Megan Determan’s life has always revolved around eggs – they just weren’t exactly human. The eldest of five children who grew up on a poultry farm in Emery, South Dakota, Dr. Determan spent her childhood and teenage years “on a big family adventure” fertilizing and selling chicken eggs to those interested in hatching. At the height of the family business, more than 500 semi-free-range chickens of varying breeds roamed and clucked their way through the farm’s prairie fields as a young Dr. Determan grew increasingly more fascinated with the fertilization process and the beginnings of life. “Development has always been fascinating to me,”

While most little girls grow up playing with dolls, Angela Leung spent her early years pretending her stuffed animals were patients, and she was their doctor. In and out of hospitals at a young age due to her asthma, Angela quickly grew comfortable with doctors, nurses, and medicine, and spent most of her free time playing make-believe, imagining she could fix any ailment - and turn her patients into friends. By the time she emigrated from China to Indiana with her family at the age of four, her mind was made up – she would fulfill her dream of becoming a doctor

Why Do I Take Birth Control Pills to Get Pregnant With IVF? In recognition of August 18th as Birth Control Pill Day, we wanted to raise awareness about one of the many benefits of birth control for women: using it during In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment. Specifically, taking birth control pills before an IVF cycle. When a woman is struggling to conceive and comes to a fertility doctor to help her get pregnant, her doctor, a reproductive endocrinologist, may discuss IVF, which has the highest success rate of all fertility treatments. If the woman and her doctor agree IVF is the best

Covid infection does not affect a woman’s egg pool, a study conducted by IVIRMA researchers in Spain recently found. In May and June 2020, researchers at IVI Madrid measured Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH) levels in 46 infertility patients who had recovered from Covid to see whether the virus had compromised their ovarian reserve. Ovarian reserve, or the amount of eggs a woman has in her ovaries, is best measured by her levels of AMH, a hormone expressed by tiny cells growing on her egg-containing follicles. The study participants were split into two groups: one group of older women, averaging 38 years old, and

We believe that every person should have the opportunity to pursue their dream of parenthood. With Fertility Access, you have peace of mind knowing that 80% of participants take home a baby.  4 Reasons to Choose Fertility Access Easy access. Fertility Access makes paying for IVF treatment simple and stress-free, so you can focus on building your family. Track record of success. 80% of patients who complete the program take home a baby. Peace of mind. With the cost of treatment taken care of, you can focus on what’s most important - building your family! You save money. By bundling your

This blog is part of Fertility FAQ, a series where RMA doctors answer your most pressing questions about treatment.   Today’s physician expert is Dr. Marcy Maguire, who practices out of RMA New Jersey’s West Orange office. Learn more about Frozen Embryo Transfers, how they play a part in IVF, and why they're the preferred method due to high FET success rates below. What is the difference between a frozen or fresh embryo transfer? Frozen Embryo Transfer Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) is becoming standard practice in the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) industry these days. The transfer of cryopreserved embryos optimizes the advantages gained by modern

If you've been trying to get pregnant for a while, chances are you’re wondering if that’s normal. Plus, you hear conflicting things from everyone around you about how long it should take – it took your sister several months to get pregnant naturally, it worked on the first try for your best friend, and your OB/GYN mentioned something about six months. Fortunately, there is official guidance from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) about when to see a fertility doctor, also known as a reproductive endocrinologist. And that timeline corresponds to the definition of infertility. When should you visit a fertility

RMA New Jersey's Dr. Maria Costantini-Ferrando was recently interviewed by Pat Farnack on WCBS Talk Radio 880 during a health and well-being segment around the popularity and safety of egg freezing for young women. If you didn't catch the segment live, you can listen to the interview or read our transcription below.   https://youtu.be/JzveOHV9L5E Dr. Maria Costantini: My name is Maria Costantini-Ferrando and I am a physician. I am a reproductive endocrinologist at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey. Benefits of Egg Freezing Pat Farnack: Why would someone want to freeze their eggs? Dr. Maria Costantini: That's a very good question and one that many people are starting to

It is best to seek the assistance of a fertility specialist if you are younger than 35 and haven't been successful in achieving a pregnancy in 12 months. It is recommended for couples older than 35 after trying for 6 months. We know that coming into a fertility clinic for testing can be stressful when you don't know what to expect. To help, our fertility specialists have put together a blog outlining everything you need to know. We’ll introduce you to the different types of infertility tests and prepare you with a general idea of what constitutes a positive or negative

Endometriosis has historically been one of the least understood conditions affecting women and their fertility. In the past, it could take many years for a diagnosis and there were few doctors able to treat the condition. Indeed, the average age of diagnosis is 27 and an estimated 70% of women receive an incorrect diagnosis before their condition is correctly recognized. The scarcity of information on endometriosis and the low level of social awareness leaves affected women feeling isolated and unsupported. Although there is still no cure, recent efforts in awareness and diagnostics have led to improved therapeutic options. Best of all, specialist