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.
Hi dr SHER.
What is the minimum amount of time you recommend to be on BCP prior to a stimulation cycle? I’ve read conflicting information from 10 days to 3 weeks- I’m eager to start a cycle ASAP due to DOR.
Thanks
In my opinion, 10 days!
Geoff Sher
some doctors give hcg trigger after frozen embrio transfer. why is that?? do you recommend this.
next week i will have FET but for 2days i am suffering from a cold. does it affect my implantation
I am aware that some physicians advocate an hCG trigger in natural cycle FET in the hope of positively influencing corpus luteum activity . In my opinion, n the absence of follicular stimulation with fertility drugs there is no established merit in such practice.
Geoff Sher
Hi doctor,
Iam 29 years old with a single ovary and a tube. My right ovary and tube was removed due to large ovarian cyst and torsion due to twist when i was around 17 yrs old. My left tube is open and i seem to ovulate in good way. But still i did not get pregnant.. i have been trying from 3 years. We tried IUI with clomid/ femara with no luck. I have hypothyroidism and tsh is now under control. And my AMH is 1.64 in recent test before my ANG drops too low Thinking of IVF what do you think i should consider doing in my situation?
Thanks,
Sravs
** and my AMH is 1.64 and before my AMH drops too low**
Indeed, I do think IVF is the preferred approach..However, before doing IVF, plerase consider the following:
A: The thyroid issue:
Between 2% and 5% of women of the childbearing age have reduced thyroid hormone activity (hypothyroidism). Women with hypothyroidism often manifest with reproductive failure i.e. infertility, unexplained (often repeated) IVF failure, or recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The condition is 5-10 times more common in women than in men. In most cases hypothyroidism is caused by damage to the thyroid gland resulting from of thyroid autoimmunity (Hashimoto’s disease) caused by damage done to the thyroid gland by antithyroglobulin and antimicrosomal auto-antibodies.
The increased prevalence of hypothyroidism and thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) in women is likely the result of a combination of genetic factors, estrogen-related effects and chromosome X abnormalities. This having been said, there is significantly increased incidence of thyroid antibodies in non-pregnant women with a history of infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss and thyroid antibodies can be present asymptomatically in women without them manifesting with overt clinical or endocrinologic evidence of thyroid disease. In addition, these antibodies may persist in women who have suffered from hyper- or hypothyroidism even after normalization of their thyroid function by appropriate pharmacological treatment. The manifestations of reproductive dysfunction thus seem to be linked more to the presence of thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) than to clinical existence of hypothyroidism and treatment of the latter does not routinely result in a subsequent improvement in reproductive performance.
It follows, that if antithyroid autoantibodies are associated with reproductive dysfunction they may serve as useful markers for predicting poor outcome in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technologies.
Some years back, I reported on the fact that 47% of women who harbor thyroid autoantibodies, regardless of the absence or presence of clinical hypothyroidism, have activated uterine natural killer cells (NKa) cells and cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) and that such women often present with reproductive dysfunction. We demonstrated that appropriate immunotherapy with IVIG or intralipid (IL) and steroids, subsequently often results in a significant improvement in reproductive performance in such cases.
The fact that almost 50% of women who harbor antithyroid antibodies do not have activated CTL/NK cells suggests that it is NOT the antithyroid antibodies themselves that cause reproductive dysfunction. The activation of CTL and NK cells that occurs in half of the cases with TAI is probably an epiphenomenon with the associated reproductive dysfunction being due to CTL/NK cell activation that damages the early “root system” (trophoblast) of the implanting embryo. We have shown that treatment of those women who have thyroid antibodies + NKa/CTL using IL/steroids, improves subsequent reproductive performance while women with thyroid antibodies who do not harbor NKa/CTL do not require or benefit from such treatment.
B: Your possibly diminishing Ovarian reserve (DOR):
Women who (regardless of age) have diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) have a reduced potential for IVF success. Much of this is due to the fact that such women tend to have increased production of LH biological activity which can result in excessive LH-induced ovarian male hormone (predominantly testosterone) production which in turn can have a deleterious effect on egg/embryo “competency”.
While it is presently not possible by any means, to reverse the effect of DOR, certain ovarian stimulation regimes, by promoting excessive LH production (e.g. short agonist/Lupron- “flare” protocols, clomiphene and Letrozole), can in my opinion, make matters worse. Similarly, the amount/dosage of certain fertility drugs that contain LH/hCG (e.g. Menopur) can have a negative effect on the development of the eggs of older women and those who have DOR and should be limited.
