San Diego IVF – In Vitro Fertilization services
The first IVF baby was born in England in 1978. The first born in the US was in Eastern Virginia in 1981. The first born San Diego IVF baby was produced by Dr. Rakoff, working at Scripps Clinic, in 1983. He was also the first fertility doctor in San Diego to have IVF twins and to have a SART-FDA certified IVF lab. Dr. Rakoff’s IVF treatments produced the first San Diego IVF babies delivered at UCSD School of Medicine Hospital( Hillcrest), Balboa Naval Hospital (San Diego), and Pomorado Hospital (near Escondido,Temecula, Rancho Bernardo, and Poway).
Dr. Rakoff has successfully treated thousands of couples for their fertility difficulties at the San Diego In Vitro Fertilization Scripps Clinic. Recently, Scripps Clinic chose not to upgrade and maintain the Embryology Lab, which was originally built by Dr.Rakoff and his team which includes world famous research scientists, Dr.Joel Gottesfield, Ph.D.( the Scripps Research Institute) and Frank Chisari, M.D. (Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation). To ensure the continuing care of his patients, Dr. Rakoff moved his practice to the more modern IVF labs at the San Diego Fertility Center.
Modern facilities are necessary to give couples the best chance at successful treatment. Dr. Rakoff offers state of the art IVF care working with the excellent staff and embryologists at SDFC. Success rates continue to improve and new equipment and technology enable Dr. Rakoff to offer optimal In Vitro Fertilization services for his patients in San Diego on a personal and caring basis.
The steps involved with IVF include the following:
1. Ovulation stimulation medications with several hormone blood tests and ultrasound (sonogram) exams.
2. Ova (eggs/oocytes) Retrieval. This is done under anesthesia with sonogram -ultrasound directed needle, used to remove the eggs from the ovaries. This is an out patient-ambulatory, same day surgical procedure.
3. A few hours after the egg retrieval, the eggs are fertilized with sperm. Usually the sperm is collected at home and delivered to the San Diego In Vitro Fertilization lab at the time of the retrieval. Optimal fertilization will occur when we wait a few hours to place the sperm with the eggs.
4. Two to six days after fertilization, the embryos (generally one or two) are placed in the woman’s uterus. This commonly is a pain free, easy procedure performed in the exam room.
5. Pregnancy tests are done two weeks later.
Our San Diego In Vitro Fertilization team of experienced doctors, embryologists and nurse educators (nurse@sdfertility.com) are available by appointment or phone 1-858-923-0200 to review specific details that may be involved in creating your specific IVF Treatment Plan.
