Ask Our Doctors – Archive
Our Medical Directors are outstanding physicians that you will find to be very personable and compassionate, who take care to ensure that you have the most cutting-edge fertility treatments at your disposal. This is your outlet to ask your questions to the doctors.
Dear Dr. Sher,
I am currently doing an IVF cycle in Belgium, having previously done 2 in another clinic as a ‘poor responder’ (only a single egg was retrieved and fertilized first cycle, 3 second cycle). I am on different medication at the new clinic and I just noticed that my hand-written directions (from the nurse) say to take decapeptyl (0.05mg daily) only through yesterday, even though I’ve only been doing the Menopur injections for 6 days. I’m worried this is a mistake, but the clinic has no after-hours advice line. Is it common to stop the decapeptyl so early in the cycle? In everything I see online, it seems people take it until the day of the trigger shot.
Thank you!
Hi Jackie,
I wish I could help but as you can imagine it would be unethical to tell you to alter a protocol dictated by another RE.
Sorry!
Geoff sher
Dr Sher
I’m a 31 old patient doing IVF for gender selection. I’m not from the USA. Very good pretesting, can’t remember the numbers
I had one chemical before having my son in 2014 and then I had him, cesarean section because of lack of progression, very good weight. At 10 weeks I had a SCH, and bleeding which went alone with bed rest and progesterone.
When I started IVF I had very poor quality eggs. My husbands sperm was “above average” From 8 blasts only 2 were normal and only one a girl. I transferred the blast and ended in a miscarriage at 6 weeks. Had a huge SCH and we saw a low heart beat of 70 bpm. Ended in D&C
Then I had a natural pregnancy that ended in ectopic
Then I did a second round, improving my diet and doing exercise. We also added q10, omega3 and other supps (mostly what you recommend)
This time out of 7 blasts I had 5 normal, 3 male and 2 female.
In the meantime it was discovered that I have APS. So they decided they would put me on lovenox for transfer.
I did ALL other studies, HSG, 3D ultrasound, immune panel, all normal. And even did LIT, since it is allowed in my country.
The only thing I did not have was a histeroscopy and biopsy, or NK cells test.
I transferred one of the female embryos, doing a medicated cycle with estrogen, progesterone and lovenox and had a CP. First beta 11 and then 1. Lots of pain immediately after transfer, so reading your articles I guess it wasn’t properly done.
So, 4 abortions. One cp natural pregnancy, one @6 weeks pgs tested, an ectopic natural pregnancy and a cp with my last pgs transfer.
What do you think could be happening? Maybe active nk cells? There is no proper way to test in my country. They only do the biopsy and tell you you have more/less nk cells!
Should I empirically add dexamethasone and intralipids for my next transfer? This is my last chance on having a daughter. And I want to do this right. My RE is the type that doesn’t “believe” in immune protocols…
I need your help dr, being a physician myself, I researched a lot and found your blog. Please, give me some guidance!
Thank you so much
Anastasia
Hi Dr.Sher,
I am 29 year old male. I am diabetic patient went for my fertility test. I came to know that I am suffering from azoospermia.
My doctor started treatment with HCG injections for 6 weeks (twice a week ) and my last week HCG (Testosterone) results are 711 .
My doctor said that’s looks really good as because before starting my course my testosterone levels are 180 .
Now I am taking FSH ( Gonal F 300 IU ) twice a week for a period of 3 months.
What are the chances of getting parent naturally.
Awaiting for your response sir.
I am afraid…probaly not good at all. However this depends on whether or not the azoospermia is due to testicular failure , or is due to an obstructive cause. If non-obstructive and due to testicular failure (elevated FSH/LH), the chance is zero. If non-obstructive and due to severe hypogonadotropism..the chance is relatively good on treatment and if obstructive ..Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE)/Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA) with ICSI would bve effective.
Geoff Sher
Hi Dr Sher. I’ve just read an article which states: “ Egg freezing has been shown to achieve live birth rates consistent with those of fresh oocytes in egg donation cycles suggesting that the technique is a viable option.“ I have eggs frozen and I am curious of your opinion of this. I understand you don’t believe this to be so.
Respectfully Heid!
I totally disagree! The pregnancy rate using banked (frozen) eggs is MUCH lower than when fresh oocytes atre used.
Geoff Sher
Had a 5 day hatching blast frozen embryo transfer on Wednesday, March 21. Hcg level on Friday, March 30 was 114. Hcg on April 1 was only 166. Was told to come in for another test on April 3 because hcg only increased 46% and they like to see at least 52% (ideally double). Is this likely not a viable pregnancy??? Embryos were pgs tested as chrmosonally normal.
This is first time trying fet after having successful pregnancy with 20 month old son. We got pregnant with son on 6th embryo transfer (the first time we tried with pgs-tested embryo). Hcg levels with son were much higher:
10/21 transfer
11/2 hcg = 1551
11/4 hcg = 3487
It could be that this was a multiple implantation and that one embryo did not make it and is absorbing. The beta should double every 2 days so repeat the test to see if it picked up.
Geoff Sher