Reproductive Gynecology & Infertility has the highest IVF success rate in Ohio, and here's how they can help you

By Mimi Vanderhaven

A clear trend over the past few decades is that women are waiting longer and longer to marry and have children. For most of the 20th century, the median age for first marriage was around 20 years old until it started to rise in the late 1970s. In 2000, the median age was 25 and by 2018 it had risen to 27.8.

That’s near the age when women’s fertility begins to decline.

“Women’s eggs are healthiest before the age of 30,” explains Priya Maseelall, MD, FACOG, of Reproductive Gynecology & Infertility (RGI), which has offices in Akron, Canton, Columbus and Youngstown.

“That’s when Mother Nature expected us to conceive. She didn’t know we’d be waiting until our 30s to have our first child when it can be far more difficult to become pregnant.”

Egg Freezing
According to Dr. Maseelall (pronounced MASS-ah-law), more and more women are electing to freeze their eggs in their late 20s or early 30s as insurance against infertility down the road. Modern egg freezing—known officially as “oocyte cryopreservation”—involves flash-freezing your eggs, effectively stopping their clock.

“We remove your eggs in a minimally invasive procedure then freeze them and safely store them,” says Dr. Maseelall in the tender, reassuring voice well known to the thousands of women she has helped conceive. “Then, when you’re ready to start a family, we’ll thaw them and combine them with your partner’s or a donor’s sperm using in vitro fertilization [IVF].”

Many couples who want children—just not yet—are also electing to freeze fertilized embryos, while other couples rely on donated ones.

Regardless, it’s a good idea to consider scheduling an anti-mullerian hormone test, which detects the hormone secreted by cells in developing egg sacs and can be a good indicator of your ovarian reserves.

Does It Work?
Success rates have soared in the past few years to the point that today’s modern egg freezing techniques are virtually as successful as fresh IVF cycles, especially in the hands of the physicians at Reproductive Gynecology & Infertility. Their facilities in Northeast Ohio and Columbus rank number one and number two in success rates among all fertility clinics in the state of Ohio.

In fact, the odds of a sexually active 25-year-old woman becoming pregnant in any given month is 25%—and these doctors blow those odds away.

“In 2018, we achieved a 70% success rate with each IVF cycle,” adds David M. Nash, MD, FACOG. “If you consider two or three cycles—which is typically not required—the success rate skyrockets. If you come here, when you’re ready, it’s your best chance at having a baby.”

RGI is so confident in your success that they offer a 100% money-back IVF guarantee (more on this in a moment).

What If I Want Children Now?
Using egg freezing to proactively plan for children is a good idea if you want to wait, but what if you want a baby now and are having trouble getting pregnant?

“If a woman has unprotected intercourse for one year, her odds of becoming pregnant are 85%,” Dr. Maseelall says.

“So, generally, if you’re under 35 and you’ve been trying for a year or longer, you should consult a fertility clinic. If you are over age 35, it’s time to talk to us after just six months simply because there is less time.”

Success rates for IVF cycles at RGI are so high that the facility now transfers only one embryo.

“Some people recall the days when doctors would transfer several eggs and patients would have triplets or quintuplets, but that doesn’t happen here,” says Dr. Nash. “We transfer a single embryo so there are no increased odds of having multiples.”

In addition, Dr. Nash says, the clinic now tests each embryo for chromosomal abnormalities before transferring. “This improves the chance of pregnancy, reduces the chance of miscarriage or chromosomal abnormalities and increases your chances of having a healthy baby,” he says.

A Culture of Caring
Unlike typical revolving door medical practices with rushed, aloof doctors, RGI has a relaxed, hands-on culture with a commitment to genuine compassion.

“We get to know our patients,” Dr. Maseelall says. “IVF can be stressful on couples and their families and we listen intently. Everyone is different and has different concerns. It may be family, religious, economic. We help our patients be as comfortable as possible.”

That’s one reason RGI refuses to outsource important procedures.

“We do all of our own ultrasounds and all of our egg retrievals and embryo transfers ourselves,” Dr. Nash adds.

There are many reasons for infertility, including not ovulating, blocked fallopian tubes, issues with the sperm or something wrong with the uterus.

“If there is a sperm issue, we can do insemination,” Dr. Maseelall says. “If it’s an egg issue, we may simply use drugs. If there is a blockage we’ll likely do IVF or surgery. Every patient’s needs are different.”

The IVF 100% Success Guarantee
The physicians at RGI—which also include Dr. Stephen Mooney and Dr. Akas Jain—are so confident in their experience, capabilities and track record with assisted reproductive technology that they now share their patients’ financial risk with a money-back guarantee.

“If IVF is not successful within three fresh cycles, we’ll return all of your IVF investment,” Dr. Maseelall explains.

“In addition to three fresh cycles, the program includes an unlimited number of frozen embryo transfer cycles as well as embryo freezing and thawing. In other words, if you don’t leave here with a baby, you get your money back.”

Such a guarantee is highly unusual in the field, but it’s especially reassuring because IVF is not always covered by insurance. RGI can help you make that determination and connect you with affordable financing options.

Whether you want a baby now or later, it’s a good idea to be proactive and talk with them now.

Reproductive Gynecology & Infertility has four office locations. Find them in Akron, at 95 Arch Street, Suite 250, 330-375-7722; in Canton, at 2600 West Tuscarawas, Suite 560, 330-452-6010; in Columbus (Westerville), at 540 N. Cleveland Avenue, Suite 100, 614-895-3333; and in Youngstown (Canfield), at 6674 Tippecanoe Road, Suite 3, 330-533-3490. For more information, visit the website, at RGIOhio.com.