If you have a strong gender preference when it comes to your next child, consider fertility treatment using the Ericsson sperm-washing protocol. At California Center for Reproductive Health, our doctors Eliran More, MD and Irene Woo, MD, offer this procedure to increase the odds that you’ll have a male or female child.

Make an appointment at one of our offices in Encino, Valencia, Santa Monica, or West Hollywood, California, to learn about the Ericsson method and see if it’s the right choice for you. Whether you want a certain sex to avoid passing a sex-linked genetic defect or desire family balance, the practice is ready to help.

How the Ericsson method works

To understand the Ericsson method of sperm washing, it helps to understand how gender is determined. The fertilizing sperm determines a baby’s sex. If that sperm carries an “X” chromosome, you’ll have a girl, but if it carries a “Y” chromosome, you’ll have a boy. The extra “leg” of the X chromosome slows it down slightly.

The Ericsson method of sperm washing was developed in the early 1970s by a physician and reproductive researcher named Ronald Ericsson. He found that sperm carrying a Y chromosome moved through liquid faster than those carrying an X chromosome.

After a sample of semen is gathered from your partner or a donor, the sperm are sent to pass through a sticky protein liquid. Those that move fastest through this liquid are more likely to be sperm with Y chromosomes. The doctors can then isolate the majority of sperm with the chromosome you desire and place the appropriate sperm into your uterus using intrauterine insemination.

The doctors perform intrauterine insemination as close to your day of ovulation as possible. They’ll help guide you with fertility monitoring beforehand to increase the chances that you conceive.

Accuracy and safety of the Ericsson method

The Ericsson sperm-washing protocol increases your chance of having a baby of a specific sex, but the separation process can lead to an overlap between sperm with X chromosomes and Y chromosomes. As a result, the success rate of getting the gender you want with this procedure is 70-75%. So, when your goal is to have a greater likelihood of having one gender over the other, the Ericsson method is a good choice.

The procedure does not guarantee your baby will be a certain sex, however. If you want a greater chance of getting the sex you prefer, you should look to other methods such as Microsort® technology or preimplantation genetic diagnosis, also offered at California Center for Reproductive Health.

The procedure is quite safe, and you’re at no greater risk of miscarriage or complications than you would be if you had gotten pregnant in a traditional manner.

Our goal at California Center for Reproductive Health is to help families in the Greater Los Angeles area and beyond create the families they desire and deserve. As a leader in fertility evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment, the staff is proud to offer effective, innovative gender-selection procedures as well. Call the most convenient location to set up your consultation or use the online tool to schedule.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects 6-12% of women in the United States. It’s diagnosed during your reproductive years and characterized by high androgen levels, ovarian cysts, and irregular menstrual cycles. Because it’s a hormone issue, many women experience uncomfortable symptoms in many bodily systems, including those that affect appearance and reproduction.

Here at the California Center for Reproductive Health, Dr. Eliran Mor, Dr. Irene Woo, and the rest of our skilled team help you navigate your diagnosis of PCOS and live with the condition. We share some tips to help you manage your symptoms.

Tip 1: Change your diet and activity level

When you have PCOS, it’s easy to gain weight and hard to take off the extra pounds. The high level of male hormones means a lot of this weight piles around your belly.

A healthy diet and more physical activity can help you drop excess pounds and reduce the severity of your symptoms. Focus on lean proteins, veggies, fresh fruits, and whole grains and add in daily exercise – just a 30-minute walk is a good start.

Another benefit of exercise and healthy eating? You may lose some extra weight. If you’re overweight, losing even a small amount of weight may stimulate ovulation, which normalizes your menstrual cycle and means you can possibly get pregnant.

Another benefit of a regular healthy diet and exercise is that your body may use insulin more effectively. Women with PCOS are at greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, so everything you can do to avoid that complication is important.

Tip 2: Seek out cosmetic treatments

If you’re bothered by hair growth in areas that aren’t typical for women, such as the chest, stomach, and back, advanced cosmetic treatments can help. We can recommend the best hair-removal products or procedures, such as laser hair removal, so you feel better about your appearance.

If hair growth is really unbearable, we may be able to help by prescribing medications to slow hair growth in unwanted places.

