Conceivable Solutions Newsletter FertilitySolutionsNE.com

ConCeivable SolutionSwww.fertilitysolutionsne.com Tel: 877.813.0159

www.fertilitysolutionsNE.com Tel 877-813-0159

CONCEIVABLE SOLUTIONS                                                                                                      Brought to you by Fertility Solutions ™

The tubal ligation procedure (or, having your“tubes tied”) is a fairly common procedure forwomen who desire permanent birth control. Formany, the decision to have sterilization surgerycomes following the birth of one or more children,though sometimes the procedure is performed onwomen who do not wish to bear children, or havemedical issues that would make pregnancyunsafe for them. As we all know, almosteverything in life changes with time, whether it isour opinions, beliefs, our health, financial situationor even our marital situation; we may findourselves in a position later in life wondering if it ispossible to bear a child following tubal ligation.With today’s technology, it is possible for manywomen to get pregnant and have a child after atubal ligation, either through a tubal reversalprocedure or IVF (in-vitro fertilization). To understand your options for reversal, it isimportant to understand what was done during theinitial tubal ligation procedure. During a tuballigation, the fallopian tubes are cut, blocked and/orcauterized to permanently prevent the egg andsperm from fertilizing and creating a pregnancy.Depending on the woman’s age, the method that was used to cut, cauterize or block the fallopiantubes, and how many children the woman desiresto have, each situation is unique so talking to yourdoctor about these important issues will help youdecide together whether a tubal reversal or IVFwould be more effective for you. Before decidingwhich procedure would be best for you, yourdoctor will likely perform some routine laboratorytests. A blood test to check your reproductivehormones and a semen analysis for the malepartner, allows your doctor to gather importantinformation about your overall fertility as a couple,which will help guide you and your medical teamin the right direction for choosing the mostsuccessful procedure.

Tubal Reversal vs. IVF, Options for Pregnancy after Sterilization Surgery

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Tubal Reversal vs. IVF, Options for Pregnancy 1,2 & 3 Maya Angelou: An Inspirational Quote 3

Meet Dr. Huang 4 About Fertility Solutions 4

Cont’d, Please see IVF vs. Reversal on pg 2

To help guide you, answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the

following questions:

• Are you 35 or older?

• Do you wish to have only one more child?

• Do you have menstrual, hormonal or

sexual dysfunction of any kind?

• Were your fallopian tubes cauterized?

• Does your partner have a low sperm count?

If you answered ‘no’ to all or most of the

questions, your doctor may discuss a tubal reversal with you. If you answered ‘yes’ to all or most of the questions, your doctor may discuss

IVF.

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Fertility Solutions™

877-813-0159 Dedha , MAm 45 Stergis Way

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Woburn, MA

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Cambridge, MA

12 Alfred Street oburn, MA 01801

330 eet

Peabody, MA

Mount Auburn StrCambridge, MA 02138

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Providence, RI

ssex Center Drive Peabody, MA 01960

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www.fertilitysolutionsNE.com

758 Eddy Street ovidence, RI 02903

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 Fertility Solutions™ is dedicated to helping women and couples overcome infertility.Founding Doctors’ Anania, Kowalik, Wold and Huang are all board certified inReproductive Endocrinology and OB/Gyn. Dr. Wold also holds board certification in ClinicalGenetics. Together, these top doctors have more than fifty years of clinical experience andhave helped build thousands of families.

The doctors at Fertility Solutions are accepting new patients.

Call 877-813-0159 to schedule a consultation with a board-certified specialist.

The information contained herein is not a substitute for medical advice from your doctor; it is for informatiopurposes only. This newsletter is written and maintained by Amy DaSilva. Your feedback or article suggestiare welcome, email amy.dasilva@yourfertilitysolutions.c

Meet Dr. Pei Lei Huang, Partner and Founder of Fertility Solutions

Dr. Pei-Li Huang sees Fertility Solutions™ as a “family willing to bend over backwardprovide the best care to its patients.” Shas displayed this extraordinary level sensitivity and professional commitmefrom the very beginning of her careegraduating cum laude from the six-yeBA/MD program at Boston University, witdual degree in medical science and EnglisLiterature. Upon graduation, she waawarded the Benjamin Tenney Prize obstetrics and gynecology. She hareceived recognition from various publications including being listed in tGuide to America's Top Obstetricians aGynecologists by the Consumers' ReseaCouncil of America. Dr. Huang has a weaof qualifications, including board certifications from the American Board

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Obstetrics and Gynecology and thAmerican Board of ReproductiveEndocrinology and Infertility. Her cliniinterests include the treatment ofamenorrhea, pituitary disorders, anovulation, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, recurrent pregnancy loss, anboth primary and secondary inferti

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In her spare time, Dr. Huang competesamateur pianist competitions and hperformed both solo and chamber muat the annual Massachusetts MedicSociety Music and Arts Festival. She aenjoys writing, having recently won tMassachusetts Medical Society CreativWriting Exposition with an essay aboher experiences as an amateur pianand infertility physicia

“Fertility Solutions isfamily willing to bend ovbackward to provide tbest care to its patien

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“Where infertility threatens dreams, Fertility Solutions offers hope- helping patients achieve their dreams through

intelligent and affordable Fertility Solutions.”

