Articles

December 21, 2012

For a woman over 35 diagnosed with infertility, it is troublesome to think that you are not only racing against your biological clock, but your efforts to conceive a child are now further muddled by your diagnosis. It is only natural to hope for success with minimal intervention.

RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association introduced a call to action Tuesday at the 68th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine that would move Congress to pass the Family Act, S 965/HR 3522.

by Nicole and Josh, Intended Parents; and submitted by Christine Rush, Case Manager, Northern California
, The Surrogacy SOURCE, December 4, 2010

Any woman who has dreamed of having a child dreams of what it will be like to be pregnant … the joy of seeing your belly grow, the excitement of feeling your baby kick and the amazement of giving birth to a child.  

For some though, carrying a child is not an option.  So what is next?  Where do you go from here? 

Is surrogacy the journey that is meant for you?

by Melissa Brisman, Esq. and Lauren Murray, Esq., September 1, 2010

This month’s legal update begins in California where the California Supreme Court recently ruled that a ban on same-sex marriage in the state is unconstitutional. Also in California, the state legislature enacted a new law restricting a surrogacy agency’s ability to manage client funds. Next, the update discusses a recent ruling in Mexico recognizing the right of homosexuals to marry in Mexico City. Finally, the update discusses a clinic outside of Barcelona, Spain, which is in the practice of allowing embryos of former patients to be adopted by current patients without the original embryo owners’ knowledge or consent.

Clinical trials are strictly-controlled and highly-regulated studies that test a specific aspect related to a health condition in order to improve the lives of those suffering from that condition. Each trial has a specific purpose, for which multiple locations usually test simultaneously. For each clinic, there is a set amount of time in which it will occur, and certain conditions under which it will operate.

The process of family building through ART is often a time of emotional and physical struggles. In particular, couples or individuals going through IVF or other infertility procedures may find themselves overwhelmed by a variety of emotions. They may feel angry, anxious, sad, guilty, or depressed about their journey. Relationships may also begin to waver, as both partners may disagree about the extent of the fertility treatments and the financial strains they may cause.

Women who cannot conceive or carry a pregnancy to term may look to a surrogate to help them build their family. Surrogacy is an assisted reproductive technology in which a woman carries a child for a woman or a couple.

Couples can choose between traditional surrogacy or gestational surrogacy. A traditional surrogate is inseminated with sperm either from the male partner or from a donor. Because the surrogate uses her own eggs, the resulting child is related biologically to her.

According to the 2007 Assisted Reproductive Technology Report , the entire state of California accounted for a total of 3,142 donor egg IVF cyces. In the San Diego area, there were 157 donor egg IVF cycles. Of that number, 107 used fresh donor eggs, while 50 used frozen donor eggs. A complete list of donor egg success rates for San Diego can be found here.

Known Egg Donors and Anonymous Egg Donors

There are a total of 63 fertility clinics located in the entire state of California. Of that number, four are located directly in San Diego. The 10 fertility doctors in San Diego are associated with either independent clinics or those which are part of hospitals or universities. These fertility clinics vary in size and number of patients accepted. Some administer hundreds of cycle of IVF each year, while others take on much less.

San Diego Infertility Clinic Options