Conceptions Corner

Safety and costs for third party reproduction outside of the U.S: Carolina Conceptions Responds to the Wall Street Journal Article

2011-01-21T16:02:00.000-08:00

Infertile couples competing for rare resources such as human eggs and surrogates are vulnerable. The desire to have a child motivates couples and individuals to consider alternatives inherent with personal and financial risk.

“Assembling the Global Baby” (WSJ Dec. 11, 2010), suggests that bearing an offspring in India is more cost-effective than similar treatment in the United States. Although it may be more exotic, it is certainly not medically or legally safer. Represented cost estimates are inaccurate and the reader is left with the impression that a surrogate cycle is financially exorbitant in the U.S. No references were provided for your estimated costs of $32,000-$68,000 outside the country versus upwards of $200,000 in the U.S. As practicing infertility specialists in the southeastern U.S., we are aware of many U.S. clinics that provide third party reproductive services with costs similar to or lower than those quoted for outside the US. At our clinic, a couple (heterosexual or gay) seeking the use of an egg donor and gestational carrier can accomplish this for the cost of around $50,000 and also avoid inconveniences associated with international travel and brokering.

Cost effectiveness aside, surrogacy in the US is arguably safer. Our industry is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with detailed guidelines specifying infectious disease screening and handling of donor gametes (sperm and eggs) for all parties including the surrogate or gestational carriers and the intended parents. These guidelines guarantee that HIV, hepatitis and a list of infectious diseases will not be transmitted. Additionally the majority of U.S. fertility clinics report to a national database overseen by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and SART( Society for Reproductive Technologies) in which the public can access clinic pregnancy rates and outcomes, thus making more informed choices.

Grace Couchman, MD
William Meyer, MD
John Park, MD
Carolina Conceptions, Raleigh, NC

Pregnancy after Tubal Ligation: The New Way Women Are Conceiving Without Surgery

2011-01-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Raleigh, North Carolina
According to the CDC, more than 650,000 women a year elect to undergo tubal sterilization, some of whom will eventually regret their decision due to a life change or simply a change of heart. While the obvious solution to some might be tubal reversal surgery, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is an option that an increasing number of patients are choosing.

“While for some patients, especially those under the age of 30, tubal reversal surgery may be an ideal way to regain their fertility, no one can guarantee that the surgery will be successful,” says Dr. Bill Meyer of Carolina Conceptions who recommends that every woman undergo ovarian reserve testing before considering tubal reversal surgery.

Advantages of IVF include a shorter recovery time (since surgery is not involved), the option to correct male factor infertility, a decreased risk for ectopic pregnancy, and the ability to screen for genetic abnormalities. Also, patients who undergo IVF do not need to be re-sterilized after delivery since the procedure was never reversed.

Tubal reversal surgery prices and IVF prices can vary greatly. At Carolina Conceptions, patients receive a large discount of 50% off the price of IVF should they choose the treatment over tubal reversal surgery.

About Us: Carolina Conceptions is the only private practice of its kind in the Triangle area where all doctors are board certified in both OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. The physicians share more than 45 years experience in the infertility field and have achieved some of the highest success rates in both the region and the country. In 2010, the practice was awarded with the First Citizens Bank Exceptional Customer Experience Award by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

The practice offers a fully comprehensive range of treatment options along with a highly trained staff who are dedicated to delivering friendly and compassionate care. To learn more about Carolina Conceptions, please visit http://www.carolinaconceptions.com/ or call (919) 782-5911. The practice is located at 2601 Lake Drive, Suite 301, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Press Contact: Amanda Kanaan, 919-302-9752

Carolina Conceptions Welcomes New Practice Manager

2010-11-15T09:04:00.000-08:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Raleigh, North Carolina
Private infertility practice Carolina Conceptions welcomes new practice manager Nikki Duncan. Nikki has been a valued member of the Carolina Conceptions team since the practice’s opening in 2006 and it is a natural progression for her to now step into the role of practice manager.
Nikki is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in BioMedical Science and previously served Carolina Conceptions as the Andrology Lab Manager. With more than ten years of experience in the medical field, Nikki is excited to undertake this new challenge and looks forward to further enhancing the high quality of care Carolina Conceptions is known for.

About Us: Carolina Conceptions is the only private practice of its kind in the Triangle area where all doctors are board certified in both OB/GYN and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. The physicians share more than 45 years experience in the infertility field and have achieved some of the highest success rates in both the region and the country. In 2010, the practice was awarded with the First Citizens Bank Exceptional Customer Experience Award by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

The practice offers a fully comprehensive range of treatment options along with a highly trained staff who are dedicated to delivering friendly and compassionate care. To learn more about Carolina Conceptions, please visit or call (919) 782-5911. The practice is located at 2601 Lake Drive, Suite 301, Raleigh, NC 27607.

