Finding out that you’re going to become a parent for the first time can be a joyous occasion. For couples who have struggled, sometimes for years to become pregnant, the news is exhilarating. Twelve percent, or 7.3 million women in the United States ages 15 to 44, have difficulty getting pregnant. In a third of these cases, infertility is an issue involving the woman, another third of the cases can be traced to an issue with the male, and in the remaining third, the cause is unknown or a mixture of problems. About two-thirds of the couples who are treated for infertility are able to conceive and have a baby.

Couples who are having trouble conceiving count on the help of in vitro fertilization (IVF) experts for assistance in getting pregnant. Success is dependent on many factors, not the least of which is the experience and expertise of the physicians and laboratory technicians at the facility the couple goes to for help.

Since opening a year ago, the North Central Fertility Center has helped dozens of couples overcome obstacles to conception. The Center has already established a consistent fertilization rate of more than 50 percent in embryo transfers in women under 35 years of age.

“The North Central Fertility Center is having great success helping couples realize their dreams of becoming parents,” said Joseph Garza, M.D., an OBGyn specializing in infertility with the Advanced Fertility Center. “Unlike many other in vitro fertilization labs, the Center uses a number of processes for couples, which can increase the chances for fertilization. We believe in working with several different media and IVF techniques and treating each couple according to their own special needs.”

The success stories are many, but in one particularly special case, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Garza, twins were born to a couple who were not able to conceive a baby after 9 years of trying. The woman’s sister carried and delivered the healthy twins.

Dr. Gerard Honore, M.D. with Perinatal Fertility Specialists of San Antonio is another physician with a host of success stories at the North Central Fertility Center. “One of my most rewarding cases involved a woman who could not conceive because of cancer,” said Honore. “We were able to harvest her eggs and through IVF efforts today she and her husband are the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl.”
 
Among the techniques employed to help couples conceive are: In Vitro Fertilization; Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection; Assisted Hatching of Embryos; Cryopreservation of Embryos; Semen Analysis; Semen Cryopreservation; Semen for Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay; and Assistance in Surgical Sperm Retrieval. Success variables include; the age of the partners, reason for infertility, the clinic, type of assisted reproductive therapy, if the egg is fresh or frozen and others.
 
The world of reproductive therapy can be confusing to couples looking for help in having a baby. GIFT, ZIFT and ICSI are just a few of the acronyms used in IVF. If you or someone you know is having trouble conceiving, the specialists at the North Central Fertility Center can help.

For more information please call 297-1024

These physicians are members of the medical staff at one or more of Baptist Health System's affiliated hospitals. However, these physicians are independent contractors who are neither employees nor agents of those hospitals or of Baptist Health System and, as a result, none of these hospitals nor Baptist Health System is responsible for the acts of these physicians in their medical practices.