Tip 3: Consider hormonal medications

If you’re not currently trying to get pregnant, birth control pills or other hormonal medications can help you control your menstrual cycles, reduce acne, and lower your androgen levels. Your other options include the patch, vaginal ring, shot, and hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs).

We can discuss birth control pills and other medications at your next appointment.

Tip 4: Boost your fertility

If you do want to become pregnant, medications that help you ovulate are an option. These medications, such as Clomid, help your ovaries release eggs normally. Other fertility treatments, including in vitro fertilization, are possible, too. We specialize in helping you grow your family, and many women with PCOS go on to have healthy babies.

Trust that our doctors at the California Center for Reproductive Health can help you find a combination of treatments to help you live with PCOS. It cannot be cured, but can be managed successfully so you can live a full life. Call one of our offices in Encino, Santa Monica, Alhambra, Valencia, or West Hollywood, California, for an appointment or schedule your visit online.

Conventional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments help many infertile couples get pregnant and have a healthy baby. IVF, however, can be time-consuming, invasive, and expensive. If several embryos are transferred to your uterus, IVF sometimes results in pregnancy with multiple babies.

Mini IVF, which is minimal stimulation IVF, is ideal for couples who may be concerned about the high dose of medications used in a conventional IVF cycle, whether you’re worried about the potential physical impact or the financial load.

Here at the California Center for Reproductive Health, our fertility specialists Eliran Mor, MD, and Irene Woo, MD, provide mini IVF as an alternative to conventional IVF to our patients living in the greater Los Angeles area. Read on to learn the benefits of this fertility treatment and see if you and your family could benefit.

The process of mini IVF

Mini IVF simplifies the fertility procedure, resulting in fewer injections, reduced cost, and equal success for appropriate candidates. Mini IVF calls for just a minimal amount of oral medication to stimulate your eggs to produce a small number of high-quality eggs appropriate for fertilization.

During mini IVF, you typically take Clomid or another oral fertility medication daily and have just 1-3 injections of an additional hormonal fertility medication. This is far less than the weeks of injections you might endure with conventional IVF. The entire process of mini IVF takes 7-10 days.

Once the eggs are ready, they’re harvested, viable ones are fertilized in a lab, and the embryos are placed into your uterus in hopes that they attach to the uterine wall to begin a healthy pregnancy.

Mini IVF has many advantages

Mini IVF offers numerous benefits in addition to the hope that you become pregnant. These include:

Lower hormone doses

Mini IVF uses smaller doses of injectable gonadotropins, so the side effects are gentler and easier on your body. Lower hormone dosage means you produce fewer eggs and don’t experience the side effects associated with the excessive levels of estrogen produced by large numbers of eggs.

Lower risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome occurs in some women going through the conventional IVF process. The aggressive administration of hormones causes the ovaries to swell and become painful.

Less monitoring

Because mini IVF happens with a lower dose of hormones and medications, less clinical and laboratory monitoring is required. This means you have fewer visits to our office and reduced costs.

Just the right number of eggs

With conventional IVF, the aggressive treatment stimulates the development of many eggs. However, in most cases, just 3-5 of this multitude are actually viable enough for fertilization and implantation. With mini IVF, you usually produce 3-5 high-quality eggs, just the right number for a good chance of developing a healthy embryo. Lower hormone stimulation can produce the highest quality of eggs and improved success rates. This is especially true for older women with poor ovarian reserve.

Fewer fears surrounding multiples

With conventional IVF, the risk of becoming pregnant with multiples is very real. Having more embryos is not necessarily better, as pregnancy with multiples puts you at a higher risk of complications and premature birth.

Candidates for mini IVF

Ultimately, your ability to become pregnant with any fertility treatment depends on your age, the cause of infertility, and your general health. Women younger than 35 with normal ovarian reserves do quite well with mini IVF and often find the procedure more effective than conventional IVF.

Women who are older than 40 may also seriously consider mini IVF if conventional IVF has resulted in poor-quality embryos. Our doctors at the California Center for Reproductive Health review your particular case and can help determine if mini IVF is the right approach for you.

Learn more about the revolutionary effects and methods involved in mini IVF. Call one of our offices in Santa Monica, Alhambra, West Hollywood, Encino, and Valencia, California or book an appointment using the online tool.

Infertility can be maddening, frustrating, and disheartening. But even if assisted fertility treatments such as in-vitro fertilization have failed for your family goals, egg donation may offer a solution.

