Department
Of Reproductive Medicine & Infertility Treatment at Artemis Hospital,
Gurgaon
Reproductive Medicine
The field
of reproductive medicine has witnessed a technological revolution in the last
decade. Applications of new techniques based on a better understanding of
reproduction have made it possible to fulfill the dream of motherhood for many.
No experience can parallel the thrill of helping to create human life.
Infertility treatment however is not easy and to offer the best to the patient,
one has to keep in constant touch with new developments. Artemis has started
its ART services under the expert guidance. It is committed to provide the most
advanced treatments available worldwide.
Comprehensive Fertility Program:
Counseling
and psychological support are an integral part of the IVF treatment program,
helping patients cope with the inevitable stress associated with IVF. Artemis
IVF centre is sensitive to the many difficult decisions couples face while
undergoing infertility evaluation and treatment. Therefore, providing accurate
information to patients through patient education is one of our highest
priorities. Free consultation with the Psychologist is available for all
patients going through the IVF treatment.
Our IVF Centre located in the heart of Delhi-NCR in Gurgaon always welcomes
your questions about our program, because it is committed to providing the best
medical care and fertility treatment to a fully informed group of patients. We
think of each couple as members of our team working towards a common goal –
your successful pregnancy.
Facilities Available:
Endoscopic Procedures
•Diagnostic & Operative Laparoscopy
•Diagnostic & Operative Hysteroscopy
•Hysteroscopic Tubal Recanalisation, Sonography
Sonography
•3-4 Dimensional Ultrasonography
•Diagnostic & Interventional Sonography
•Embryo Reduction
•Sono Salpingography Andrology
Andrology
•Computer Assisted Semen Analysis and sperm Morphology
•Sperm Fragmentation Test
•Sperm preparation for Normospermic and Male infertility patients
ART
•IUI (AIH & AID)
•In-Vitro fertilization, ICSI, TESA, IMSI
•Laser assisted ICSI
•Blastocyst Transfer
•Laser Assisted Hatching
•Pre implantation genetic diagnosis
Cryopreservation
•Sperm & Embryo
•Oocyte & ovarian tissue
Special Services At Artemis:
I. Andrology Service: Recent surveys have shown that male infertility is
probably the largest single cause of infertility. At least half of all human
infertility is male factor related. A full assessment of the male, detailed
analysis of the seminal plasma and sperm function tests are important for a
comprehensive evaluation. Currently, knowledge of sperm function and its
relation to infertility is rudimentary. Since specific tests to determine the
fertilizing ability of the sperm are not available a treatment schedule has
been developed. Success of these treatments is based on large clinical trials.
Intrauterine insemination is the first step in the treatment ladder and ICSI
with ejaculated and testicular sperm is at the top end. Artemis has the latest
equipment to do a computer based analysis of sperm motility and morphology.
This assessment allows us to give you a possibility score on fertilization,
implantation and early pregnancy loss with your sperm.
Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection (IMSI):
Intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) is a new
development that may improve assisted reproduction pregnancy rates. It
magnifies sperms up to 6,000 times compared to the standard 200 to 400 times
magnification associated with traditional fertilization approaches. IMSI makes
it possible to discard sperm whose nuclei have an abnormal shape or contents.
Using IMSI the optimal sperm is identified and used for fertilization. The IMSI
procedure may be a potential alternative to those couples whose semen analysis
shows abnormal morphology.
IMSI is known to give better pregnancy rate and lower abortion rates in patient
with male factor in fertility.
Sperm DNA Fragmentation Test: Sperm DNA Fragmentation (SDF) is an important
piece of information about seminal quality. An SDF value that exceeds a
threshold value of 30% suggests sub-par sperm quality. The SDF value confers
clinicians the power to make informed decisions in their daily practice and
take action based on quantitative results. It is an established fact that the
probability of pregnancy is more if fragmentation is low
Applications:
– Unknown etiology fertility failure
– Embryo loss – Repetitive miscarriage
– Best donor selection
– Selection of best seminal samples prior to vasectomy or oncology treatment
– To distinguish which couples are suitable for treatment by IUI
– To assess the efficacy of medical interventions or treatment of infectious
diseases and varicocele.
II. Assisted hatching: Before implantation, in the normal situation, the embryos
must hatch from its shell to attach to the womb. In some cases e.g. women over
35 years, women with polycystic ovaries, and the outer shell of the egg (the
zona pellucida) may become hardened. Hardening of the zona pellucida hinders
embryo hatching. The zona pellucida is thinned or opened to facilitate hatching
of the early embryo using the help of enzymes, chemicals or Laser. At Artemis,
all three techniques are available though we prefer to use laser assisted
hatching as it reduces the chances of embryo damage.
