IUI, IVF, FET & more
Fertility treatments
At SCCRM, our team of highly experienced physicians offers a comprehensive range of fertility treatments tailored to your unique needs and goals. From foundational approaches such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) to advanced procedures like in vitro fertilization (IVF), we are dedicated to guiding you every step of the way with personalized, compassionate care.
Our state-of-the-art laboratory is led by skilled embryology specialists who utilize cutting-edge techniques, including blastocyst culturing and embryo vitrification, to optimize success rates. With decades of innovation and expertise, SCCRM combines advanced technology with a patient-centered approach, ensuring the highest standards of care throughout your fertility journey.
IUI (Intrauterine Insemination)
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), also known as artificial insemination, is a fertility treatment where sperm is processed and placed directly into the uterus around the time of ovulation. Often a first step for those seeking reproductive assistance, IUI may be an option if you have unexplained infertility, are in a same-sex partnership using donor sperm, are experiencing male infertility, or pursuing single parenthood using donor sperm.
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An IUI cycle can be natural (unmedicated) or medicated, also known as ovulation induction (OI). Medicated cycles may involve oral medications like Clomid or letrozole to stimulate ovulation or increase egg production.
Timing insemination around ovulation is essential for success. Your fertility physician will monitor your cycle using in-office transvaginal ultrasounds and hormone blood tests. When a follicle reaches the optimal size, HCG may be administered to trigger ovulation. IUI is typically performed within 24-48 hours after the HCG injection.
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If using donor sperm, SCCRM will coordinate with your chosen sperm bank to ensure sperm vials are delivered to our office before your IUI procedure. Individuals and couples typically use either a non-identified (anonymous) donor or a directed (known) donor.
Anonymous donor sperm can be purchased from accredited sperm banks, where donors are pre-screened, and vials are readily available for shipment. If you choose a known donor, the donor must complete a medical examination with FDA (Food and Drug Administration) blood tests. Donor sperm is then tested and typically cryopreserved for future use after a mandatory 6-month quarantine to rule out HIV and other transmissible diseases.
When using a known donor, consider the 6-month quarantine in your family-building timeline and consult a reproductive lawyer and counselor specializing in third-party reproduction. SCCRM is able to provide you referrals for accredited sperm banks, legal experts, and counselors to support your fertility journey.
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During an IUI procedure, a speculum is inserted into the vagina, and a thin catheter is used to place the concentrated donor sperm solution at the top of the uterus, near the fallopian tubes, where fertilization occurs. The experience is often compared to a Pap smear—while the speculum may cause mild discomfort, the catheter is typically not felt. Some patients may experience light cramping afterward.
After the procedure, you will rest in a relaxed position for about ten minutes. Normal physical activities can usually be resumed on the same day. Two weeks later, you will be scheduled for an in-office blood pregnancy test to determine the outcome.
IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)
Over 10 million babies born through IVF
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a fertility treatment involving the fertilization of a woman’s eggs and a man’s sperm in our laboratory to create embryos, and subsequently placing a healthy embryo into the uterus to achieve pregnancy. IVF is an effective option for addressing various causes of infertility in both females and males. It can also be combined with Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT), which helps identify the healthiest embryo for transfer.
The technology of IVF and advanced reproductive technologies has improved markedly since its development in the early 1970s. Over 10 million babies have been born since then with the help of IVF.
Why choose IVF?
IVF offers a versatile and customizable solution for various fertility challenges, allowing for integration with other options like donor sperm, donor eggs, or surrogacy. It’s a well-established procedure supported by cutting-edge science and compassionate care, providing hope to many individuals and couples on their path to parenthood.
Your SCCRM care team will guide you through every stage, ensuring you feel informed and supported throughout the process.
FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer)
Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) is a widely used and highly successful fertility procedure where a previously created and cryopreserved embryo is thawed and transferred into the uterus to achieve pregnancy. This technique is often part of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process, offering a chance to use embryos from a prior cycle or those created and frozen for future use.
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Preparation: The process begins with preparing your uterus to ensure the ideal environment for the embryo. This may involve medications to regulate and thicken the uterine lining or tracking your natural cycle to identify the optimal timing for the transfer.