Egg donation involves using an egg from a healthy woman of childbearing age to create an embryo that’s then placed into your uterus. This allows you to carry a child and give birth.

At California Center for Reproductive Health, Dr. Eliran Mor and Dr. Irene Woo provide this advanced fertility treatment to women living in Encino, Santa Monica, Valencia, and West Hollywood, California. Learn more about how this treatment may be an option for you.

If you’re a healthy young woman looking to help other families, find out more about how you can donate your eggs.

What happens during egg donation?

During egg donation, the donor egg is obtained from a young, healthy woman, and then is fertilized in a laboratory with your partner’s sperm or donor sperm. Prior to egg harvesting, your egg donor undergoes injections of hormones to help recruit multiple eggs. Meanwhile, you undergo hormone treatments to prepare your uterus for implantation.

Once the embryo (or embryos) are ready and deemed healthy, they’re transferred into your uterus to attach and develop into a baby.

Who is a candidate for egg donation?

If you’re suffering infertility due to issues with your eggs, then egg donation may be the solution. You may have premature ovarian failure, or premature menopause, or diminished ovarian reserve caused by age. A woman’s fertility usually diminishes greatly after age 40.

Women who’ve undergone genetic screening and have a genetic disease that could possibly be passed on to a child may choose egg donation. Dr. Mor may also recommend egg donation to those who’ve had a prior failure with in vitro fertilization that was likely due to egg quality. Same-sex male couples may also choose egg donation and gestational surrogacy.

Where do donor eggs come from?

We have an in-house donor egg bank. We obtain the eggs from donors that are carefully screened, stimulated with hormones to produce eggs, and undergo safe egg retrieval. These eggs may be used immediately (you and your donor undergo fertility stimulation at the same time) or come from a frozen reserve.

Frozen eggs offer numerous advantages, as they’re ready when you are, and you don’t have to face the risk that a donor is not available when you’re ready. Our frozen eggs are of the highest quality, and we manage all of our own screening, stimulation, and egg retrievals.

At California Center for Reproductive Health, we obtain egg donations from carefully screened donors who are compensated well for their generosity in helping couples make their dreams come true. If you’re interested in helping a family achieve pregnancy, contact our office today.

How successful is egg donation?

When an egg issue stands in the way of your fertility, egg donation provides a much greater chance of successful pregnancy as compared to using your own eggs. You and your donor undergo intensive screening, including medical evaluations, genetic tests, psychological screenings, and a mandatory infectious disease screening. Once medically cleared, you and the donor sign a binding legal contract.

The fetus implanted into your uterus may not carry your genetic material, but by carrying the child, you play an enormous role in how the baby’s genes express.

Egg donation is a highly successful option for couples struggling with infertility. Of course, the decision to pursue this – or any – fertility treatment is a difficult one. At California Center for Reproductive Health, we’re ready to assist you by providing education, compassion, and medical support when it comes to pregnancy and infertility.

If you’re ready to learn more about how our egg donation program can help you achieve a healthy pregnancy, call one of our offices or book your consultation online.

If you want to preserve your ability to become a parent in the future, freezing embryos is a viable option. At the California Center for Reproductive Health, our team of expert providers are available to counsel you about this safe and effective procedure, which can give you a good chance of having a baby in the future.

About embryo freezing

An embryo is a fertilized egg, which develops into a fetus. In order to get embryos, a doctor takes sperm from the man and eggs from the woman and puts them together in a laboratory environment. The resulting embryos are then frozen.

During embryo freezing ― also called cryopreservation ― an embryo’s development is literally suspended. Cell growth only resumes when the embryo is thawed and implanted into the woman’s uterus.

No matter the method used, frozen embryos are effectively suspended in time. All biological activity within the embryo is stopped, including cell growth.

Why store an embryo?

Many couples store embryos to preserve their ability to become pregnant in the future. The motivation may be due to a number of reasons. Among the common reasons are the following:

Cancer treatment

A woman or man in a relationship may be starting cancer treatment that could affect fertility. Freezing embryos means they can still become parents in the future. If you or your partner has a medical condition that may interfere with future fertility, embryo freezing is an option.

