Visit Pacific Fertility Center » Volume 14, Issue 4 | November 2016
2016 Annual ASRM Meeting
The 72nd Annual American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) meeting was held in Salt Lake City, Utah last month. This meeting is one of the two largest meetings of reproductive specialists, embryologists, nurses, scientists, geneticists, genetics counselors, students and practice administrators in the world. This issue of Fertility Flash will cover some of the topics discussed at the ASRM meeting in October, as well as other fertility related topics.

ASRM 2016: Cost-Effectiveness of CCS + eSET
Fewer multiples after single embryo transfer and Comprehensive Chromosome Screening (CCS) is a clear benefit, but does it make IVF less cost-effective overall?

ASRM 2016: Analysis of Embryos Using Next Generation Sequencing
Mosaicism, an early error in cell division that results in two or more cell lines with different genetic makeup, is common in the early stages of development. High-resolution next generation sequencing (hr-NGS) is a new, more sensitive way to detect mosaicism.
ASRM 2016: Better Outcomes with Fresh or Frozen Transfers?
In a randomized controlled trial at a private fertility center, researchers found basic parity in outcomes between fresh and frozen transfers1. Conducting the study between January 2014 and October 2015, the researchers randomized 179 patients on the day of hCG administration to either a fresh transfer (88 women) or a frozen thawed transfer (91 women).
ASRM 2016: Impact of Low-Level Mosaicism
Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) has improved pregnancy and birth outcomes for women undergoing IVF, especially in women at risk for an abnormal number of chromosomes. Advances in PGS have even made it possible to spot a condition called mosaicism. Varying in severity, mosaicism is an early error in cell division that results in two or more cell lines with different genetic makeup.
ASRM 2016: Expanding Access to Fertility Care through Private Foundation
Only 1 in 4 infertile couples in the U.S. can afford the fertility care they need to achieve pregnancy. Some even turn to crowdfunding to help close the spending gap. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has begun to explore strategies for broadening access to care.
ASRM 2016: More Males After Blastocyst-Stage Transfers
After in vitro fertilization (IVF), why do male embryos disproportionately survive the developmental journey to live birth? A retrospective analysis zeroed in on the specific association between blastocyst-stage embryo transfers and a higher proportion of male embryos—examining whether these transfers ultimately result in more male live births.1
Safe Healthy Pregnancies
The U.S. and Canada have the world’s highest rate of multiple pregnancies following fertility treatments. This is in part due to lack of regulation, but also results from patients and physicians aggressively transferring multiple embryos at once in the hope of achieving any pregnancy. PFC has been a long-time proponent of single embryo transfer and healthy pregnancies and have developed two strategies that help us maintain high pregnancy rates following the transfer of just one embryo.
Most Have Success within 5 Years of Starting Fertility Treatment
A population-based study involving nearly 20,000 Danish women found that about 7 in 10 became pregnant and gave birth within 5 years of starting fertility treatment. Among the successful, 57 percent became pregnant following treatment and 14 percent conceived spontaneously.1
Benefits of Expanded Carrier Screening
When it comes to carrier screening for single-gene disorders in prospective parents, the standard of care for decades has been to check carrier status for a limited set of disorders. U.S. researchers designed a study to consider the benefits of rapid expanded carrier screening for a large number of conditions—all at once—over screening for a limited set of disorders.
New Patient Seminar & Webinar
PFC offers complimentary monthly educational seminars & webinars hosted by our infertility specialists.
Thursday, January 12 & Wednesday, March 29
Fertility Preservation Webinar
PFC offers complimentary fertility preservation educational webinars hosted by our infertility specialists.
Thursday, January 26 & Thursday, March 16
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, December 10