After trying to conceive a child without success, Brittney and her husband had their dreams come true, thanks to the more affordable INVOCell procedure and Mark P. Trolice, M.D., a board-certified reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist and founder of The IVF Center. The cost of INVOCell treatment is roughly half the cost of traditional IVF.
Brittney and her husband consulted with Dr. Trolice and decided to pursue infertility treatment with INVOCell, the first intravaginal culture (IVC) system granted FDA-clearance in the United States.
Brittney says from the first consultation onward, Dr. Trolice and his medical team walked her and her husband through the process and made them feel comfortable.
“I had the most amazing experience that I ever could have had with any physician’s office that I’ve been to,” she adds.
The couple took a close look at their budget while weighing their IVF treatment options, and the cost savings with INVOCell helped them decide this was the right choice for them.
How Is INVOCell Different?
The technology behind the treatment is what makes INVOCell different from traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.
Brittney, while an OBGYN resident and physician in training, had done some reading about how INVOCell works. She was impressed with the technology behind the system and how it differed from traditional IVF.
The steps involved in the traditional IVF process include:
- Stimulating the ovaries with injectable fertility medication
- Collecting the eggs from the ovaries
- Fertilizing the eggs and growing embryos in a laboratory incubator
- Transfer the embryo(s) into a woman’s uterus
The INVOCell process involves the same ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, however, it uses an outer shell approximately 1.5 inches that contains a small incubator where the eggs fertilize and embryos can grow all inside the woman’s vagina as opposed to using a laboratory incubator.
Brittney shares that carrying the embryos during those five days while they were maturing gave her a more personal bond, and it felt like more of a natural process to her.
What Happens During INVOCell Treatment?
To outline the INVOCell procedure, injectable fertility medication stimulates the ovaries to produce multiple eggs that are retrieved while the woman is under intravenous sedation during a 15 to 20-minute office-based procedure. Immediately following this procedure, the eggs and sperm are carefully added to the INVOcell tiny incubator which is then placed inside the woman’s vagina.
Dr. Trolice explains,“We use the woman’s vagina to store the device because it’s very temperature-controlled,” he says. “After five days, we remove the device to determine the number of viable embryos that have developed then usually transfer one embryo into the woman’s uterus and freeze the remaining embryos for future cycles. The best prognosis occurs in women less than age 35 with a normal body mass index.”
“Where I was trained to use INVOCell, they are seeing very good success rates, so we’re excited to offer this to patients.”
How Can Couples Stay Hopeful?
Brittney understands the challenges couples face when they are having trouble conceiving a child.
She recalls, “Whenever you’re going through this journey, it’s almost like desperation to have a baby and desperation for it to have a successful outcome.”
Brittney and her husband remained hopeful during their journey by reaching out to support groups, following blogs, and reading all they could about treatment options.
She suggests that couples schedule a consultation with Dr. Trolice, so he can explain a variety of fertility treatment options.
“It’s like a judgment-free zone. You just come in. You lay your heart out, lay your story out, and I would say do it earlier rather than later. Don’t wait years and years, kind of like we did.”
Dr. Trolice knows the emotional toll all too well as he and his wife endured 10 years of infertility.
Brittney encourages other couples to stay hopeful and to remain persistent despite their challenges.
She offers her perspective. “You hear a lot about this process and a lot about the IVF journey. You hear it’s daunting and it’s scary, but it really, really is doable and you can end up with the most perfect gift.” If you have questions or need more information about INVOCell, please feel free to contact us.
