Reproductive Medicine – Technology Corner

Reproductive medicine continues to evolve and improve over time. This is simply part of the nature of progress, and it’s been helping people start the family of their dreams for years and years. Our fertility center is pleased to use some of the latest advances in reproductive medicine to make people’s dreams of parenthood come true.

Right now, we want to cover a few of these technological advances so that you understand what they entail and what they can do for you. As you are about to see, these advances improve the effectiveness of reproductive medicine.

Cryobiology

Cryobiology involves the use of extremely low temperatures in order to preserve living tissue. By lowering temperatures significantly, the tissues can be preserved for years and years without damage occurring at the cellular level. This is an important part of the cryopreservation process.

Egg Freezing, Embryo Freezing, and Sperm Freezing

By using cryobiology, various methods of fertility preservation are made possible. This essentially means that viable eggs, embryos, and sperm can be preserved for years to come, and then safely thawed at a later date in order for people to start families of their own.

One example of how this is used involves the preservation of eggs. If a young woman is unsure about having children but believes she may one day, she can have eggs retrieved from her body and preserved, allowing them to be fertilized via in vitro fertilization (IVF) at a later date. This is similarly to how eggs from egg donors are preserved and sperm from sperm donors as well. Viable embryos can also be preserved as needed in case an initial IVF procedure is unsuccessful.

Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening

One of the major concerns that patients have regarding pregnancy is the heath of their child as it develops. If anything can be done to prevent birth defects of any kind, it’s worth considering. This is what pre-implantation genetic screenings involve. Fertility specialists are able to evaluate the health and viability of eggs and sperm, reducing the risk of congenital health problems and other birth defects.

Time Lapse Studies of Embryos

One of the significant advances with regard to pre-implantation genetic screenings involves the use of time-lapsed microscopic photography. Research with time-lapse studies have allowed fertility specialists to identify embryos that may have an abnormal number of chromosomes. By selecting healthy embryos, the chances of a successful pregnancy free from complications and birth defects is increased.

Advanced Care to Meet Your Needs

The above are just a few great advances in the field of reproductive medicine that allow our patients to start the families that they have always wanted. By using these advances with traditional fertility medications, tried and true IVF techniques, and the latest options in medical treatment, we can help you make smart decisions with regard to fertility and conception. Our goal is to empower you and help you achieve your goals.

Learn More About Fertility Treatment Options

If you would like to learn more about all of your options for advanced fertility treatment, be sure to contact our San Antonio fertility specialists today. The entire team here looks forward to meeting you in person and helping you achieve all of your goals with regard to starting a family of your own.