Sperm Freezing
5/31/2020 07:44:00 AMWhat is sperm freezing?
Sperm is one of the germ cells of the human body, which can be frozen and stored for years.
What is the purpose of sperm freezing? Mostly for later use for reproductive reasons, such as IVF( In-vitro fertilization) or IUI( intrauterine insemination). As well as sperm donation.
How?
Sperm freezing is a procedure of collecting, analysing, selecting and freezing.
Normally, sperm collection is through masturbation, or for patients with ejaculatory dysfunction, Doctors might perform surgery to collect sperms. For example, MESA( sperm aspiration from the epididymis by means of microsurgery), TESA( sperm extraction from the testicles by means of a biopsy).
Patients can choose to collect a sample in either their home or in our clinic.
As we mentioned before, the stored sperm sample can be used for IVF and IUI later on. But for patients collected sample through MESA/TESA, IVF Is highly recommended. Aimed to increase the successful pregnancy rate with limited sample size.
Before the sperm cryopreservation, there is some preparation to do:
-Blood test for infection screening, eg. HIV, RPR, hepatitis.
-If you have a previous semen analysis report, please provide to us for reference.
Vitrification
-Blood test for infection screening, eg. HIV, RPR, hepatitis.
-If you have a previous semen analysis report, please provide to us for reference.
Vitrification
The technology we are using to freeze the sperm now is the vitrification. Compared to the traditional method, this new technology uses less time to finish the freeze, lowering the harm that can possibly be made during the procedure.
The sperm sample will be analysed and selected immediately. Approximately 1-2 hours after, the sample will be frozen for storage.
For the post thawed survival rate, it’s around 20-50%, depends on the quality of the sperm sample.
Stork Application
You can find all the blood test results ( HIV, RPR, hepatitis) in our self developed app. As well as the semen analysis report. With the list of sperm samples that had been frozen.
Who should consider freezing sperm?
Freezing germ cells allow us to preserve our fertility. Using the frozen cell at a later date, age is no longer an obstacle for conceiving an offspring.
Common reasons to choose to freeze sperm:
Advancing age
Cancer or other medical reasons
Transgender patients
Career and lifestyle choices, such as studying aboard for higher educational activities
Contact us if you would like to know more about sperm freezing or IVF treatment.
Advancing age
Cancer or other medical reasons
Transgender patients
Career and lifestyle choices, such as studying aboard for higher educational activities
Contact us if you would like to know more about sperm freezing or IVF treatment.
WhatsApp：+886-905-737-501Medical expense payment terms
5/28/2020 10:56:00 PM
We have Hsin-Chu Stork Fertility Center and Taipei Stork 11 Fertility Center.
Please note that we have separate account.
To Hsin-Chu Stork Fertility Center
A. ATM Transfer
Bank Name and Number: First Bank 007
Bank Account: 301-10-057266
As long as having debit card of any bank, please follow below transfer step.
We Stork Fertility Center also provide e-ATM transfer function, transfer fee cost NTD 10. (If using First Bank debit card, no need of transfer fee.)
***Following step of transfer:
- Insert debit card to ATM and enter password.
- Select【Fund Transfer】
- Bank Code: 007 First Bank
- Account: 301-10-057266
- Amount: Enter the amount of medical expense
- Make sure that all the informations are correct, then press【Confirm】. Transfer succeed.
B. Bank Transfer
***After transfer, please provide below information and email: account@icryobank.com.tw
so we can confirm if the payment is received.
● Name:
● Birthday(YYYY/MM/DD):
●Transfer date:
●Currency and amount:
●Remitter’s Name:
***If any quesstion, please contact +886-3-573-3355 ext.1552~1557
C. Check
Pay to the order of: 送子鳥診所賴興華
To Taipei Stork 11 Fertility Center
A. ATM Transfer
Bank Name and Number: E-Sun Bank 808
Bank Account: 0369-940-021886
As long as having debit card of any bank, please follow below transfer step.
We Stork Fertility Center also provide e-ATM transfer function, transfer fee cost NTD 10. (If using E-Sun Bank debit card, no need of transfer fee.)
***Following step of transfer:
- Insert debit card to ATM and enter password.
- Select【Fund Transfer】
- Bank Code: 808 E-Sun Bank
- Account: 0369-940-021886
- Amount: Enter the amount of medical expense
- Make sure that all the informations are correct, then press【Confirm】. Transfer succeed.
