IVF Lab

IVF at ArkLaTex Fertility Center: Experience When It Matters Most

Embarking on a treatment cycle of in-vitro fertilization, IVF requires a significant emotional, financial and physical investment. Dr. David Vandermolen approaches each cycle of IVF with determination, review of your unique factors, and bringing broad knowledge from the reproductive field to produce your successful outcome.

The benefits of partnering with our North Louisiana fertility center

The fertility center you select for this important step should demonstrate experience in successfully managing in-vitro fertilization cycles; be represented by a board certified reproductive endocrinologist (RE); and provide convenient access to a fully accredited advanced IVF lab.

  • ArkLaTex Fertility Center belongs to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and reports data to SART and to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for inclusion in its annual IVF Fertility Clinic Success Rates Report.
  • Dr. Vandermolen has more than 30 years of experience directing successful IVF protocols. He specializes in reproductive medicine, and intuitively responds to each patient-specific variable that occurs with ovulation induction and throughout the complex IVF process. Also, he recently completed an additional Master’s degree in Embryology and Andrology Clinical Sciences, being one of few REI physicians with such credentials.
  • The ArkLaTex Fertility Center advanced IVF lab is under the direction of highly skilled embryologist JB Paul, Ph.D. Our Laboratory Director ensures that every patient receives excellence of care, and strictly adheres to local, state and federal requirements for a specialized IVF lab.

About In-Vitro Fertilization

With the birth of Baby Louise in 1978, IVF revolutionized reproductive medicine in the 1980s, and has continued to evolve with new and exciting advances:

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis  With DNA mapping, fertility specialists now have the ability to screen embryos for genetic disease and chromosomal abnormalities prior to implantation. This is significant because couples can have as much as a 1 in 4 chance of giving birth to an affected child when both parents are carriers of the same recessive disease.

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)  It takes only a single sperm for successful fertilization, but certain conditions can render an egg impenetrable. Also, men with very low sperm counts may benefit from IVF with ICSI. With ICSI, an embryologist injects a single sperm directly into the egg to increase the chances for fertilization and pregnancy.

Laser-assisted hatching This is used in some IVF cycles. A laser is used to open the hard outer shell of an embryo to allow implantation in the uterine lining and a better chance for pregnancy.

Fertility Preservation  Advances in fertility preservation now allow for the cryopreservation of oocytes (eggs), in addition to sperm, embryos and reproductive tissues. Cryopreservation in conjunction with IVF benefits anyone considering elective fertility preservation, or fertility preservation for fertility altering medical conditions.

Donor Egg and Sperm IVF Cycles The ArkLaTex Fertility Center IVF lab works with trusted sperm banks throughout the U.S. and coordinates IVF cycles that make use of donor eggs, embryos and/or sperm.

The Five Phases of IVF

While no two IVF cycles are the same, the protocol remains predictable. There are five distinct phases in an IVF fertility treatment regimen:

Dr. Vandermolen works closely with the IVF lab after ovulation induction. The primary focus of a highly specialized IVF lab is to ensure that the environment supports embryo development, with rigorous standards in place for identification and quality control.

Taking action after months of waiting to get pregnant is exciting. Dr. Vandermolen and the entire ArkLaTex Fertility Center team look forward to helping you achieve your goal. Contact us to schedule a consultation to discuss the IVF process and the advanced options available through our IVF lab.

Our Lab Team