Archive for the ‘RPMG News’ Category

RPMG’s Dr. Wisot quoted in Life & Style

Friday, March 12th, 2010

RPMG's Dr. Arthur Wisot was quoted in the March 22nd issue of Life & Style. He commented on the effect on the extremes of weight on the ability to conceive. In a story on E! anchor Giuliana Rancic's difficulty conceiving, he pointed out the effects of very low and very high BMI (body mass index) on the reporoductive process. Dr. Wisot, who does not treat Rancic, stated that "the ideal is to get pregnant in the normal-weight category."

Dr. Gregory Rosen honored as a “Patients’ Choice” doctor

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Reproductive Partners' Dr. Gregory Rosen has been chosen as a "Patients' Choice" doctor for the second year in a row. The honor is the result of actual patients' online feedback about their experiences with their doctors. They rate various components such as bedside manner, doctor-patient face time, degree of follow-up, courtesy of office staff and overall opinions. Only physicians who get rave reviews are given the honor.

Dr. Rosen is available to see patients in Reproductive Partners' Beverly Hills and Westminster offices.

The Success Prime IVF Program

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

We are proud to announce the launch of the Success Prime IVF Program, an IVF money back guarantee for best-case patients. The elements of the Success Prime IVF Program are very simple. If we determine that you are an eligible, or prime candidate, and if you do not get pregnant with embryos from either a fresh or frozen embryo IVF cycle, you will receive a refund of the Global Fee of $11,650 standard IVF or $13,350 for IVF with egg donation.

At Reproductive Partners we want to encourage patients to do everything possible to enhance the chance of a successful outcome. We have designed the Success Prime IVF Program to recognize those who take vital steps in preparing for pregnancy.

Among other characteristics, prime candidates using their own eggs must be under the age of 34, have a BMI under 30 and both partners must be non-smokers for at least six months. If the patient is using an egg donor, the egg donor must meet all the requirements of a prime candidate.

The IVF success rate data at RPMG shows couples and donors who meet these prime candidate characteristics often succeed in their first cycle.

For complete program details, please see the Success Prime IVF Program page.
 

RPMG docs honored as “Best Doctors” and “Super Doctors”

Thursday, January 21st, 2010

RPMG's Dr. Bill Yee has been included in the publication, "Best Doctors in America" for 2009 and 2010. YeeThis honor is based on recommendations of other physycians. Castle Connolly Medical LTD. also selected Dr. Yee for the 9th edition of "America's Top Doctors."  .

Drs. Gregory Rosen and David Meldrum were in Los Angeles Magazine's "Southern California Super Doctors 2010" as published in the January 2010 edition of the magazine and Dr. Arthur Wisot was named in the 2009 edition. The "Super Doctors" honor is also based on the recommendation of peers reflecting who they would call if they needed a physician.

How long should one abstain before an IUI?

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010

This is one of those questions in medicine where the question never changes, but the answer does. Over the years I have seen the pendulum of advice swing back and forth from a shorter to a longer period of abstinence before an IUI.

Here's the latest. A study reported in the January 2010 edition of Fertility & Sterility shows a higher pregnancy rate when the period of abstinence before an IUI was less than 2 days. This shorter interval resulted in the highest pregnancy rates per cycle compared with longer intervals of ejaculatory abstinence. This higher conception rate occurred despite a lower total number of motile spermatozoa inseminated. This makes sense in view of our observation that a shorter interval may reduce DNA fragmentation in sperm.

Remember that it's best to follow your own doctor's advice in this regard because some men may have issues that may not make this practice ideal for them.

Dr. Wisot quoted on foxnews.com

Friday, January 8th, 2010

RPMG's Dr. Arthur Wisot was quoted in an article on Jennifer Lopez' negative views on IVF on foxnews.com.

In response to her negative views, Dr. Wisot commented, "I can't speak about her personal choices, but I think that we live in an era of reproductive freedom and everybody is welcome to reproduce in whatever way they wish,” fertility specialist Arthur Wisot of Reproductive Partners in Southern California told Tarts. “If (Jennifer Lopez) isn't accepting it, then it may impair her ability to have children in the future, but it's based on her own moral and ethical principles.”

Announcing the Elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET) Encouragement Program

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Reproductive Partners Medical Group has created the Elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET) Encouragement Program to provide a financial incentive for patients with good embryo quality and a good prognosis for success to consider reducing the chance of twins by transferring a single embryo.