B. Bank Transfer
***After transfer, please provide below information and email: account@icryobank.com.tw
so we can confirm if the payment is received.
● Name:
● Birthday(YYYY/MM/DD):
●Transfer date:
●Currency and amount:
●Remitter’s Name:
***If any quesstion, please contact +886-2-2532-3357 ext.2114/2115
C. Check
Pay to the order of: 送子鳥11診所王懷麟
Bank transfer by app
- Please make sure Stork app was already download and registration and verification are finished. Now we only provide bank transfer for medical fee payment.
- First press [費用資訊] then choose [線上繳費]
- Tick the items which need to be paid, choose [匯款] for payment term, then press [開始繳費]
- Make sure the cost showed is correct then enter your bank account information.
- Transfer succeessed.
PP-IVF (Personalized Precision IVF)
5/28/2020 01:08:00 AM
About IVF:
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is an assisted reproductive method wherein oocytes are fertilized by sperm outside of the womb, hence the word in vitro.
Louise Joy Brown is known for being the first IVF baby. People who was born by IVF up to now have been more than eight million, and there are 80,000 IVF cases in Taiwan. Taiwan Health Promotion Administration’s statistics in 2017 shows that in Taiwan, 3 out of 100 newborns are IVF babies.
Stork Fertility Center started to provide IVF procedures to patients in 1992. In 1993, a time frame of just one year, we announced our very first IVF baby. In the subsequent 18 years of our practice, we have already delivered thousands of healthy IVF babies.
**There are 9 out of 100 IVF newborns from Stork fertility center in Taiwan.**
The first IVF baby
|
UK
|
USA
|
Taiwan
|
Stork fertility center
|
Year
|
1978
|
1981
|
1985
|
1993
|
IVF3.0 plus (Third generation IVF Plus):
PP-IVF (Personalized Precision IVF) is the core treatment in Stork. According to individual situation, we plan the most suitable stimulating treatment to retrieve the best eggs in every menstrual cycle and then choose a blastocyst which is both good inside and outside through PGS test, as we call it “Precision Choosing”. Furthermore, IVF3.0+ means “Precision Choosing”(PGS) plus “Precision implantation”(ERA). According to Stork’s statistics in 2017~2018, the pregnancy rate of transferring one chromosome-normal blastocyst above grade BB can be 80%, which is the highest IVF pregnancy rate so far.
IVF Process:
Follicles stimulation → Oocyte retrieval → Pre-selection and incubation for fertlization → Embryo transfer → Luteal function maintenance →Waiting period for announcement of pregnancy → Embryo implantation in the uterine lining → Pregnancy confirmed → Child birth/ Delivery
IVF involves ovarian stimulation through oral medication or injections in order to increase follicle development. Once mature follicle count is ideal, oocyte retrieval is done using a thin, ultrasound-guided needle to harvest egg cells from the ovary under general anesthesia. Sperm is collected, washed and pre-selected.
Depending on the maturity rate of the oocyte, usually within 3-15 hours, the best quality oocyte shall be selected in order to be incubated in the laboratory with the sperm to induce fertilization. These will be closely observed within 15-17 hours in order to check if fertilization is successful. If yes, individual embryos shall be continued to be cultivated into blastocyst stage (5th-6th day), then a special designed tube shall be inserted into the inner uterus in order to transfer embryos.
Suitable candidiates for
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF):
Couples must be legally married and healthy. Wife should have a normal uterus and husband should have sperm production (low count is acceptable). Couples experiencing any of the below problems can also utilize IVF to assist conception:
1) Both fallopian tubes for the oocyte to travel to the uterus are clogged.
2) Mild to moderate emdometriosis.
3) Infection of the pelvic area causing internal organ adherence.
4) Male factor such as low sperm count, low forward progressive motility, abnormal morphology, azoospermia (no sperms produced).
5) Immune rejection disorder.
6) Failure after 3-6 times of undergoing Intrauterine insemination.
7) Unexplained infertility.
8) Failure to achieve pregnancy even after 2 years of marriage with regular sexual intercourse.
9) Above 35 years of age and desiring to conceive with poor ovarian function.
Individualized COS for
Stimulation:
Stork fertility
center plan individualized treatment according to individual’s ovarian
function.
AMH: Anti-mullerian hormone, index for ovarian
function.
AFC: Antral follicle counts.
Injections:
Long-acting
injection- Elonva came into being in 2011. On the 2nd-3rd
day of the menstrual cycle, getting one shot of Elonva, then additional
short-acting injections are needed before the oocyte retrieval operation.
