FAQ

Why a patient who begins with 20 follicles has only 15 oocytes, only 10 fertilized and only 4 blastocysts?

There is, unfortunately, attrition at every stage of the process. The number of eggs retrieved is almost always smaller than the number of follicles on the pre-retrieval ultrasound. Some oocytes will be immature and not used in IVF. Some of the injected oocytes do not fertilize, and some of those that are fertilized will not develop. 

Can increased level of progesterone during ovarian stimulation damage the oocytes?

Yes and no. An egg in the follicle responsible for elevated progesterone will usually be affected, but not the rest of the oocytes. Read more

If the estradiol level during ovarian stimulation is low, does it mean I have poor quality oocytes?

It may be. However, estradiol, just like the size of the follicle only represents the property of the follicle, but not the quality of the oocyte. Read more 

Is PGT indicated for every IVF patient?

No, just like any other procedure it has indications and counter-indications and must be considered within the context of the patient’s history. Read more

Can a man with abnormal sperm morphology be fertile?

Yes, abnormal sperm morphology does not by itself mean infertility or even subfertility. Infertility can only be diagnosed within the context of a patient’s history. Read more

Is the volume of my semen sample important?

It seems that a man with semen volume between 0.5 and 11 ml may have normal fertility. Read more

Why progesterone can be elevated during ovarian stimulation?

If progesterone is moderately elevated and stays below 2 pg/ml, this may be due to having multiple follicles (usually more than 25), each contributing a physiological amount, usually about 0.1 ng/ml. If progesterone is elevated above 2 pg/ml or there are not many follicles, this usually means that one of the follicles has ruptured, which is inconsequential for the remaining follicles. The progesterone elevated above 1.5 ng/ml usually a concern only for a fresh transfer, because it may interfere with implantation. 

Which gamete, oocyte or sperm, is more likely to have chromosomal errors?

Oocyte is much more likely to be chromosomally abnormal than sperm. Read more

How accurate is PGT testing?

PGT testing identifies chromosomally normal embryos with nearly 100% accuracy. However, the rate of false positives (normal embryos mistakenly diagnosed as abnormal) is unknown since in most cases they are discarded. According to some publications, it can be as high as 30% and varies between different testing laboratories. Read more

Is mitochondrial score in PGT report important?

No, it is not important and should not be a part of considerations when selecting an embryo. Read more

Can embryo biopsy damage an otherwise viable embryo?

Yes, it can. Read more

How long does an oocyte remain viable after ovulation?

An oocyte remains viable for fertilization for about 24 hrs after ovulation, but the best time to be fertilized is within 5 hours after ovulation. Read more

How long does it take for a human sperm to reach the site of fertilization?

About 5-30 minutes after ejaculation. Read more 

Is the size of the follicle a good benchmark for oocyte competence?

No, it is not. The largest follicle does not necessarily contain the best eggs. Read more

Why shorter ovarian cycle is associated with lower chance of pregnancy?

According to the theory of Term Maturation, during the shorter cycle an oocyte is not able to attain full metabolic competence. Read more

If the cycle duration is normal, does it mean that oocytes reach term maturation?

Not necessarily. According to the theory of term maturation, some oocytes may need more time to attain term maturation than an average follicular phase or patient’s natural follicular phase would provide. Also, factors other than duration play a role. Read more

Will PGT help to avoid miscarriage?

Not necessarily. Read more

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