Thawing the Embryo: The frozen embryo is carefully thawed using advanced techniques to maintain its viability and health.
Transfer: During a simple, minimally invasive procedure, the embryo is placed into your uterus using a thin catheter under ultrasound guidance. This step is typically painless and performed in the clinic.
Monitoring and Support: After the transfer, you'll receive instructions and support as you await the results. A blood test is performed after about two weeks to confirm pregnancy.
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Proven Success: FET has become a standard fertility treatment due to its excellent success rates, with advancements in freezing techniques ensuring high embryo survival.
Flexibility: It allows patients to preserve embryos for future use, accommodating different family planning timelines.
Gentle on the Body: Unlike fresh IVF cycles, FET often involves fewer medications and is easier on the body.
Whether you're using embryos from a previous cycle or donor embryos, FET offers a promising path to achieving your dream of parenthood with a personalized and patient-focused approach.
More Fertility Treatments
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Timed intercourse is a simple, non-invasive fertility treatment that optimizes your chances of conceiving by pinpointing your most fertile days. Your fertility specialist will monitor your cycle using ultrasounds and/or hormone tests to predict ovulation, guiding you on the best times for intercourse.
For some patients, medications may be used to stimulate or regulate ovulation, ensuring precise timing. This cost-effective and personalized approach is ideal for couples with regular cycles or unexplained infertility, offering a natural first step toward building your family.
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Ovulation induction is a simple treatment for women with irregular or absent ovulation. Using oral medications or injectable hormones, it helps stimulate the ovaries to release a mature egg. Your cycle is carefully monitored through ultrasounds and hormone tests to ensure optimal timing for intercourse or treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI).
This safe, effective, and personalized approach is an excellent first step for women looking to regulate ovulation and boost their chances of conception.
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Fertility treatments sometimes involve surgical options to address underlying conditions that may be impacting the ability to conceive. At SCCRM, we offer minimally invasive procedures performed by skilled specialists to enhance fertility outcomes. For women, surgeries such as laparoscopy or hysteroscopy can treat conditions like endometriosis, uterine fibroids, polyps, or blocked fallopian tubes to include bilateral tubal anastomosis (BTA) after a previous tubal ligation. For men, procedures like varicocele repair, microscopic testicular sperm extraction (TESE) or percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA) can improve sperm quality and or availability. These advanced surgical techniques are designed to address specific challenges while minimizing recovery time, providing a clear path forward on your fertility journey.
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Commonly prescribed oral fertility medications include Clomid® (clomiphene citrate) and Femara® (letrozole). These medications stimulate ovulation by influencing hormonal activity.
Clomid® (Clomiphene Citrate): Clomid works by blocking estrogen receptors, prompting the body to increase the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates the ovaries to produce mature eggs. Typically, patients take one tablet daily for five days, starting on the third day of their menstrual cycle. Ovulation generally occurs five to twelve days after the last dose. Common side effects may include hot flashes, breast tenderness, mood swings, and nausea.
Femara® (Letrozole): An aromatase inhibitor, Femara reduces estrogen levels, leading the pituitary gland to release more FSH and luteinizing hormone (LH), which stimulate egg maturation. The usual dosage involves taking two tablets daily from the third to the seventh day of the menstrual cycle. Side effects are generally mild and may include headaches, muscle aches, nausea, and fatigue.
Both medications are often used in conjunction with intrauterine insemination (IUI) to increase the likelihood of conception.
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Injectable fertility medications, often used in combination with in vitro fertilization (IVF), are more potent than oral medications and work by mimicking natural hormones to stimulate egg production and induce ovulation. Common injectable fertility medications include:
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG): used to trigger the final maturation and release of eggs from the follicles.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH): Medications such as Gonal-F, and Follistim AQ stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple follicles, increasing the number of eggs available for retrieval.
Human Menopausal Gonadotropin (hMG): Brands like Menopur contain both FSH and LH, aiding in the development and maturation of multiple eggs.
Administration of these injectable medications can be subcutaneous (beneath the skin) or intramuscular. Due to their potency, patients require careful monitoring through blood tests and ultrasounds to assess progress and adjust dosages as needed.