Donated Embryos and Adoption as Options for Having a Baby

When couples are not able to have a baby without help, they may often consider donor eggs or adoption to build a family.  Donated embryos offer couples a very affordable alternative.  Embryos from in vitro fertilization procedures can be donated to a couple wanting to have a baby.  These embryos are then placed into the uterus, or womb, of the intended mother.  Since donors have waived their rights to the embryos, the resulting pregnancy belongs to the couple receiving the embryos.  This means there are no legal challenges or problems with parental rights.  The intended parents are able to enjoy pregnancy and have a baby of their own.

Pregnancy using donated embryos is sometimes called "embryo adoption".  Since the intended mother carries the pregnancy and gives birth, and there are no legal challenges to parental rights, the use of the term adoption is not accurate.  Pregnancy using donated embryos is usually much more cost effective that other forms of fertility treatments.

Donors that provide embryos have also been screened for health risks including inherited disorders, mental illness, and other traits that would be undesirable to most parents. It is not possible to avoid all health risks and birth defects, but this is true for any pregnancy.  Usually, the background information on the donors will be made available to the recipient couple.

Donated embryos are usually in limited supply compared to the long waiting lists of people searching for donated embryos.  In an effort to minimize the waiting times, California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. has formed the California Conceptions Donated Embryo Program.  It is the goal of this program to make donor embryos readily available to people that are not able to afford other forms of infertility treatments, are not able to find embryos available for donation, or face problems with adoption due to age or financial barriers. 

California Conceptions Donated Embryo Program is an service of California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc.  The program offers patients an excellent opportunity to become pregnant using donated embryos.  Our success has allowed us to offer a 100% refund plan to qualified recipients.  Individuals and couples that are interested should explore our California Conceptions Web site to learn more about joining this unique donated embryo ("embryo adoption") program.  

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California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. announces online donor application and donor database

Fertility treatment using donor oocytes is an excellent option for couples struggling with infertility, who are unable to produce quality eggs on their own and want to take advantage of a highly successful method of becoming pregnant.

Using this option, eggs are taken from an egg donor, usually a woman in her 20’s who is healthy and has no history of infertility. The eggs are fertilized with the sperm from the recipient’s husband or partner. One to two embryos are transferred into the uterus of the recipient.

Infertility treatments with donor oocytes are associated with a 75% to 85% chance of success on the first try. Embryos that were frozen during the first treatment are available for transfer at a later time; further increasing the chances of having a baby.

Egg donors are screened for medical and psychological abnormalities using a variety of tools. In the past, donors completed a written questionnaire which was then mailed to the clinic for review. With the introduction of online applications, California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. is able to streamline the application process. The online donor application will also speed up the review and selection process for oocyte donor recipients.

Oocyte donor recipients are now able to review profiles electronically, view photographs of donor, and make their selection in a more efficient manner. This is a welcome addition to our already successful donor egg program. California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. has given patients some of the highest possible pregnancy rates using donor eggs. Maintaining a large database of donors will allow us to have a broad selection of donors available for matching and also allow us to select the best candidates to participate in our donor egg program.

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Infertility FAQs - How Many Eggs are Women Born With?

At birth, most women had around 2 million ooctyes or eggs contained within immature folliciles.

According to a recent article in "Sexuality, Reproduction and Menopause":

• At 28 weeks' gestation, a developing female fetus has a maximum of 6 to 7 million immature eggs
• At birth, around 2 million eggs remain within immature follicles
• At puberty, there are about 500,000 follicles remaining
• At 38 years of age, around 25,000 follicles remain
• From 38 to about 51 years of age, follicle loss accelerates until the ovaries stop working

--> © California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. male and female infertility doctors in Northern California near Roseville, Sacramento, Fairfield, Stockton and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Why is in vitro fertilization (IVF) so expensive?

California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. strives to make in vitro fertilization (IVF) a cost effective approach to maximizing the chances of pregnancy. We understand the additional stress finances place on patients wishing to get pregnant and that for many, the cost of starting or continuing treatment is a barrier to pregnancy.

Cost, Overhead and the Modern Embryology Lab

The combination of physician, embryologist and staff experience along with our modern embryology laboratory, which creates an environment that mimics the human body, is why we can help women get pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, in addition to high staffing costs, maintaining a high tech lab contributes significant overhead and affects the cost of treatment. Major lab systems include the:

Air System – Designed by a specialized engineer, this system creates a positive airflow that pushes air out of the lab, limits temperature fluctuations within 1-2 degrees and constantly removes contaminants with four Hepa filtration units. It is inspected annually for clean air compliance and maintains a 96% seal from the outside world.

Gas System – The oxygen concentration of normal air is toxic to embryos. Specialized incubators, microscopes and handling techniques protect the embryos and maintain a gas mixer that optimizes growth.

