#myIFstory: Kristen Lalla

Infertility is emotional and can leave you feeling hopeless and in despair but, with faith, optimism, and the right team of professionals around you, anything is possible. Thank you Kris for sharing your journey with us! Your words speak volumes.

Kristin Lalla and her children

"Our infertility journey began like so many others – 'I'll just take a few tests and if they don't come back perfect, then I'll just take a few pills, and I will be pregnant in no time.' Considering I had no trouble getting pregnant the first time, why should I even think there would be a problem the second? But after six failed IUIs (and many of those aforementioned pills), we knew we had a problem on our hands. It was time to change things up, and certainly time for a new doctor. We had been going to one who had a very good reputation for many, many years, but after our experience with him, it became clear that he was just riding on that reputation and probably getting ready for retirement.

The best thing to happen to us in our infertility journey was meeting Dr. Browne. She was a breath of fresh air from the very first meeting and we knew that if I didn't become pregnant under her guidance, then it was definitely God's will, and we should just give up. That is how much confidence we had in her knowledge, right from the start. And somehow we knew right away that being unsuccessful would not be the case with Dr. Browne in our corner.

Within approximately six months, I was pregnant with our second child, a boy who was born in August 2013. Just over two years later, we returned to Dr. Browne, and after only one transfer with a frozen embryo, I was pregnant with our third, who is due in a matter of weeks.

Everyone's journey is different, and I've learned that so many more people struggle with infertility than you would ever know. Slowly but surely, people came out of the woodwork to tell me about their infertility struggles, since I had been very open with my own. It helps.

IF only I had known that infertility doesn't always happen to 'other people.' Sometimes, just like that, you become other people. But with perseverance, confidence, and one very special doctor, there is always hope."

Male Infertility Evaluation: What You Need to Know

Dr. Hyacinth Nicole Browne Joins Hudson Valley Fertility

MAY  1, 2016, FISHKILL, NY -- Hudson Valley Fertility, a leading infertility and reproductive health practice in the Hudson Valley of New York State, is pleased to announce that Dr. Hyacinth Nicole Browne will join the practice. Dr. Browne will see patients in Fishkill and their new office in Somers.

Hudson Valley Fertility will be holding a open house on Saturday, April 30, 2016 from 11am - 1pm in their Somers office located at 380 US-202, Somers, NY 10589 (2nd floor). Come on by and meet Dr. Browne! Ask questions and listen to her discuss various fertility options!

Dr. Hyacinth Nicole Browne

According to Dr. Daniel Levine, Medical Director of Hudson Valley Fertility, “we are thrilled to have Dr. Browne become part of our family. Dr. Browne brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, compassion and sensitivity to the practice of reproductive medicine. She will be a key part of our mission to help couples struggling with infertility to achieve their dream of having a child and building a family." 

Hudson Valley Fertility is the only medical practice in the region area offering comprehensive, advanced infertility treatment and reproductive health services, as well as educational and support services for patients. Hudson Valley Fertility specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and reproductive disorders, and offers a full range of treatment options, from simple drug therapies to the Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

For an appointment or additional information, please call Hudson Valley Fertility at 845-765-0125, email inform@hudsonvalleyfertility.com or visit www.hudsonvalleyfertility.com.

***Now serving Westchester County, Hudson Valley, and Western CT***

Hudson Valley Fertility Holds Open House For New Office in Somers, NY!

Hudson Valley Fertility has a new office in Somers, NY! Open house will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2016 from 11am-1pm at 380 US-202, Somers, NY 10589 on the 2nd floor. Come on by and meet Dr. Hyacinth Browne! Ask questions and listen to her discuss various fertility options! bit.ly/1qQYtO6
#IF #infertility #TalkOutLoud #StartAsking #AskDrBrowne

Learn more about Hudson Valley Fertility, www.HudsonValleyFertility.com.

How Many Times Should I Do Intrauterine Inseminations?

Source: Androferti®

Intrauterine insemination (or IUI) is an in-office procedure that attempts to increase the likelihood of pregnancy by bringing the sperm closer to the egg in order for fertilization to occur. It has to be done at the right time in order to be effective, and as a result intrauterine inseminations should be timed to spontaneous (i.e. LH surge) or induced ovulation using human chorionic gonadotropin (i.e. HCG). An IUI should be performed the day after detection of the LH surge, because the oocyte (i.e. egg) has a limited window after its release to be successfully fertilized, and 34-40 hours after ovulation is triggered by HCG.

Intrauterine insemination is commonly used to treat mild male factor infertility, endometriosis, unexplained infertility, ovulatory dysfunction, and cervical factor infertility. It is also a viable treatment option for women under age thirty-eight and for couples who have failed multiple ovulation or superovulation induction cycles (usually 3-4 treatment cycles) before moving on to in vitro fertilization (IVF).  Although intrauterine insemination is often seen as a step before IVF, pregnancy rates achieved with IUIs have not significantly increased over time (as they have with IVF) and as a result the number of intrauterine inseminations being performed is starting to decline.

Some have even advocated doing two inseminations instead of one at 12 and 36 hours after a HCG- induced ovulation to increase pregnancy rates associated with IUIs.  However, studies have not shown a significant increase in pregnancy rates doing two inseminations.  As a result, I encourage my patients to only do a single insemination during their treatment cycle because a second insemination is more associated with increased costs than the expected outcome.   

When should one look into other treatment options when intrauterine inseminations have failed? This is more dependent on female age, other infertility diagnoses, duration of infertility, and quality of the insemination specimen. I generally recommend in vitro fertilization if the female partner is over age 38 or has a history of diminished ovarian reserve because success rates with IVF is significantly higher than those achieved with intrauterine inseminations. I also recommend IVF after three or four failed intrauterine insemination cycles, because pregnancy rates begin to decline after the fourth IUI attempt. Studies have shown that after 4-6 insemination cycles pregnancy rates decline by half to two-thirds.  

In all, intrauterine insemination is a viable treatment option for certain infertile couples. It can be an effective treatment for the right candidate, but it is starting to grow out-of-favor because of the shorter time to conception and increased pregnancy rates seen with in vitro fertilization.