Pioneers in the Reproductive Medicine Field
Pioneers in the Reproductive Medicine Field
Sher Institute Founder, Geoffrey Sher has long been a pioneer in the field and has, along with SIRM colleagues, introduced:
- 1982: First to recommend the exclusive use of gonadotropins to stimulate follicular development for IVF
- 1983: First to introduce Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) of washed sperm for treating certain forms of infertility.
- 1989: First to report on ultrasound appearance and thickness of the uterine lining (endometrium) as a predictor of IVF success.
- 1993: First to introduce the technique of “Prolonged Coasting” for cases of Severe Ovarian Hyperstimulation. This treatment protocol has virtually eliminated the life-endangering effects of this condition as well as eliminating the need to cancel the patient’s IVF cycle.
- 1994: First to identify and treat immune factors affecting implantation potential of embryos in certain women.
- 1997: First to introduce Viagra to enhance the thickness of the uterine lining in IVF patients.
- 1998: First to recommend the selective use of intravenous gamma globulin for the treatment of certain forms of immunologic implantation dysfunction in IVF.
- 2000: First to introduce a new protocol of ovarian stimulation, the agonist/antagonist conversion protocol (A/ACP) to improve egg/embryo quality in response to gonadotropin stimulation. This also led to the addition of advanced “priming” with Estradiol Valerate (A/ACP-E2V) to further augment the response of women with reduced ovarian reserve ( “poor responders”).
- 2003: First to measure soluble Human Leukocyte Antigen-G (sHLA-G) in the media surrounding early individual embryos and use this genetic marker to identify the “best individual embryos” (the ones that are most likely to implant and produce a viable pregnancy) for transfer to the uterus.
- 2007: First to show, by using a new genetic test, that an embryo resulting from fertilization of a euploid egg (i.e. an egg that has all of its chromosomes present), has a much improved ability to implant successfully and produce a normal baby. This method which tests egg/embryo “competence” is likely to vastly improve IVF results and lead to single embryo transfers, thereby minimizing the risk of multiple pregnancies.
- 2008: First to introduce newly pioneered developments in the field of oocyte cryopreservation (egg freezing) utilizing CGH to identify chromosomally “normal” eggs for freezing, and modifying the vitrification (flash freezing) process to yield birth rates per frozen egg more than 6 times higher than the current standard.
- 2009: Established the world’s first frozen egg bank storing exclusively CGH-tested donor eggs for dispensation to IVF patients.
- 2010: Birth of the first baby conceived from a CGH-tested egg supplied by the aforementioned donor egg bank.
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IVF: The SIRM Way A Practical Guide to IVF Treatment This is a detailed overview of the IVF process as practiced at SIRM centers. It incorporates the methods and philosophies that have made SIRM one of the most prominent IVF networks in the world. This book is available for purchase as a pdf file for … Read more
A new process which allows doctors to identify the embryos most likely to make a baby through IVF.
THE EVOLUTION OF CGH EGG AND EMBRYO TESTING AT SIRM Geoffrey Sher MD Three problems have restricted the growth of IVF in the U.S: 1) Cost of service and lack of insurance reimbursement, 2) Ignorance of the fact that IVF is far more efficacious than other infertility treatment and, 3) OB-Gyn’s and/or Reproductive Endocrinologists (RE’s) that … Read more
Most methods of determining which embryo to transfer to the uterus during In Vitro Fertilization rely on a visual assessment under the microscope. The prettiest embryo wins. Unfortunately, this approach ignores the most common cause of IVF failure – chromosomal abnormalities. Doctors can’t tell by simply looking at an embryo whether it is chromosomally “competent.” … Read more
SIRM-New York is now offering EZ-IVF®, a gentle, low-stimulation form of IVF that is available to ALL patients and offers the following advantages: Low Cost An Option for No Injections Requires No Anesthesia Higher Success Rates than IUI Allows for Genetic Screening CGH/PGD EZ-IVF is also known elsewhere as “minimal stimulation IVF.” The ovaries of a woman are minimally … Read more
INTRALIPID 20% – FINALLY AN EFFECTIVE, SAFE AND LOW COST ALTERNATIVE TO IVIG THERAPY SIRM physicians have long advocated aggressive treatment of immunologic implantation dysfunction in women undergoing IVF. In cases where there has been Natural Killer Cell activation (Nka) (as evidenced by an abnormal K562 target cell test) we have championed the use of … Read more
In the early ’90s, we identified, quantified and published widely on the importance of the pattern and thickness of the uterine lining (endometrium) in determining outcome following in vitro fertilization (IVF). Women in whom the thickness of the endometrium had an abnormal ultrasound pattern and measured less than 9mm around the time of egg retrieval … Read more
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