Microscope System – Given the tiny size of embryos, high powered microscopes fitted with mechanical manipulation devices are required to perform treatments such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or embryo biopsy for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

Safety System – This system continuously monitors the lab for proper air and incubator temperatures and gas levels as well as the liquid nitrogen level of frozen embryos and semen samples. If there is a power outage, our diesel generator automatically starts and can run for several days without refueling.

California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. uses its modern embryology lab to increase the effectiveness of fertility treatment and patient pregnancy rates. If you have any questions regarding the embryology lab and its affect on the cost of treatment, please ask. We remain committed to helping patients realize the joy and miracle pregnancy can bring.

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Northern California Fertility Doctor Joins Genetic Testing Clinical Study to Help Roseville and Sacramento IVF Infertility Patients Get Pregnant

Getting pregnant using fertility treatments like in vitro fertilization is stressful for any couple. But for couples in which one or both partners has the potential of having a child with a genetically based disease like Tay Sachs or Gaucher’s disease can be frightening. A new genetic screening under clinical study gives at-risk IVF patients a fuller glimpse of their developing embryos.

Until now, IVF patients have had to choose between testing for chromosome abnormalities like Down Syndrome or single-gene hereditary disorders like Tay Sachs. A new screening from Redwood City, Calif. based Gene Security Network combines single gene hereditary disease testing and a 24-chromosome comparison into one test.

Dr. Ernest Zeringue, founder of California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. says “this test will offer at risk couples an additional tool for increasing their chance of pregnancy while minimizing the risk of having a baby with a genetic disorder.”

While new technology can not completely relieve the worries of getting pregnant, this next step in the genetic testing of embryos will help at risk patients make more informed decisions about their best options for bringing home a healthy baby.

Learn more about female infertility issues, male infertility, in vitro fertilization (IVF), artificial insemination (IUI) and genetic testing (PGD/PGS) from California IVF's Sacramento area fertility experts at our convenient Northern California fertility medical center with offices in Davis and Roseville.

Sacramento Area Infertility Support Group for Fertility Patients

California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. encourages its patients to seek group support for general infertility issues as well as during advanced reproductive therapy like in vitro fertilization (IVF).

The Infertility Support Group of the Sacramento area is one resource for all Northern California women struggling with infertility to turn to so they do not have to struggle with getting pregnant alone.

The Infertility Support Group of the Sacramento area is a peer led support group for women that provides a place to discuss the emotional impact of infertility. Women are provided a welcoming space to discuss treatments for infertility like IVF and artificial insemination as well as alternatives like using acupuncture to help with stress and increase ovulation. Recommendations and experiences with Sacramento area infertility doctors and clinics many also be discussed openly and honestly.

Women with fertility issues may want to contact the Sacramento Area Infertility Support Group if any of the following statements apply:

• I'm feeling lonely and isolated because of my infertility.


• I have very few people to talk with about my infertility.


• No one understands how infertility is affecting me.


• My husband is the only one I have who provides emotional support in dealing with infertility.


• Infertility is affecting my work and career.


• I feel that my life plan is out of control because of infertility.


• I'm having trouble navigating my medical treatment options for infertility.


• I can't decide when "enough is enough" of infertility treatments like IVF, IUI and fertility medications like Clomid.


• Holidays and coping with family and friends is becoming more & more difficult the longer I deal with infertility and answer questions about why I am not getting pregnant or having a baby.

For more information about the Sacramento Area Infertility Support Group, email your questions or comments to Christine at sacramentoinfertilitygroup@gmail.com

Bimonthly Meetings take place on the 2nd and 4th Monday of every month in the Sacramento area.

Visit http://resolve.org for more information about infertility issues and a list of Northern California Support Groups

--> © California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. - Male and female infertility specialists serving the Sacramento, Roseville and the greater Northern California area including the San Francisco Bay Area.

Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis of Embyros Provide "Gene Security" to Sacramento Area IVF Patients

In recent years, genetic testing has made the leap from science fiction to science present. While many older moms-to-be worry about disorders such as Down Syndrome, they are not the only women who can benefit from advanced genetic testing. Couples of any age who have miscarried frequently may gain new insight into their best pregnancy options by combining in-vitro fertilization (IVF) with a 24 gene screening test. At California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc., we are proud to be the greater Sacramento area partner for Gene Security Network, an innovative genetic testing company based in Redwood City, CA. This partnership allows us to provide patients and referring doctors with the cutting edge technology necessary to make informed decisions about the best chances for pregnancy.

Performed in the three to five day window between egg fertilization and embryo implantation, a twenty-four gene pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD24) is a battery of tests that looks at twenty three pairs of chromosomes along with the X/Y gender selecting pair. The result is a chromosome-level glimpse into the viability of a patient’s developing embryos. Ruling out the implantation of embryos with known genetic disorders is the primary reason for this test. Although it is not recommended to perform PGD24 for gender selection alone, this is one potential benefit for couples who are concerned about potential genetic disorders, already have children and wish to balance out their current families by favoring the selection of healthy embryos of a certain sex.

