Your Austin fertility doctors traveled to Honolulu last month to attend ASRM 2014

Representing Texas Fertility Center at ASRM 2014  were Dr. Kaylen Silverberg, Dr. Natalie Burger and Dr. Tony Propst. They walked the exhibit hall, participated in round table discussions and went to educational programs. We asked the TFC doctors about the experience.

Dr. Propst: Are attendees all fertility specialists like you?

At ASRM, I shared best practice ideas with reproductive endocrinologists, obstetrician/gynecologists, urologists, embryologists, mental health professionals, nurses, and research scientists. By collaborating and taking a multidisciplinary approach, we can piece together fertility solutions more effectively than working alone.

Dr. Burger: Were there any ‘game changers’ announced at ASRM that will impact treatment here at TFC?

Every year at ASRM, we learn about ongoing research that impacts the way we practice medicine. We also have the opportunity to present our own original research at this meeting to specialists from around the world.

This year, the ASRM headlines in reproductive medicine included:

• Time lapse embryo assessment: IVF lab incubators with time-lapsed cameras will be able to document early embryonic development. They can provide very early baby pictures allow our embryologists to more accurately grade embryos for IVF.
• BMI and pregnancy success: Researchers from Duke University studied the live birth weights from a cross section of women who used donor eggs and their own eggs. Regardless of age or number of embryos transferred, women with lower body mass indexes were more likely to get pregnant with donor eggs
• Less is more with IVF fertility drug doses: Studies suggest more gonadotropins to stimulate egg production does not lead to increased pregnancy rates.
• Pesticides bug sperm: Men who consumed more fruits and vegetables with lower pesticide residue tended to have a higher success rate with IUI.
• Surprising findings about smoking, drinking and male infertility: New studies confirm that cigarettes negatively impact erectile function, but drinking alcohol does not.

The entire TFC team (fertility specialists, embryologists, and nurses) benefits from membership in ASRM, and each physician is happy to share the highlights of this year’s conference and how it may affect your fertility treatment cycle with you.  Contact us for a consultation with one of our board certified fertility specialists.