I try to avoid using such protocols/regimes (especially) in women with DOR, favoring instead the use of the agonist/antagonist conversion protocol (A/ACP), a modified, long pituitary down-regulation regime, augmented by adding supplementary human growth hormone (HGH). I further recommend that such women be offered access to embryo banking of PGS (next generation gene sequencing/NGS)-selected normal blastocysts, the subsequent selective transfer of which by allowing them to capitalize on whatever residual ovarian reserve and egg quality might still exist and thereby “make hay while the sun still shines” could significantly enhance the opportunity to achieve a viable pregnancy
Please visit my new Blog on this very site, www. SherIVF.com, find the “search bar” and type in the titles of any/all of the articles listed below, one by one. “Click” and you will immediately be taken to those you select. Please also take the time to post any questions or comments with the full expectation that I will (as always) respond promptly
•Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) for IVF: Selecting the ideal protocol
•IVF: Factors Affecting Egg/Embryo “competency” during Controlled Ovarian Stimulation(COS)
•The Fundamental Requirements For Achieving Optimal IVF Success
•Ovarian Stimulation for IVF using GnRH Antagonists: Comparing the Agonist/Antagonist Conversion Protocol.(A/ACP) With the “Conventional” Antagonist Approach
•Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Measurement to Assess Ovarian Reserve and Design the Optimal Protocol for Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) in IVF.
•The “Biological Clock” and how it should Influence the Selection and Design of Ovarian Stimulation Protocols for IVF.
• A Rational Basis for selecting Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) protocols in women with Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR)
•Diagnosing and Treating Infertility due to Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR)
•Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS) in Older women and Women who have Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR): A Rational Basis for Selecting a Stimulation Protocol
•Human Growth Hormone Administration in IVF: Does it Enhances Egg/Embryo Quality and Outcome?
•The BCP: Does Launching a Cycle of Controlled Ovarian Stimulation (COS). Coming off the BCP Compromise Response?
•Blastocyst Embryo Transfers Should be the Standard of Care in IVF
•Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) versus “Fresh” ET: How to Make the Decision
•Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET): A Rational Approach to Hormonal Preparation and How new Methodology is Impacting IVF.
•Staggered IVF: An Excellent Option When. Advancing Age and Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR) Reduces IVF Success Rate
•Embryo Banking/Stockpiling: Slows the “Biological Clock” and offers a Selective Alternative to IVF-Egg Donation.
•Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGS) in IVF: It Should be Used Selectively and NOT be Routine.
•Preimplantation Genetic Sampling (PGS) Using: Next Generation Gene Sequencing (NGS): Method of Choice.
•PGS in IVF: Are Some Chromosomally Abnormal Embryos Capable of Resulting in Normal Babies and Being Wrongly Discarded?
•PGS and Assessment of Egg/Embryo “competency”: How Method, Timing and Methodology Could Affect Reliability
•Treating Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Patients at Sher-IVF in Las Vegas:
•Traveling for IVF from Out of State/Country–
•A personalized, stepwise approach to IVF
•How Many Embryos should be transferred: A Critical Decision in IVF.
•The Role of Nutritional Supplements in Preparing for IVF
•Premature Luteinization (“the premature LH surge): Why it happens and how it can be prevented.
•IVF Egg Donation: A Comprehensive Overview
If you are interested in my advice or medical services, I urge you to contact my patient concierge, ASAP to set up a Skype or an in-person consultation with me. You can also set this up by emailing concierge@sherivf.com or by calling 702-533-2691 and/or 800-780-743. You can also enroll for a consultation with me, online at http://www.SherIVF.com.
Also, my book, “In Vitro Fertilization, the ART of Making Babies” is available as a down-load through http://www.Amazon.com .
Geoffrey Sher MD
I also suggest that you access the 4th edition of my book ,”In Vitro Fertilization, the ART of Making Babies”. It is available as a down-load through http://www.Amazon.com or from most bookstores and public libraries.
Hi Doctor, My wife 7 weeks 3 days pregnant after ivf. Today she has bleed some bright red and cramps. Should we take her to the ER or wait for our Dr. On Monday? Should we be concerned?
In truth, unless the bleeding is progressively increasing in amount and is accompanierd by pain, it is often benign.Besides, there is not much that can be done about it, anyway.
Vaginal bleeding occurs in about 25% of all pregnancies. When it happens, it almost invariably raises the concern of pregnancy loss (miscarriage). Bleeding can also be a sign of a tubal (ectopic) pregnancy, and in cases where the distended Fallopian tube ruptures it can precipitate a life-threatening crises. However, a small amount of painless vaginal bleeding can also be the result of normal embryo implantation (i.e. implantation bleeding) or it can result a local erosion of the vagina or cervix and/or trauma during intercourse.