On its website, Gene Security Network lists the following reasons for combining IVF and PGD24 testing:

- the female partner is 35 years of age or older

- the couple has had recurrent miscarriages of unknown cause

- a previous child or pregnancy has had a chromosome abnormality

- the couple is concerned about having a child with a chromosome abnormality

- the couple has had a previous, unsuccessful IVF cycle

- one member of the couple carries a balanced chromosome translocation or inversion

- the couple is at risk of having a child with an inherited single gene genetic disease

Contact California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. at (530) 771-0177 to learn more about combining IVF with a PDG24 screening from Gene Security Network.

Learn more about the genetic diseases and family balancing reasons that cause many Sacramento, Roseville and Greater Northern California area fertility patients to combine IVF with genetic screenings at our center.

On-site Acupuncture, Stress, Fertility and IVF Embryo Transfer

California IVF: Davis Fertility Center now provides expanded on-site access to acupuncture services from the Acupuncture Fertility Specialists, based in Sacramento and Roseville.

Safe and convenient, Dr. David Cherry, O.M.D., L.Ac. and Jennifer Horton, L.Ac., MSTCM coordinate their appointments to provide the maximum benefit to patients undergoing IVF or other fertility treatments.

Regular appointments at the Acupuncture Fertility Specialists office help relieve the stress of taking fertility medications and procedures like egg retrieval and build up to on-site sessions before and after embryo transfer.

By having acupuncture available on-site during embryo transfer days, California IVF hopes to save patients the hassle of driving to additional appointments, reduce overall stress, and possibly improve the chances of implantation and pregnancy.

While the scientific benefits of combining fertility treatment and acupuncture are still being studied, many people are convinced of the positive effects. Many patients report lower stress-levels and believe these combined treatments helped them get pregnant.

California IVF proudly offers this on-site service to provide a comprehensive and stress-reducing approach to fertility treatment for its patients in the greater Sacramento and Northern California area including the San Francisco Bay Area, Stockton and Modesto.

For more information about combining in vitro fertilization or other assisted reproductive therapies with acupuncture, call California IVF: Davis Fertility Center at (530) 771-0177 or Acupuncture Fertility Specialists at (916) 486-0187 or (916) 789-1006.

Learn more about increasing fertility by combining IVF with acupuncture and where to find this service on-site in the greater Sacramento and Northern California area.

Introducing the New Blog Site

Infertility News from California IVF

California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. is pleased to open a new blog site.  Check back here regularly so you can keep updated on the latest news and announcements.  We have several new announcements coming!  If you are an infertility patient, doctor, or someone interested in fertility treatments, please bookmark or subscribe to our blog.

A Little Background

California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc. was opened in November of 2004, by Dr. Ernest Zeringue. Dr Zeringue came to Northern California in the summer of 2001 to serve as the Division Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Travis Air Force Base. While there, Dr. Zeringue was responsible for training OB/GYN residents and running a very busy infertility clinic. As one of 4 clinics with a reproductive endocrinologist in the Air Force, the fertility program at Travis was a referral center for one fourth of the U.S. Many of the patients followed Dr. Zeringue to Davis for the opening of California IVF. Dr. Zeringue continues to see many military patients, some from out of state, as a result of the high patient satisfaction and references.


Since opening in 2004, California IVF has continued to grow. Our patient satisfaction remains very high. Everyone in the clinic is dedicated to providing a warm family-like atmosphere to our patients. Infertility treatments can be very stressful and we want to make the process of getting help as hassle free as possible. An efficient and streamlined approach to patient care helps avoid excessive delays and remove much of the confusion surrounding advanced treatments. We offer extended educational sessions to make sure patients understand every aspect of their care.

While patient satisfaction is a top priority, we must also strive to provide the best possible pregnancy rates. The laboratory at California IVF was designed with a singe purpose. Provide one of the best possible environments for embryo development. Our embryology lab features a purpose-built air system that meets clean room standards. A recent evaluation of our air quality demonstrated our air system was not only functioning as desired, but was performing better now than during previous assessments. Complementing this high quality air system is a full array of modern laboratory equipment. While expensive, high quality equipment is vital to a good embryology lab.

A good air system and high quality equipment must be operated by experienced and capable embryology staff. California IVF is very fortunate to have Deborah Johnson and Lisa Miller working together. Deborah and Lisa worked together at Northern California Fertility Medical Center in Roseville during that program’s peak growth. Deborah and Lisa brought their expertise and success with them to California IVF and continue to work their magic.  Dr. Laurie Lovely joined the team in the Fall of 2008, and has created quite a following of patients with her friendly and compassionate approach to taking care of patients.  There is no question that the patient comes first with Dr. Lovely.  She loves what she does and it shows.

If you would like to take a look at some of our results, check out the photo gallery at our media site BabiesInDavis.com


-- California IVF: Davis Fertility Center, Inc Male and female infertility specialists near Sacramento.