Press Contact: Amanda Kanaan, 919-302-9752

Carolina Conceptions Helps Sister Give the Gift of Life to Breast Cancer Survivor

2010-11-05T14:25:00.000-07:00

After being diagnosed with breast cancer at age 34 and undergoing months of aggressive chemotherapy, Teri Critcher was unsure if she would be able to start the family she had always dreamed of until her sister, Niki, offered to donate her eggs. It was several years ago when Teri, who had no family history of cancer, first started treatment for a form of breast cancer that left her no time to preserve her eggs. After being pronounced clear from cancer in 2006, Teri and her husband Howie knew they wanted to start a family but were advised to give Teri’s body at least two to three years to recuperate and see if the cancer would come back.

Fortunately it did not, and at age 37, Teri and her husband sought help getting pregnant from Dr. John Park, a board certified infertility specialist at Carolina Conceptions. “Chemotherapy can wipe out the remaining pool of eggs that are resting within the ovaries, so while Teri was only 37 years old, she had an egg reserve equivalent to a 50 year old,” says Dr. Park who recommended Teri and her husband pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF) with donor eggs to achieve the best possible pregnancy rates.

Teri’s sister, Niki Downs, who already has two children of her own, offered to donate her eggs to help Teri conceive. “I knew how much Teri and Howie wanted kids and this was a gift I could give that would be forever,” says Niki. Teri and her husband’s first attempt at IVF with donor eggs was a success and she is currently pregnant and in her second trimester. “I am very lucky to have such a generous sister and my husband and I couldn’t be more excited about this pregnancy,” says Teri.

As cancer treatments continue to improve there are a growing number of survivors of childhood cancers and breast cancer. However, the cost of survival can mean the loss of future fertility. “It is very rewarding to be able to provide an alternative method of building a family for this group of patients. Fortunately for Teri she had a younger sister who was willing and able to donate her eggs,” says Dr. Park.

Dr. John Park, along with Dr. Bill Meyer and Dr. Grace Couchman, make up the practice Carolina Conceptions – a well-renowned infertility clinic in Raleigh, NC. To learn more visit www.carolinaconceptions.com.

Press Contact: Amanda Kanaan, 919-302-9752 or Amanda.kanaan@carolinaconceptions.com

Carolina Conceptions Participates in Raleigh’s First Educational Fertility Forum

2010-05-10T11:02:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, May 8, Carolina Conceptions participated in the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation’s first annual educational forum held at the Marriott Crabtree Valley. More than 130 gathered to hear physicians from local fertility clinics speak on topics such IVF, male factor infertility, PCOS, surgery, fertility preservation, PGD, recurrent miscarriage, adoption, and affording treatments. Exhibitors ranging from pharmacy and pharmaceutical companies to fertility clinics, adoption agencies, acupuncture centers, and psychologists gave attendees a comprehensive opportunity to collect as much information as possible on their journey towards building a family.

Dr. Alice Domar of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health in Boston was the event’s keynote speaker. She gave attendees a colorful understanding of the psychological and emotional challenges they face on a daily basis and how to combat some of those stressors. Dr. Grace Couchman and Dr. John Park along with Practice Manager Sheridan Robinson contributed informative talks to attendees on IVF, PGD and affording treatments while Dr. Bill Meyer and some of the Carolina Conceptions staff supplied participants with one-on-one time to ask questions and gather information at their exhibition booth. Carolina Conceptions is proud to have been a part of the first Pay It Forward Fertility Forum and looks forward to helping educate the community at this annual event for many years to come. For more information, please visit http://www.payitforwardfertility.org/

Carolina Conceptions Awarded Prestigious Honor for Exceptional Customer Service by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce

2010-05-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Raleigh, North Carolina

See the full press release online (90k Adobe pdf)

Carolina Conceptions was honored with the First Citizens Bank Exceptional Customer Experience Award by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce in a ceremony held Tuesday, May 4, 2010. Over 500 community members gathered at the Raleigh Convention Center for the 26th anniversary celebration of the Pinnacle Business Awards to honor some of Raleigh’s most talented and innovative entrepreneurs and small businesses. Dr. Grace Couchman, Dr. Bill Meyer, Dr. John Park and many of Carolina Conceptions’ staff members were in attendance to accept the award. “This honor is especially meaningful to our team given the fact that extraordinary customer service is at the heart of our practice’s mission statement,” says Sheridan Robinson, practice manager at Carolina Conceptions.

