I am almost 45 years old and over the last three years have done four rounds of IVF in NYC: 2 at NYU and 2 at Cornell (among the best clinics in the US). I have retrieved 7-8 eggs each round, fertilized 3-5 and have had 1-3 embryos to transfer each time. I have never had an embryo implant. At NYU we did frozen transfers with genetic testing (PGD) and at Cornell we did 3 day fresh transfers with endometrial coculture. My husband is 47. Neither of us have any specific issues, just infertility consistent with our age; i.e. lower egg quality and reserve.
Augment - a stem cell IVF using your own mitochondrial DNA extracted from your ovarian lining is injected into your retrieved eggs to "revitalize" them. The procedure is approved in Canada and a few other countries and is currently under FDA testing in the US. This is not the same as using a donor egg or donor DNA! It also will not help with genetically abnormal eggs, but is supposed to assist women under 50 with low egg quality. The initial results are promising, increasing success rates to 30%, but this is based on a small study. As a last resort, I am thinking of trying this procedure at one of the Toronto clinics; I live in NYC. I am wondering if anyone has done this procedure and what their experience was and any other thoughts on it? Any success stories with similar patient profile? I am also wondering which clinics in Ontario people recommend? I am ok with a large clinic, I just like a responsive staff and doctor. At Cornell, I particularly liked that I had a nurse who was assigned to me that I could call or email with questions or prescriptions.
These are the clinics that offer Augment:
First Steps - Dr. Dixon did the first successful Augment procedure in Canada and was profiled in Time Magazine and CBS news in the US. I have read good things about Dr. Dixon, but the forum seems to give mostly negative reviews to the clinic staff.
TRIO
Anova
CReATe
NewLife
Any feedback is most welcome!
Thank you.