Notwithstanding, in virtually all cases the occurrence of early pregnancy vaginal bleeding congers concerns or even alarm regarding the possibility of miscarriage. And when this happens to women who conceived following infertility treatment, the alarm often turns into panic. However, the truth is that in most such cases the bleeding soon stops and the pregnancy proceeds unabated to the birth of a healthy baby. However, because some do progress and end in miscarriage, and in most cases, only time will tell how things will ultimately turn out, we use the term “threatened miscarriage” to describe such early bleeding. The term “inevitable miscarriage” is used once symptoms and signs confirm a miscarriage is in progress. The term “complete miscarriage” is used if all products of conception are passed, leaving the uterus “empty”. An “incomplete miscarriage” refers to cases where some products remain retained in the uterus.
Miscarriage: Mild painless vaginal bleeding (often referred to as “spotting”) is usually due to hormonally induced eversion of the glandular cells that line the inner cervical canal, such that erosion develops on the outer part of the cervix that protrudes onto the vagina. The everted glandular tissue is fragile and susceptible to contact trauma, brought about sexual penetration or the insertion of vaginal suppositories. Since such local bleeding does not involve the developing conceptus located inside the uterus it is almost always innocuous. The diagnosis of a local cause of bleeding requires visual inspection of the vagina and cervical inlet a speculum examination. Thereupon, provided that the pregnancy has advanced beyond 5-6 weeks, a concomitant sonogram could confirm the presence of an unaffected pregnancy. Patients are advised to be more careful in inserting vaginal suppositories and to avoid sexual penetration until the bleeding has stopped for at least 1 week.
Sometimes bleeding occurs behind the conceptus inside the uterus (retrochorionic bleeding). Some blood will usually track down through the cervix and into the vagina. A speculum examination will often reveal blood tracking into the vagina through the cervical canal and a sonogram will reveal the presence of a retrochorionic blood clot. Although such retrochorionic bleeding can become an inevitable miscarriage, it often abates and over time the blood clot in the uterus absorbs, and the pregnancy continues normally. Treatment involves careful observation, avoidance of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, bed rest and avoidance of vaginal penetration until the condition stabilizes, is essential.
While mild painless vaginal bleeding is usually innocuous, bright red bleeding that increases in amount and is accompanied by escalating pain is another matter altogether. It often suggests an impending inevitable miscarriage.
Before the 7th week of pregnancy a normally rising blood hCG (pregnancy hormone) titers is a comforting indicator that the pregnancy is more than likely progressing normally. Likewise, the detection of a normal heartbeat detected by ultrasound examination done after the 7th week of pregnancy is a very reassuring finding. However, even such findings by no means exclude the possibility of an inevitable miscarriage.
The causes of a miscarriage are multiple and diverse. However in most cases it is due to the developing conceptus being chromosomally/genetically abnormal. However, early miscarriages that reoccur more than twice in a row (Recurrent Pregnancy Loss-RPL) often suggest of an underlying implantation problem that could be due to a poorly developed uterine lining (endometrium) or immunologic dysfunction involving activated immune cells known as uterine natural killer (NK) and/or T-cells. Treatment requires an accurate diagnosis of the cause and selective therapy.
An ectopic pregnancy must be excluded: .Bleeding in the first 2-3 months of pregnancy especially if associated with the sudden onset of acute abdominal pain that is aggravated by movement and is accompanied by right shoulder tip pain, and light headedness or fainting could point to a bleeding ectopic pregnancy (one that is located in a Fallopian tube, outside the uterus) . The condition can be life endangering and warrants an immediate trip to the hospital as it often requires emergency surgery.
Molar pregnancy: Molar pregnancies are due to rapid overgrowth of the trophoblastic tissue that forms the placenta. Although infrequent they can cause early vaginal bleeding in pregnancy. Bleeding from molar pregnancies is often present with typical bleeding which resembles “red currents floating in a red jelly”. Bleeding from a molar pregnancy can either painful or painless. The condition is often associated with severe vomiting in early pregnancy, disproportionate enlargement of the uterus, and very elevated blood levels of hCG. Ultrasound evaluation, often reveals a rather characteristic snow-storm like image.
Patients with vaginal bleeding are often told to stay in bed. While this might reduce visible blood loss, there is no tangible evidence that it will prevent a miscarriage. Unfortunately, there is no definite treatment for this kind of bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy. Alas, in most cases only time will provide the answer.
Good luck!
Geoff Sher
Dear DR,
I am 14 weeks 6 days pregnant and facing blood with stool and even after stool. The flush was red in the morning. I have had piles issue before getting pregnant as well but it recovered after following a very strict diet which i cannot do keeping in mind im carrying a baby now. I went to pee only and saw again blood in the flush. Its coming from rectum, im sure about this. What shoukd i do ? Also will it harm the baby? I am really worried and your help would be much appreciated!
Hemorrhoids are exacerbated by pregnancy. Discuss with your OB/GYN ASAP.
Geoff Sher