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Pacific Fertility Center has been taking steps to minimize the risk of multiple pregnancy for several years. Balancing high pregnancy rates with low pregnancy risk improves pregnancy outcomes; achieving that balance and reducing the risk of multiple pregnancy is our goal.

Some steps Pacific Fertility Center takes to reduce multiple pregnancy risk include:

High quality embryology . Utilizing advanced embryo culture techniques, the highest quality embryos can be selected for transfer. Special environmental conditions, advanced culture media, and delicate handling of gametes and embryos are required; these efforts result in better embryos, with higher implantation and pregnancy rates. Growing these embryos to day 5, the blastocyst stage, allows selection of the healthiest embryos for transfer, enabling excellent outcomes with the transfer of fewer embryos.

Vitrification for embryo cryopreservation . Vitrification, the new technology of embryo freezing, allows storage of advanced stage embryos for future use. Since good pregnancy rates are maintained with vitrified embryos, fewer embryos need to be transferred fresh, which results in a reduced risk of multiples.

Clinical guidelines to reduce the number of embryos transferred. Embryo implantation rates vary with a woman’s age. A young woman on average has a high embryo implantation rate and an older woman a lower implantation rate. Factoring in age and clinical situation, the number of embryos transferred is adjusted to maximize pregnancy rates while minimizing risk. Pacific Fertility Center adheres to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) guidelines for embryo transfer. These guidelines provide some flexibility to individualize treatment.

Elective single embryo transfer (eSET) in appropriate situations. Women that receive elective single embryo transfer (eSET) get excellent pregnancy rates with a single embryo. With eSET, embryos are grown to the blastocyst stage and one embryo is transferred. Pregnancy rates last year with single embryo transfers were indistinguishable from multiple embryo transfers. eSET produces high pregnancy rates with minimal risk of multiple pregnancy.

Pacific Fertility Center feels strongly that high pregnancy rates can be achieved while minimizing the risk associated with multiple pregnancy. High quality embryology, and good clinical judgment, produce the healthiest pregnancies. Our goal is overcoming infertility, and building families, one healthy baby at a time.

About Pacific Fertility Center

Pacific Fertility Center (PFC) is a fertility medical practice and egg donor agency located in San Francisco, California. PFC physicians are all board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. The physicians at PFC are members of the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART); Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI); and the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). They each have many years of successful clinical, academic, and scientific experience. The onsite innovative laboratory at PFC is operated by one the most experienced embryology teams in the nation. PFC is highly regarded for its ability to offer technologically advanced solutions to the most resistant fertility challenges, while conveying warmth and compassion to their patients.

www.pacificfertilitycenter.com

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Source: Pacific Fertility Center

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