CCRM, located in Southwest Austin, is a cutting-edge fertility center. They hosted an informative panel during SXSW to talk about options for women and couples who cannot conceive a child. Politics aside, the issue looms gravely over the heads of many who cannot get pregnant for a host of reasons, from cancer or disease to lack of “good eggs” or infertile partners.
Amanda Rice, a three-time cancer survivor and the CEO and founder of the Chick Mission, moderated the panel. Dr. Sydney Chang, Founding Partner and Medical Director at CCRM Fertility of Austin, and Dr. Jaime Knopman, Director of Fertility Preservation for CCRM Fertility of New York, were featured on the panel.
It is difficult to comprehend, but even as we approach the 2030s in the 21st century, a great many women remain uninformed about this treatment and its mechanisms. Many women enter their forties, after career success or multiple breakups, only to long for a child (or children) – whether or not they have a partner. IVF multiplies their chances, although egg quality means it doesn’t guarantee 100% success. If a male partner is involved and his sperm is irregular, more often than not, there is still a good chance IVF can work. Women who cannot conceive can use IVF as a surrogate method in other cases.
Women are born with all their eggs, but they lose 90% of them by age 30, a fact that nobody informed me about before I underwent IVF. It’s possible that knowing that earlier would have made me feel defeated.
Jaime Knopman, MD, wants you to know that science has advanced, the world has transformed, and the choices available to us have changed too. By addressing your body, she preaches that you should know what it does and how your eggs work. Jaime added, it’s discussed amongst these girls who are talking about egg and embryo freezing now.”
And why not? Preparing for an uncertain future is possible by freezing your eggs in your twenties, and this also significantly improves IVF success rates.
IVF is a topic that interests me; my successful treatment at forty-four resulted in one beautiful, healthy son, when everyone said, ‘it couldn’t be done’ or ‘it won’t work.’ Even at that age, my eggs were apparently healthy, so never say never. Statistics are there to show us averages, and there are always exceptions to any rule.
The insurance company denied Amanda Rice’s request for fertility preservation coverage, which her progressive employer had paid for, leading to the creation of her non-profit. This was devastating news to her, as she had cancer, the main reason for wanting to preserve fertility. Three years after relocating from New York to Austin, she has achieved remarkable success in fundraising across ten states, including Texas, where her Hope Grant Program has supported over 700 cancer patients.
It takes a village to get things started, and the panelists agreed. Pharmacists, doctors, clinicians, and non-profit financial distributors for patients are all included in their involvement across the value chain. These networks are invaluable.
To find out more about how The Chick Mission can help you, please visit https://thechickmission.org
Please contact https://www.ccrmivf.com/ccrm-fertility-doctors/sydney-chang/ for appointments with Dr. Chang of CCRM Austin, at 5301 Southwest Pkwy Building 2, Suite 350, Austin, TX 78735, USA.
To me, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) stands for In Virility Forever.