The First Citizens Bank Exceptional Customer Experience Award highlights the efforts of small to medium-sized businesses that not only provide great customer service but who make efforts above and beyond to establish an exceptional customer experience at every point of contact, throughout the organization. “After years of working with Carolina Conceptions, I have witnessed firsthand their consistent dedication to exceptional customer service. Between their warm and friendly staff and rave reviews from patients, Carolina Conceptions was a deserving choice for this year’s First Citizens Bank Exceptional Customer Service Award,” says John Terry, vice president of Triangle Commercial Banking at First Citizens Bank in Raleigh.
The Pinnacle Business Awards, hosted by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, annually recognizes some of the Triangle’s most successful business executives from both emerging companies and companies that have exhibited a substantial history as an established business. This is the first Pinnacle award for Carolina Conceptions who opened in 2006.

To learn more about Carolina Conceptions, please visit http://www.carolinaconceptions.com/

North Carolina Based Non-Profit Organization Announces the 1st Pay It Forward Fertility Forum

2010-02-23T06:23:00.000-08:00

Raleigh, NC - The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation, based in Raleigh, announces its first, comprehensive education forum for people who want to build their families with the help of assisted reproductive technology and/or adoption. This is a first of its kind educational event
in North Carolina as it addresses the numerous reasons for infertility and offers a multitude of solutions toward family building. According to the Chair of the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation, Lori Moscato, “This Forum is long over due when you look at the current trends. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately one in six couples experiences infertility and the problem continues to grow.”

The Pay It Forward Fertility Forum is scheduled for Saturday, May 8th, 2010 at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. This symposium is open to anyone who wishes to learn more about treatments and other family building options currently available in North Carolina. There will be internationally known speakers and exhibitors providing a full scope of information including fertility clinics, specialty pharmacies, holistic providers, adoption agencies and other vendors related to having children.

In addition to hearing from many highly respected local physicians, attendees will learn from keynote speaker Alice Domar, PhD, the Executive Director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health, and the Director of Mind/Body Services at Boston IVF. She is an assistant professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School, and a senior staff psychologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Domar has conducted research on infertility, breast cancer, menopausal symptoms, ovarian cancer, and premenstrual syndrome and has earned an international reputation as one of the country's top women's health experts. Dr. Domar will speak about the connection between stress and infertility.

WHO: Pay It Forward Fertility Forum
WHAT: Fertility Awareness Symposium sponsored by the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation
WHERE: Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley; 4500 Marriott Drive Raleigh, NC 27612 WHEN: Saturday, May 8th, 2010 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
WHY: Infertility is a disease of the reproductive system that impairs the body's ability to perform the basic function of reproduction. It affects about 7.3 million couples in the U.S. -- about 12% of the reproductive-age population and affects men and women equally. Most infertility cases -- 85% to 90% -- are treated with conventional medical therapies such as medication or surgery. While vital for some patients, in vitro fertilization and similar treatments account for less than 3% of infertility services.

Cost: $10 per person in advance; $15 at the door

Register: Visit www.payitforwardfertility.org

The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization that was created to help people of various circumstances afford expensive fertility treatments that are not covered by health insurance. The Foundation awards grants once a year to couples who live in North Carolina needing assistance in paying for assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), in vitro fertilization using donated eggs and embryo adoption. The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation was started in December 2008 with a generous donation from Lori and Rob Moscato of Raleigh. The Moscatos conceived their daughter through in vitro fertilization (IVF). After giving birth to Sophia in 2007 they conceived their son Ryan on their own. “Rob and I feel so blessed and so fortunate to have two little miracles, each in their own way,” explains Lori Moscato. “We were fortunate to have health insurance coverage for our IVF treatments but we know most people don’t. We want to help those couples because we can’t imagine life without our beautiful children and we want to pay it forward.”

The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation currently has the full support and involvement from four local fertility clinics. The North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine, Carolina Conceptions, Duke Fertility Center and UNC Fertility are all represented on the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board. Their collaborative expertise and guidance play a critical role in the success of the Foundation and its mission.

Serving as Chair of the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation is its Founder, Lori Moscato of Raleigh. Sameh K. Toma, MD from the North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine is the President and Executive Director; Anna Pattison from Surety Systems is Treasurer; Sharon Delaney McCloud from McCloud Communications LLC serves as Secretary. Also serving on the Board of Directors are Grace Couchman, MD from Carolina Conceptions, Susannah Copland, MD of Duke Fertility Center, Anne Steiner, MD of UNC Fertility, Rob Moscato from TRX Pharma and Gene Chianelli from Manning, Fulton & Skinner.

