In a few weeks, Delaware Valley Institute of Fertility & Genetics (DVIF&G) will celebrate our first successful birth as a result of our SEEDS® program.

SEEDS® (Semen, Embryo & Egg Depository & Storage) is a six-year-old program that provides cancer patients, both male and female, with the technology and services required to help preserve their fertility.

When a patient is diagnosed with cancer, it is crucial to consider how the cancer itself and the subsequent treatments will impact fertility. Whether or not the cancer affects the reproductive system directly (as in the case of cervical or testicular cancer), radiation and chemotherapy treatments can have serious consequences on future fertility. DVIF&G’s team of experts works quickly with the oncology team to carefully craft a plan that safeguards the patient’s reproductive potential through the SEEDS® program. DVIF&G coordinates the extraction and freezing (cryopreservation) of oocytes from the female patient, freezing of sperm from the male patients, and developing and freezing embryos for the couple through in vitro fertilization (IVF) or in vitro maturation (IVM). IVM, with its brief course and minimal exposure to hormonal stimulation, is an ideal treatment method for fertility preservation in female patients.

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Tags : infertility, ivf, IVM, SEEDS

NEW YORK (CBS) ? Nearly one in eight couples in the U.S. will suffer from some form of infertility. Not only do they experience emotional anguish, but treatments, such as in vitro fertilization, can also be a financial strain, CBS station WCBS-TV reported.

Now, however, there’s a breakthrough procedure using little or no fertility drugs. This means renewed hope for couples wanting to become parents while easing their economic burden for uninsured fertility treatments.

Amy Timney suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome, which makes it difficult for her to conceive. After two years and tens of thousands of dollars spent on in vitro fertilization, Timney decided to try the new procedure.

The treatment is called IVM, and it costs roughly one-third of traditional IVF treatments.

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Tags : infertility, ivf, IVM