III.
Blastocyst Transfers: Embryo is cultured for 5 days in-vitro till it grows to
form a blastocyst. In a natural conception the embryo enters the uterine cavity
at this stage of development. Blastocyst transfer helps to improve pregnancy
rate and reduces the chances of multiple pregnancy, however a larger number of
good quality embryos (at least 3- 5) are required to be able to take the
patient to blastocyst transfer, since some embryos may not survive for longer
periods in in-vitro culture.
In Vitro Egg maturation A procedure useful for women with polycystic ovaries in
whom high or low ovarian response to stimulation drugs is always a problem.
Eggs are collected without or with minimal ovarian stimulation and then matured
in the laboratory. After maturation ICSI is done for fertilization.
Pre implantation genetic diagnosis Procedure involves taking a biopsy (1-2
blastomeres) from an 8 cell embryo and then testing it for genetic disorders.
This is useful in patients where there is history of recurrent miscarriages,
previous IVF failures, history of genetic disorder in previous pregnancies or
in the family.
IV. Gamete (Egg & Sperm) Donation & Embryo Donation Facilities for
gamete donation are available. Detailed screening of the donor is carried out
prior to his/her acceptance into the program. Anonymity of both the donor and
recipient is maintained.
a) Donor Insemination (DI) All donors are very carefully screened for sexually
transmitted diseases, Hepatitis B & C. A detailed history is obtained to
rule out current or past diseases and inherited disorders. Donors are matched
as closely as possible for physical characteristics to the male partner of women
receiving the donor sperm. Donor anonymity is maintained as per ICMR
regulations / ART bill.
b) Egg Donation Some women are unable to produce their own eggs due to hormonal
deficiency, genetic predisposition or other medical conditions. Others choose
to have egg donation because they carry a genetic illness, which may be passed
on to any babies born or they have poor quality eggs or recurrent miscarriages.
Through egg donation these women have the opportunity to give birth. The
patient receiving the donated eggs (the recipient) is treated with hormones to
prepare the lining of the uterus to receive the embryos. Eggs are recovered
from the donor who has to go through ovarian stimulation to form multiple eggs
and then these are recovered under anaesthesia under ultrasound guidance. The
entire procedure is carried out vaginally. The sperm from the recipient’s
husband is used to inseminate the eggs (either by IVF or the ICSI technique).
The resulting embryos are transferred two/three days later to the recipient’s uterus.
c) Embryo Donation Some couples, for a variety of reasons, are unable to
produce their own genetic gametes (i.e. sperms or eggs). In such cases both
donor sperms and donor eggs can be used to produce a donor embryo. The woman’s
uterus is prepared with hormonal tablets to receive the embryo.
V.
Surrogacy (renting a womb) Surrogacy involves implantation of the couple’s
embryo into the uterus of another woman, who agrees to give birth to the child
so conceived. Artemis runs an efficient and ethical surrogacy programme.
VI.
Cryopreservation (Freezing and Storage)
a) Cryopreservation (freezing and storage) of embryos Following IVF maximum of
three/four embryos are transferred in each cycle. The remaining embryos may be
frozen for embryo transfer at a later date. Only good quality embryos are
frozen since they have a better survival rate on thawing .It is important to
note that even good quality embryos may not survive the freezing and thawing
process. We currently are using the latest technique in cryopreservation called
‘vitrification’.
b) Frozen Embryo Replacement (FER) The replacement of frozen embryos is
preferably carried out after treatment with hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
or in a spontaneous ovulatory cycle. Zona thinning/hatching in these embryos
improves implantation rates. You can opt to have this procedure.
c) Cryopreservation (freezing and storage) of sperm The preservation of sperm
by freezing is now a fully accepted routine procedure. Most, although not all,
semen samples can be frozen/preserved for long periods and thawed without loss
of fertility. In patients going through an IVF/ICSI cycle, semen is
cryopreserved prior to cycle commencement. This is important because at times
(generally due to stress or sudden illness) the husband is unable to give the
sample on the day of egg retrieval. This facility also allows women to continue
with their treatment cycles when the partner is not available.
Oocyte and Ovarian tissue freezing has been started in Artemis for Fertility
Preservation in Cancer patients.
