IVFMD is a world-class fertility center with locations across the state of Florida. You can visit them at their Miami-Dade, Broward, Collier, and Palm Beach county offices. Their experts offer personalized treatment plans that fit each patient’s unique needs.

One of their staff physicians, Jessica Bauer, MD, MS, FACOG, is board certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Bauer values her relationships with patients and works hard to achieve the best possible outcomes for them.

We recently sat down with Dr. Jessica Bauer of IVFMD to ask her some thought-provoking questions about infertility. Here’s what she had to say.

Our IVF Success Rates On The Rise? Questions for Dr. Bauer Of IVFMD

#1 How Can Males/Females Support Their Reproductive Health?

Reproductive health varies, but I always like to tell patients that a healthy you leads to a healthy pregnancy! Optimizing your health (for both men and women) BEFORE attempting to conceive is always preferred. Reducing or eliminating exposure to tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs is recommended. Focusing on regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet is also advised. If you have any chronic medical conditions, it’s very important to ensure they are under control BEFORE trying to conceive (TTC). The health of eggs and sperm is a direct reflection of your overall health!

I also believe that knowledge is power! Seeking an evaluation from a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility doctor, even before TTC, can help you and your partner determine where both of you stand from a fertility perspective.

For many couples that choose to delay childbearing, fertility preservation (through egg, sperm, or embryo cryopreservation) can allow for alternate timelines for family building.

#2 When Do You Recommend IVF Treatment? When Do You Not Recommend It?

There are several reasons that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is used to help a couple conceive. IVF can be utilized when a significant male factor exists (i.e., low number of sperm), when egg reserve is low, when a female’s fallopian tubes are absent or blocked when a couple is at risk of passing on a specific genetic condition to offspring (i.e., Cystic fibrosis, breast cancer, etc.) or when other fertility treatments have not been successful.

IVF is not always recommended if the source of infertility can be addressed through other means (i.e., if a woman does not ovulate due to PCOS, we can often achieve ovulation through less invasive methods).

It’s important to remember that every patient is unique. There’s no cookie-cutter treatment that will work for every patient.

#3 Are IVF Success Rates Increasing/Decreasing/Staying The Same Across The Board? If So, Why?

As technology advances, IVF success rates are certainly on the rise! With the advent of pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT), we can select the healthiest embryos to transfer back to the uterus and increase the chance of pregnancy!

#4 Do You Foresee The Cost Of IVF Going Up Or Down Over Time? If So, Why?

My hope is that, over time, there will be more state-mandated insurance coverage for all fertility services. Infertility is a medical condition, just like diabetes or hypertension, and its treatment (whether that includes IVF or not) should be covered by insurance.

#5 How Does Your Clinic Make IVF More Affordable For Patients?

IVFMD offers several ways to assist patients with the cost of IVF. In addition to keeping costs as low as possible, we partner with many programs which offer payment plans and packages to help to ease the burden of the treatment cost.