Couples interested in registering for the Pay It Forward Fertility Forum or applying for grants should visit www.payitforwardfertility.org

Media Contact: info@payitforwardfertility.org

About the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation: The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation on is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization, IRS identification number 26-3906064. The Foundation assists couples in North Carolina in paying for fertility treatments not covered by health insurance. www.payitforwardfertility.org

Three North Carolina Couples Win Grants for Fertility Treatments

2010-02-16T22:11:00.000-08:00

Raleigh, NC - The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation, a non-profit organization that helps couples afford fertility treatments, announces the latest grant recipients in North Carolina.

Chair of the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation, Lori Moscato of Raleigh, says the Board of Directors has chosen Kelly and David Hensor of Fuquay Varina, DeAndrea and Terance Young of Durham and Amy and Stacy Metz of Staley to receive funds that will assist the couples in getting medical treatment for infertility. They can seek treatment at any fertility clinic in North Carolina certified by SART, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, which includes the North Carolina Center for Reproductive Medicine, Carolina Conceptions, Duke Fertility and UNC Fertility locally.

The three couples went through a rigorous application process in which their medical history, fertility journey and financial status all were evaluated thoroughly by the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation Board of Directors, which is made up of several local doctors, former patients, an attorney, an accountant and others with experience in the field of fertility.

The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization that was created to help people of various circumstances afford expensive fertility treatments that are not covered by health insurance. The Foundation awards grants once a year to couples who live in North Carolina needing assistance in paying for assisted reproductive techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), in vitro fertilization using donated eggs and embryo adoption.

The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation was started in December 2008 with a generous donation from Lori and Rob Moscato of Raleigh. The Moscatos conceived their daughter through in vitro fertilization (IVF). After giving birth to Sophia in 2007 they conceived their son Ryan on their own. “Rob and I feel so blessed and so fortunate to have two little miracles, each in their own way,” explains Lori Moscato. “We were fortunate to have health insurance coverage for our IVF treatments but we know most people don’t. We want to help those couples because we can’t imagine life without our beautiful children and we want to pay it forward.”

Couples interested in applying for grants should visit http://www.payitforwardfertility.org/ to learn about the requirements and to download an application.

Media Contact: info@payitforwardfertility.org

About the Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation: The Pay It Forward Fertility Foundation on is a non-profit 501 (c)3 organization, IRS identification number 26-3906064. The Foundation assists couples in North Carolina in paying for fertility treatments not covered by health insurance.

Is IVF right for me?

2010-02-15T07:28:00.000-08:00

Many patients that I see ask me if IVF is the right therapy for them. There are many reasons to pursue IVF and I will discuss some of them…

IVF is ideal for women with tubal factor infertility which may result from pelvic adhesions (scar tissue) or prior infections. Some women have lost both tubes to ectopic pregnancies and now need IVF. IVF is also ideal for couples who struggle with male factor infertility. Male factor infertility usually means very low sperm counts or very low motility. We also know that men with high DNA fragmentation scores have a very low chance (perhaps only 2%) of conceiving without IVF. When IVF is needed for male factor infertility, ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is also performed to assist in fertilization of the egg. With ICSI, a single sperm is injected into each egg (oocyte). This is particularly ideal for sperm that has been surgically harvested from the testicles.

What are other reasons for considering IVF? Sometimes, the female partner has an excellent egg reserve but with injectable fertility medications, matures too many eggs at once. This often happens with PCOS, an ovulatory disorder. IVF benefits these couples in that although we retrieve many eggs during the IVF process, typically only two embryos are transferred back into the uterus thus preventing the risk of conceiving triplets or more. Sometimes couples who have been trying unsuccessfully to conceive for long periods of time choose IVF because although it may be costly (depending upon your insurance benefits) it has the highest pregnancy rates per treatment cycle (please refer to our IVF pregnancy rates on our website) .

Some women who are older choose to do IVF because it is the most efficient way to conceive and can be cost-effective, as opposed to spending moderate amounts of money on much less successful procedures such as IUI. Depending mostly upon age of the female, typically 50% of couples will take home a baby per embryo transfer. Chance of success is affected by age, ovarian reserve (as measured by AMH), uterine and sperm factors.

Dr. Grace Couchman, Carolina Conceptions