better way to do embryo transfers and Gen 5 is pleased to be leading the way.
What’s the age of the oldest patient that became pregnant with your help?
At Gen 5 Fertility, we assisted a patient at the age of 59 achieve pregnancy.
Is fresh sperm better than frozen sperm for insemination and ultimate outcome?
For cervical or intrauterine inseminations, fresh sperm has a much higher pregnancy rate than frozen. However, there is no difference between using fresh and frozen sperm for IVF/ICSI procedures and many of our patients choose to use frozen sperm.
What is mini-IVF? Is it better than conventional IVF?
“Mini-IVF” means very different things to different fertility specialists. About the only commonality to these various definitions is that low (or lower) doses of fertility medication are used during treatment cycles. At some centers, anesthesia is rarely used and patients are seen less often. Gen 5 is well known for its novel approach to mini-IVF. Although studies indicate that in many cases, pregnancy rates are lower with min-IVF as opposed to standard IVF, Gen 5 is expert at determining which patients can do well with this type of treatment. In some cases, it is the patient that decides to do Mini-IVF because they feel more comfortable with a gentle approach to IVF. We would be happy to discuss this option with you.
