Getting Started

Dominion Fertility staff recognizes that every couple struggling with infertility has special needs. In appreciation of this, we have developed a philosophy of care based upon providing each and every patient with individualized, high quality infertility treatment.

The first step is a consultation with Dr. DiMattina or Dr. Gordon. During this appointment the physician will review the patient's medical history and recommend the best approach. If a patient has had infertility testing or treatment previously, it is best to obtain these records prior to the initial consult. Determining a strategy is a collaborative effort between the physician and the patient, so it is best to provide a complete medical history. Below we have listed the usual steps for our NC-IVF patients:

• Initial consultation/review medical history
• Laboratory/infertility work-up
• Cycle review with nurse
• Financial consult
• Sign consent forms
• Begin Natural Cycle IVF (day 2 of menstrual cycle)

NCIVF Procedure*

Day 1. First day of menses

Day 2. Baseline sonogram and test blood hormones estrogen and progesterone

Day 7-8. Sonogram/ test blood hormones

Day 9. HCG

Day 11. Egg retrieval

Day 14. Embryo transfer

Day 28. Blood pregnancy test

*Above table is an approximate model of a typical patient undergoing NCIVF.

Procedure Details Day one begins with the first day of menses. On day two or three the patient comes to the office for a transvaginal pelvic sonogram and a test for the blood hormones estrogen, progesterone and LH. On day seven or eight the patient will return to begin the monitoring of her egg development. The egg is usually mature around cycle day nine, at which time an injection of HCG is administered to complete maturation of the egg. Two days later the egg is retrieved in a simple in-office procedure. Afterwards, the patient may return to her usual daytime activities. The egg is fertilized using ICSI in our on site laboratory and is transferred back into the uterus of the patient three days later in a simple procedure at our office. Fourteen days later the patient will return for a blood pregnancy test.