Aging

Women and men experience a decline in fertility as they age. A woman’s fertility dramatically drops after age 35. A man’s fertility doesn’t drop as quickly, but it does decline. If you’re not ready to have children right now, but you want a family in the future ― in your late 30s or later ― freezing embryos now can make it more likely that you’ll be able to get pregnant.

Military deployment

If you need to delay having a family due to traveling for work, military duty, or other reasons, freezing embryos can give you an opportunity to still contribute to your family once life calms down.

Donation

You may choose to provide frozen embryos to another infertile couple. This can enable other people to become parents if they aren’t able to overcome their infertility issues.

If you’re interested in exploring your options for overcoming infertility or preserving your ability to have a family in the future, book an appointment online or over the phone with the California Center for Reproductive Health today.

Male infertility isn’t unusual. In one-third of cases, a man has complications that are making it difficult for a couple to get pregnant. In general, a couple’s infertility is diagnosed when pregnancy hasn’t been achieved after at least one year of trying.

At the California Center for Reproductive Health, we look at all potential causes of infertility in couples. When we diagnose the problem, we can take steps to help you and your partner have a baby.

Men’s fertility basics

First of all, it’s important to recognize that infertility is relatively common. In every 100 couples, 12-13 of them will have trouble getting pregnant. In general, one-third of these instances has to do with issues involving the woman, one-third has to do with the man, and the last third has to do with a combination of problems or undetermined problems.

To successfully conceive a baby, a man’s sperm must fertilize the woman’s egg. This may sound simple, but it’s a complex biological process. Men’s sperm are made in the testicles and then stored inside the epididymis, an area that lies on top of each testicle. Semen nourishes and lubricates these sperm.

When intercourse happens, the man releases, on average, about 150 million sperm in one-half a teaspoon of semen through the penis.

The production of sperm and semen and the process of ejaculation occurs when the man has proper levels of testosterone and other hormones. His nervous system must also be signaling properly to make the whole system flow seamlessly.

Causes of infertility in men

Many issues can contribute to male infertility. A man may have problems with his testicles, a blockage in the ducts that carry sperm to the penis, a hormone imbalance, or a genetic disorder. Lifestyle and environmental factors can also contribute to male infertility as can a history of high fevers or mumps.

Erectile dysfunction, when a man can’t keep or get an erection, can interfere with a man’s ability to release sperm into a woman’s vagina, which can make conception difficult. A man can also have problems with his sperm’s quality or volume. Some sperm may not move as they should and therefore have trouble traveling to fertilize an egg.

Many of these issues can be overcome with the right changes and therapies.

Testing to evaluate male fertility

First, we may give you a medical exam, which may include blood tests and a physical exam. We may also go over your medical history. Furthermore, we may perform a semen analysis to examine the number, shape, health, and movement of your sperm.

Treating male infertility

In many cases, lifestyle changes can help improve a man’s fertility. Reducing stress, keeping the testes at a cool temperature, and eating a healthy diet can all help a man produce optimal sperm.

Restoring hormones, as well as taking medications to address various issues, such as erectile dysfunction, can also help. Your provider may recommend sperm extraction and insemination to increase the chances of conception. In some cases, surgery, such as to clear blocked ducts, may be necessary.

If you and your partner are unable to conceive, we can find out why and help you fulfill your goal of having a child. To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with the California Center for Reproductive Health today.

Premature ovarian failure is relatively rare. Only 1 in 1,000 women under the age of 30 and 30 in 1,000 under the age of 40 reach the end of their ovarian reserves — the number of viable eggs remaining in your ovaries. If you have premature ovarian failure, you probably have questions. Perhaps most importantly, you might be wondering if you can still get pregnant.

Here at the California Center for Reproductive Health, we help women and couples from throughout the greater Los Angeles area to get pregnant and have healthy babies at our two modern and welcoming offices in Encino and West Hollywood, California. Our experienced doctors can identify the cause of your fertility problems, including premature ovarian failure, and provide a wide range of options to help you grow your family.

Some couples have an easy time conceiving, while others do not. Often, infertility is the cause. It is a fairly common cause and is diagnosed after a couple fails to conceive after one year of having sex without using any contraception. The good news is that with advances in technology, known as assisted reproductive technology, many infertile couples go on to have happy, healthy babies.

