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Fast Track IVF

Fast track IVF at Texas Fertility Center New Braunfels

Fast track IVF allows some fertility patients to bypass one phase of treatment and move straight to IVF. Historically, fertility treatment required patients to undergo three cycles of intrauterine insemination -IUI- using letrozole, an oral drug that ramps up egg production. If unsuccessful, the couple moved to an additional three cycles of follicle-stimulating hormone -FSH- injections along with artificial insemination, before finally proceeding to IVF. This approach to IVF eliminates the fertility injection phase, reducing both time and cost by allowing couples who fail to become pregnant after IUI with letrozole to move directly to IVF.

Advantages of fast track IVF

There is evidence that overall pregnancy rates using the fast track IVF option are comparable to those of standard IVF, and one study found that pregnancy rates were 40 percent higher in the first year of treatment when the fast track method was applied. Skipping FSH injections can save couples both time and money as well as reducing risks of higher order multiples.

Fast track IVF may be particularly beneficial for older women, since IVF success rates decrease with age. The goal of fertility treatment is to move couples as quickly as possible to a successful pregnancy. Therefore, many experts advise eliminating the additional step for women who would likely derive little value from the medications or who would be negatively affected by the extended treatment time.

Disadvantages

There are some women that may actually benefit from fertility injections and IUI, including those with diminished ovarian reserve or women who suffer from resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome. Hormone injections may also allow some couples to become pregnant without moving to IVF. Dr. Hudson will discuss all of these considerations with you, so that the most effective method can be tailored to your unique situation.

Dr. Susan Hudson at Texas Fertility Center of New Braunfels is an expert in fast track in vitro fertilization – IVF. They treat infertility patients from San Antonio, New Braunfels and throughout South Central Texas, resulting in hundreds of successful births. Contact us today to find out how we can help you!