Reducing the number of multiple pregnancies, even twin pregnancies, is one of the biggest issues in advanced reproductive technology today. Couples with fertility problems often assume that they can double their chances for a healthy baby by transferring two embryos instead of just one. But, data published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that what they're really doing is increasing their odds of having multiples, which is riskier for the mother and babies alike.

Pregnancies involving multiples, including twins, come with a greater risk of gestational diabetes, bleeding and preeclampsia for the mother, and cerebral palsy, birth defects, developmental delays and death for the babies. Twins usually survive, but incur higher medical expenses in the first five years of life.

Yet, despite the risks involved in transferring multiple embryos, couples must weigh this decision against both the chance of a failed cycle and the costs incurred by starting another fresh or frozen embryo cycle. For patients who qualify, the eSET Encouragement Program reduces the economic rationale for transferring more than one embryo.

For more information please visit our Elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET) Encouragement Program page.

Dr. Wisot in Life & Style

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009

Dr, Arthur Wisot is quoted in an article in the November 30th issue of Life & Style magazine. Page 38 L&S 11/30/09

The article entitled, "Celine Dion's Battle For Another Baby," reports on her August IVF cycle which resulted in what sounds like a biochemical pregnancy. In the article, Dr. Wisot outlined the chances for a successful pregnancy at age 41 and that she has two factors which would likely give her a better than average chance of success; a previous success and she is being treated by a very successful group, not unlike RPMG.

The entire article is not online so to read Dr. Wisot's quotes you will need to see the article at your supermarket checkout or newsstand.

The New Pap Smear Guidelines and Fertility

Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued new guidelines recommending no Pap smear screening before age 21, every two years until age 30 and every three years after that if one has had negative results for three tests in a row.
 
My residency chief who practiced in the era before the common use of the Pap smear told his residents about the wards filled with young woman even in their 20's dying a miserable death from cervical cancer. Those wards were closed as the Pap smear gained acceptance. Those who support the new guidelines say that women do not die from cervical cancer before age 21. They ignore the fact that early detection before age 21 can avert this terrible disease and death. In the medical brave new world is death the measure of the need for screening? We have already heard about new mammogram guidelines. I expect next week’s headlines to include the PSA test for prostate cancer and colonoscopies.
 
Also important is that this sends the wrong message to many women who equate the “Pap smear” with the entire gynecologic evaluation. The previous recommendation suggested a Pap smear (and thus the full gynecological evaluation) within three years from when they become sexually active or at age 18, whichever comes first. More important than the Pap is the opportunity for the doctor or nurse practitioner to check for gynecologic abnormalities, test for sexually transmitted diseases and discuss issues such as contraception, safe sex habits and general health issues related to smoking, drug and alcohol use and other life-style issues.
 
So what does this have to do with fertility? As Dr. David Meldrum and I point out in our book, “Conceptions & Misconceptions,” women can do a lot to preserve their fertility when they are young by following good general health habits such as preventing sexually transmitted diseases, not smoking, maintaining a normal weight and having someone evaluate symptoms like severe menstrual cramps and irregular cycles which could indicate significant gynecological conditions that could result in infertility.
 
I believe that the Pap smear and mammogram guidelines, although technically accurate within a very narrow and subtle definition, send the wrong message. Many people will use any excuse to avoid an unpleasant and possibly uncomfortable examination. These new guidelines give them that excuse to avoid an examination which might improve their general health and quality of life and preserve their fertility.

RPMG studying financial incentives for eSET

Friday, October 30th, 2009

The LA Times article mentioned in the previous post shows the non-signficant difference in success rates between single- and double embryo transfers in a study from Sweden. Most impressive is the reduction in potentially complicated multiple pregnancies by transferring one embryo which should be an incentive for appropriate couples to select this option.

But in most of the U. S., couples are faced with more than the disappointment of a small increment  in the chance of a failed cycle. In most European countries, IVF is covered by the national health service so an additional cycle is less of a financial burden. In non-mandated states in the U.S, the couple is also faced with the cost of another fresh or frozen embryo cycle.

Our success rates in good prognosis patients who would be candidates to consider an eSET, our success rates are better than reported in the Swedish study and the difference in live birth rate between the two groups should be small.

In order to encourage couples to choose the single embryo option we are studying financial incentives to reduce the impact of a possible failed cycle which may not have occurred if two embryos had been transferred.

We would like to hear what financial incentive would help you choose a single embryo transfer if the difference in success rate was not statistically significant. You can post your responses to this blog.