Common causes of infertility

Some common causes of infertility include the following:

• Low sperm counts
• Issues with ovulation
• Issues with uterus or Fallopian tubes
• Failure of sperm to thrive in cervical mucus
• Diminished egg quality
• Genetic disease in either potential parent

In vitro fertilization

In vitro fertilization is a form of assisted reproductive technology that helps couples conceive a healthy baby. The in vitro fertilization process includes medication to stimulate production of eggs, which are then fertilized with sperm in a lab. Once the eggs are fertilized, the resulting embryo or embryos are then placed inside the woman’s uterus.

The outcomes of in vitro fertilization vary from situation to situation. Many women carry several babies to term, because more than one embryo was implanted inside her. Sometimes, the process may take several cycles for the potential mother to carry the baby to term. Moreover, the age and cause of infertility may result in a negative outcome.

What is preimplantation genetic testing?

Preimplantation genetic testing is one additional tool a fertility specialist has to help ensure the birth of a healthy baby. Preimplantation genetic testing is the process by which an embryo is tested for different diseases or to ensure that the embryo is healthy. Embryos can also be tested for chromosomal abnormalities. Preimplantation genetic testing can even help determine whether parents are likely to pass on harmful genes to their child. The end goal is always to help prospective parents deliver healthy babies.

How does preimplantation genetic testing work?

Early in the developmental process of the embryo, our team will collect a few cells and send them off for testing. These cells are analyzed to determine if any genetic abnormalities are present. If the embryo doesn’t have any genetic abnormalities, it will then be implanted into the mother in the hopes of a successful birth.

It is important for prospective parents to partner with experienced fertility physicians to ensure healthy outcomes. The physicians at the California Center for Reproductive Health have both the qualifications and the track record to help you overcome your infertility issues. We have five offices located in Southern California to help you. Please give one of our offices a call to schedule an appointment today.

If you’re struggling with infertility, you’re not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 10% of women between the ages of 15 and 44 struggle to conceive or carry a pregnancy to full term. For many couples, the pressure and stress around trying to start a family can be especially difficult and overwhelming around the holidays. At California Center for Reproductive Health, our team of fertility doctors and specialists offer a range of services across several convenient locations in West Hollywood, Santa Monica, Valencia, Encino, and Alhambra.

Holiday coping strategies when you’re dealing with infertility

Every couple is different, and the struggle to conceive and start a family will affect you and your loved ones in different ways. Here are a few tips to help you navigate and enjoy the holidays through what can be a painful and difficult time.

Give yourself permission to feel bad

It might sound counterintuitive, given the emphasis on feeling happy, joyful, and positive at all costs during the holidays. While you should prioritize your own mental health and emotional well-being by participating in activities and events that make you feel better, burying your emotions or “putting on a happy face” for others can do more harm than good, and exacerbate stress, anxiety, and other negative emotions.

It’s OK to say no and turn down invitations

The holiday season can be a parade of back-to-back parties and social engagements that can get overwhelming even during the best of times. When you’re going through a difficult time, it’s perfectly acceptable (and advisable) to politely decline invitations if you’re just not feeling up to it. Remember that there’s always next year. If large gatherings and social events are too painful for you to handle at the moment, suggest meeting with friends and loved ones in a quieter, more intimate setting or anywhere you feel more comfortable and supported.

Find support

Maybe being around children and babies is exactly what you need to feel better, or maybe an adults-only environment is all that you can manage right now. Spend time with people that make you feel supported and at ease.

Do something different for the holidays

There are no hard and fast rules that dictate how you must spend the holidays, especially during a difficult time. If traditional holiday celebrations are too much for you to handle this year, consider doing something entirely different, like taking a trip that takes you out of the holiday pressure cooker, or celebrating in a new and different way. It’s also perfectly acceptable to opt-out of the holidays entirely if that’s what feels right for you! There is no right or wrong way to spend the holiday season as long as you’re prioritizing your health and well-being.

Communicate your needs to friends and loved ones

Your family, friends, and co-workers may have the best intentions, but it can be difficult to know what to say when someone is dealing with infertility. Whether you need a shoulder to cry on or prefer not to talk about it, setting your boundaries ahead of time can help you avoid getting stuck in awkward and uncomfortable situations.

Learn more about your options

If you’re ready to start a family or have dealt with infertility in the past, we can help. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with a fertility specialist at one of our convenient locations.