Insemination:
With regard to special patients who are
senior, with poor ovarian function and performing egg cryopreservation, Stork
usually defines precisely the timeline of the oocytes with spindle microscope
to enhance the fertilization rate.
Implantation:
Medication for Implantation:
The
pregnancy rate of women under 35 performing one-time IVF:
According to Stork’s statistic, the IVF
pregnancy rate is related to “the quality of the blastocyst”. The successful
rate of one-time blastocyst implantation for women under 38 years-old can reach
up to 50~60%. That is, almost half of hundred couples can get pregnant by
transferring only one time, and the other half of couples can realize their
dreams by two or three more times transfer.
The IVF pregnancy rate depends on individual
age, ovarian reserve, sperm quality, blastocyst quality, the way of
implantation and the physical conditions.
Couples in Stork Fertility Center all
perform blastocyst transfer, you can have high expectation if you have
good-quality blastocyst with PGS test.
FAQ:
Will IVF result in fetal malformation?
There has been more than 8 million people
born from IVF so far in the world. The deformity rate is almost the same as
natural pregnancy. Most of the people who undergo IVF are advanced ages or with
poor sperm quality, therefore they will bare higher risk than others. We
suggest to do prenatal testing such as amniocentesis (at 16th weeks), and
non-invasive methods, such as NIPT/NIFTY (at 10~12 weeks).
The possible risk and side effect of IVF?
Ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) is
the most common treatment-induced disease. Typical symptoms of OHSS include
thirsty, abdominal bloating, feeling of fullness, nausea, oliguria, and
shortness of breath. In order to prevent OHSS, the GnRH agonist as a latest
trigger shot, and the frozen embryo transfer strategy will be performed to
decrease the prevalence of OHSS near to zero.
Risks of multiple pregnancy:
The multiple pregnancy rate of IVF is about
20%, and most of them are twins. Customers in Stork fertility center usually
transfer a single blastocyst with the best quality in the available embryos. In
that way, we can decrease the risk of multiple pregnancy rate and also the
twins rate can less than 3%.
Is it necessary to be in hospital after implantation?
NO need. Lying down for 30 minutes to 2
hours after implantation then take a good rest at home. Being in hospital and
lying in bed all day won’t increase pregnancy rate which is related to the
quality of blastocyst.
Post-embryo transfer:
- Balanced diet and food with
abundant protein, calcium, and vitamins are recommended.
- Avoid doing heavy housework and
abdominal-pressing posture.
- Avoid sexual activities before
pregnancy test.
- Other activities in daily life
are acceptable as usual.
Register：Oversea Form
Facebook：e-Stork FB Page
E-mail：en_service@icryobank.com WhatsApp：+886-905-737-501PGD(PGT-M)-Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
5/27/2020 09:12:00 PM
PGD(PGT-M)-Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis
PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis) is recommended for couples with known genetic mutation of inherited diseases. It involves specific probe design for the target mutation and following with genetic/linkage analysis on the embryos.
Couples with a dominant or recessive single-gene genetic disease have a one-half or one-quarter chance of giving birth to children with the same genetic disease. Common diseases such as thalassemia, hemophilia, spinal muscular atrophy, cerebellar atrophy and ankylosing spondylitis, etc.
In order to avoid passing on this gene to the next generation, you can first collect blood samples from the family, confirm their gene mutation sites through the molecular genetics laboratory, design probes, and diagnose the biopsied cells from embryos to find out if there is embryo without specific gene that can be transferred.
Indication
Spouse with known to have genes or chromosomes with genetic diseases, such as hemophilia, thalassemia, ankylosing spondylitis, cerebellar atrophy, etc.
PGD Program
PS. You can start IVF treatment first, then do PGS analysis after the probe design is done.
Common Diseases in PGD
*Hemophilia, thalassemia, ankylosing spondylitis, achondroplasia, spinal muscular atrophy, etc.
*If unlisted single-gene genetic diseases, please come to the clinic to discuss with the doctor whether the probe can be designed by molecular genetic laboratory.
PGD cases in Stork Fertility Center
Technical Limitations
PGD cannot detect unknown mutations, non hereditary diseases, and microdeletion/microduplication of chromosome. After undergoing PGD,the chorionic villus sampling or amniocentesis are strongly recommended during pregnancy. In some cases, it is unable to develop specific probes for the following PGD analysis.