A New Alternative to Human Embryo Freezing; West Coast Fertility Centers Receives Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) Approval for New Egg Freezing Method.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. -- Center is Actively Seeking Women Interested in Participating in This Important Clinical Study

West Coast Fertility Centers in Orange County, California, has received approval from the Western Institutional Review Board (WIRB) to conduct a study to validate the benefits of oocytes freezing (human eggs), versus embryo freezing, with patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). West Coast Fertility Centers is the first fertility practice in Orange County to receive approval from the WIRB to recruit patients to participate in this ground breaking research.

The Centers' goal is to validate the efficacy of a slow freeze method used to preserve and thaw oocytes by observing their survival rates and comparing the rates of fertilization, cell division, with sibling embryo quality from freshly inseminated oocytes retrieved during the same IVF treatment cycle. The results of the study will be submitted to a peer-review journal.

Oocyte freezing is aimed at three particular groups of women: those diagnosed with cancer who have not yet begun chemo- or radiotherapy that is toxic for ovarian function; those undergoing treatment with assisted reproductive technologies who, for personal reasons, do not consider embryo freezing; and those who do not have a partner and would like to preserve their future ability to have children.

The study will enroll 40 eligible patients between the ages of 21 and 35, with normal ovarian reserve and who require in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive. Some of the eggs will be immediately frozen using the new techniques, while the remaining eggs will be combined with sperm and the embryos will be evaluated using standard techniques. The frozen eggs will then be thawed, fertilized and the best resulting embryos from either group will be transferred to the uterus. If a pregnancy does not result from the frozen eggs, then a routine frozen-embryo cycle will be performed.

"The eligible participants will receive free IVF medications valued at $3,000 to $4,000," said Dr. David Diaz, Founder and Medical Director of West Coast Fertility Centers.

We are confident that there will not be a significant difference between a successful oocyte-freezing program compared with established embryo freezing program. However, the advantages to the patients and fertility centers will be less ethical issue for discarding surplus frozen embryos. Furthermore, oocytes freezing will increase the options for those patients who request fertility preservation.

Interested patients or physicians, who wish to refer patients, may contact West Coast Fertility Centers at 714-513-1399, extension 120 for more information.

Orange County Medical Association recently selected Dr. Diaz as a 2006 Physician of Excellence, based upon his educational credentials, teaching and clinical research, and community service. For more than 17 years, Dr. Diaz has pioneered many advances in the specialty of infertility and fertility preservation. For more information about Dr. David Diaz and West Coast Fertility Centers, visit www.ivfbaby.com or to learn how you can preserve your fertility visit, www.eggfreezing.com. Call 714-513-1399 to schedule an appointment.