Fertility drugs, taken through injections, are used to stimulate a woman’s ovaries to develop multiple mature eggs. This improves chances for fertilization and ultimately pregnancy. The most common medications are are Gonadotropins, Repronex, Follistim, Gonal F, and Menopur.

When the eggs are mature, they are retrieved by an ultrasound guided procedure. Here a needle is placed through the vaginal opening and into the ovaries. There are no abdominal incisions or suturing. The eggs are then evaluated in our on-site embryology lab. Once there, they are fertilized with sperm from your partner or a donor. Retrieval is performed under light anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. Risks are minimal and recovery takes an hour or two, although post-operative cramping is common.

Success rates vary depending on a woman’s age, her response to the medication and the quality of her embryos. Risks include increased chances of multiple births and ovarian hyperstimulation. The chances of infection or significant blood loss are very low.