ART Flashcards
What are the two main categories of people who may need to access ART?
- Medically Infertile: Individuals or couples who have been trying to conceive for 12 months (or 6 months if the woman is over 36) without success through regular unprotected sex.1 2
- Socially Infertile: Individuals or couples who require ART to overcome social barriers to conception, such as needing donor gametes, a surrogate, or genetic testing
What are the four parts of an antagonist cycle in IVF?
- Stimulate follicles: Injectable FSH medications are used to stimulate follicle growth.
2.Prevent LH surge: GnRH antagonists are used to block the GnRH receptor, preventing premature ovulation.
3.Trigger: hCG or a GnRH agonist is administered to mimic the LH surge, leading to final oocyte maturation and ovulation.
4.Endo support: Progesterone is given post-oocyte retrieval to support the endometrium
What are three reasons why antagonist cycles are popular in IVF?
- Patient-friendly: They require fewer injections and have a shorter stimulation time.
- Effective: The probability of a live birth is equal to that of an agonist cycle.4
- Safe: The option of using a GnRH agonist trigger helps reduce the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)
What are the main differences between slow freezing and vitrification for embryo cryopreservation?
- Cooling rate: Slow freezing uses a gradual cooling process, while vitrification involves rapid cooling.
- Cryoprotectant concentration: Vitrification utilizes higher concentrations of cryoprotectants.
- Ice crystal formation: Slow freezing leads to small ice crystal formation, whereas vitrification aims to eliminate ice crystals entirely.
-Survival rates: Vitrification generally has higher embryo survival rates.
What are the three main types of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)?
- PGT-A: Screens for chromosomal abnormalities (aneuploidies).
- PGT-SR: Identifies embryos with structural chromosomal rearrangements.
- PGT-M: Screens for specific single-gene disorders.
What are the three main types of third-party reproduction?
- Gamete donation: Using donated sperm or eggs for conception.
- Surrogacy: A woman carries a pregnancy for another person or couple.
- Mitochondrial donation: Using a donor egg with healthy mitochondria to prevent the transmission of mitochondrial diseases.
True or False: In a GnRH agonist cycle, both hCG and a GnRH agonist can be used as triggers for oocyte maturation
False. Only hCG can be used as a trigger in a GnRH agonist cycle.
What is the approximate out-of-pocket cost for an IVF cycle at MIVF, as of September 2024?
$5,799
What is the purpose of administering progesterone after oocyte retrieval in an IVF cycle?
To support the endometrium (lining of the uterus) and prepare it for embryo implantation
What happens to the oocyte after the LH surge or the administration of a trigger medication?
- The oocyte resumes meiosis.
- It detaches from the follicle wall.
- It releases a polar body.
- It arrests at Metaphase II of meiosis.
What are the stages of oocyte maturation and their corresponding times after the trigger shot?
Less than 2 hours: Germinal Vesicle (GV) stage. The oocyte appears as a “fried egg” and is not yet capable of being fertilized.1
~12 hours: Metaphase I (MI) stage. The oocyte still cannot be fertilized.1
~30 hours: Metaphase II (MII) stage. The oocyte has released the first polar body and is now capable of being fertilized.1
~40 hours: Ovulation would typically occur. In ART, oocytes are collected at this stage, before ovulation.1 2
Most commonly, oocytes are collected 36 hours after the trigger shot.
How does GnRH agonist work?
GnRH agonists initially stimulate the pituitary gland, followed by suppression.