Page 2 Conceivable Solutions Newsletter FertilitySolutionsNE.com Page 3

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 IVF vs. Reversal (from page 1)

The board-certified Reproductive Endocrinologistsat Fertility Solutions™ are experienced inperforming both IVF and tubal reversals, and canhelp you decide which procedure would best fityour situation. Tubal Reversal A tubal reversal (re-anastomosis) is performed by rejoining the separated segments of previously cut,clamped or burned fallopian tubes during a delicateoutpatient microsurgical procedure. Tubal re-anastomosis procedures are performed by BoardCertified Reproductive Endocrinologists who haveexperience performing this highly specializedsurgery. Using small incisions and a laparoscope,the surgeon will visualize the fallopian tubes andattempt to open and reattach them. After a shortpost-operative healing period, the woman and herpartner may begin attempting conception with welltimed intercourse (ovulation kits, sold in most drugstores, help pinpoint the most fertile days) and mayfind themselves pregnant within the year, or evenwithin a few months. While tubal reversalprocedures may give women the chance to becomepregnant again naturally following surgery and mostsurgeries boast a high success rate (anywherebetween 70-80%!), keep in mind that tubalreversals aren’t always successful; even if youhave a fertile past fertility changes over time, so ifyou are 35 or older you may be warned that even ifthe procedure is successful, you still may requirefertility treatment for an age-related or tubalscarring related decline in fertility. IVF after Sterilization IVF (in-vitro fertilization) is a procedure in whichhormone medication is given to the female patientfor several days to induce the growth of severalmature follicles (oocytes) in the ovaries, and whenthe doctor determines the eggs are ready forextraction (determined via an ultrasound) sedationis given during this simple outpatient procedure aReproductive Endocrinologist extracts theseoocytes with a long needle under ultrasoundguidance. The eggs are placed in a petri dish withthe male partner’s sperm and allowed to incubatefor 3-5 days. If fertilization takes place, on the 3rd

day of development there should be a 6-8

embryo ready for transfer into the female’suterus, a simple procedure performed in theoffice. Two weeks following the embryo transferif implantation took place, the woman will yielda positive pregnancy test. Because thisprocedure bypasses the fallopian tubesaltogether, there is no need for a tubal reversalof any kind, and tubes will remain tiedthroughout the pregnancy and beyond, great forthose looking to have only one more child tocomplete their family.

Advances in reproductive surgeries make it possible to bear children even after having your tubes tied

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Challenges after Sterilizati

While the technology and options available aquite successful for couples looking to gepregnant following sterilization, there are somchallenges. Financially, reversal procedures anIVF can be quite costly. While insurance typicacovers infertility treatment in Rhode Island anMassachusetts, there are clauses in maninsurance policies that exclude coverage if onethe partners has had a sterilization procedure. course, always check with your insurancecompany for your particular benefits. Sometimeit is possible to get coverage for IVF in a nepartnership if there is cause for infertility outside of the sterilization procedure (i.e. even thougthe tubes have been tied there is proven mainfertility, or even with a vasectomy the womahas PCOS, and would have likely needed IVtreatment anywa

cell Continued on next page

Page 3Conceivable Solutions

Another challenge couples’ facewhen choosing either option is therisk of an unsuccessful procedure.Tubal re-anastomosis may not besuccessful, or may initially besuccessful but the fallopian tubescan scar closed during the healingprocess. If the fallopian tubes werepreviously cauterized (burned),there may not be enough viableportions of the tube left to repair orre-connect. IVF also may not besuccessful; there is always thechance that no embryos survive totransfer, or the embryos that aretransferred do not implant, whichcan be emotionally and

…Cont’d IVF vs. Reversal

financially devastating. In either case, if the couple can afford it, it sometimes takes more than one procedure to achieve a successful pregnancy. Fertility Solutions™ offers the most competitive pricing in New England, along with realistic information, goals and expectations. The doctors at Fertility Solutions™ want to help patients make the best decision for their particular situation and help them overcome the challenges that can be associated with pregnancy after elective sterilization.

Never Stop Learning-Maya Angelou’s Inspirational Words

Dr. Angelou is a celebrated poenovelist, educator, producer, historian, filmmaker, and civilrights activist. Below, an inspirational quote about what shhas learned through experience

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"life." I've learned that life sometimes gives you a secondchance. I've learned that youshouldn't go through life with catcher's mitt on both hands; yoneed to be able to throw somethinback. I've learned that wheneverdecide something with an opeheart, I usually make the righdecision. I've learned that evewhen I have pains, I don't have be one. I've learned that every dayou should reach out and toucsomeone. People love a warm huor just a friendly pat on the bacI've learned that I still have a lot to learn. I've learned that people wforget what you said, people wforget what you did, but people wnever forget how you made thefeel.”

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“I've learned that no matter whhappens, or how bad it seemtoday, life does go on, and it wbe better tomorrow. I've learnethat you can tell a lot about person by the way he/she handlethese three things: a rainy daylost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. I've learnethat regardless of your relationshwith your parents, you'll miss thewhen they're gone from your lifI've learned that making a "livinis not the same thing as making

-Maya Angelou