Visit Pacific Fertility Center » Volume 15, Issue 1 | February 2017
Fertility Preservation of Embryos (FPe)
A couple consulted with me recently about their plans for their family. In their mid-30s, they were committed to each other, and to building a family, but deeply involved in a family startup business. They had decided that family building would have to wait for 5 years until they could provide the time and energy that children would require. We talked about Fertility Preservation of Embryos (FPe) as a way to protect their future option for pregnancy.
Security in the Laboratory
We read with sadness of the recent case in Holland where it appears as though the oocytes belonging to some patients were inseminated with the wrong sperm. The University of Utrecht announced in December that up to 26 couples may be affected and that an investigation is ongoing. Although it’s likely that those of us outside this investigation may never find out what happened, we still need to learn what we can from the incident.
Long-term storage of oocytes, sperm and embryos
Pacific Fertility Center maintains a sizeable “Tissue Bank” (TB) where we hold oocytes, sperm and embryos in long-term frozen storage for our patients. Since PFC has existed in San Francisco for almost 30 years, we do have some tissues that date back to the late 1980’s. But the vast majority of the frozen samples are from the last 5 years as patients usually do not intend to store for very long periods of time.
Brief Rest after IUI Brings No Benefit
In an attempt to improve pregnancy rates, doctors often ask women to lie still for a brief period after intrauterine insemination (IUI). But does this really help? A large single-center randomized controlled trial suggests that it doesn’t.
Get To Know Our Embryologist Jin
Looking back at my life’s road, I feel really blessed to have been born into my particular family. Both of my parents are academic professors at a university in northeast China. From childhood, they encouraged me to act with integrity, prudence, and meticulousness. My parents have always done their best to support me in every possible way. Without them, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.
Get To Know Caitrin, Our New Director of Operations
To this day, my mom tells a story about a call she got from my teacher when I was in preschool. Like many of my classmates, I had gotten in the habit of bringing a doll to school. Unlike those same classmates who spent recess futzing with their doll’s attire or untangling hair, I marched around the playground, my teacher said, introducing her as “my premature baby”. Now that I understand the clinical connotations of that statement, the story makes me cringe. I tell it because it helps explain why I chose to join PFC in 2016: I have always been fascinated by babies, pregnancy and birth.
New Patient Seminar & Webinar
PFC offers complimentary monthly educational seminars & webinars hosted by our infertility specialists.
Wednesday, March 29 & Thursday, May 18
Fertility Preservation Webinar
PFC offers complimentary fertility preservation educational webinars hosted by our infertility specialists.
Thursday, March 16 & Thursday, May 25
Mind/Body Workshop
Workshops are taught by Pacific Fertility Center's Marriage and Family Therapist, Peggy Orlin, MFT, and Certified Yoga Instructor, Lauri Black, who is also PFC’s Certified Genetic Counselor.
Saturday, March 11