Gentle IVF (MINI IVF)

Gentle IVF (MINI IVF)

At RFC, we think less is better.

In Conventional IVF (which we offer at RFC), you could produce a lot of eggs, but a lot of those eggs will not be good quality because they have been exposed to aggressively high doses of fertility drugs (see medical references below pertaining to High Doses of Injections Can be Bad for Egg Quality). Remember that eggs are extremely sensitive cells and they are not used to all these drugs!

RFC’s success rates of 59% surpasses national averages of 43% with tailored treatments for every patients especially those with low AMH, high FSH, PCOS, or those who are poor responders to conventional IVF. Since 2020, RFC has been reporting highest success rates yearly in the country with a 68% success rate for IVF with PGT and 69% for women under 35. Emphasis on affordability and personalized care is our main mission. Dr Merhi has helped the oldest woman in the USA get pregnant using her own eggs at age 51 by IVF. RFC has helped the highest number of women in their early 50’s and late 40’s get pregnant using their own eggs by IVF.

Gentle-IVF, also called Minimal Stimulation In Vitro Fertilization (Mini-IVF™) by other clinics, is a safe and a successful holistic alternative to Conventional IVF. It uses a minimal amount of fertility medications to stimulate the ovaries so they produce good “quality” eggs. Few eggs of high quality is all it takes to produce a healthy baby. RFC offers mini IVF as an alternative for patients with diminished ovarian reserve or those seeking less aggressive stimulation protocols

what are the advantages of Gentle or Mini IVF procedure?

We use “individualized” treatments at RFC which means that each patient will receive a different protocol based on her age, ovarian reserve, medical history and previous fertility treatments.

Advantages of Gentle-IVF are that it:

  • LOWERS COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CONVENTIONAL IVF SUCH AS OHSS (OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION SYNDROME)
  • LOWERS COST BY MINIMIZING THE EXPENSIVE FERTILITY DRUGS
  • MINIMIZES THE AMOUNT OF CHEMICALS USED IN IVF
  • LOWERS THE STRESS BY MINIMIZING THE DISCOMFORT OF DAILY FERTILITY DRUG INJECTIONS
  • PROVIDES SURPLUS EMBRYOS TO FREEZE

you are a candidate for Gentle or Mini IVF if

  • YOU WANT TO MINIMIZE THE COST OF THE FERTILITY INJECTIONS
  • YOU WANT TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF CHEMICALS INTO YOUR BODY
  • YOU HAVE LOW OVARIAN RESERVE: LOW AMH OR HIGH FSH
  • YOUR ARE POOR RESPONDER TO THE HIGH STIMULATION BY THE CONVENTIONAL IVF PROTOCOLS
  • YOU PRODUCE POOR-QUALITY EGGS/EMBRYOS AFTER THE HIGH STIMULATION BY THE CONVENTIONAL IVF PROTOCOLS
  • YOU HAD MULTIPLE FAILED CONVENTIONAL IVF CYCLES
  • YOU ARE AT RISK OF OVARIAN HYPERSTIMULATION SYNDROME (OHSS)
  • YOU DO NOT WANT TO PRODUCE SURPLUS EMBRYOS FOR RELIGIOUS OR ETHICAL REASONS

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF
GENTLE and MINI IVF PROCEDURE?

RFC offers mini IVF as an alternative for patients with diminished ovarian reserve or those seeking less aggressive stimulation protocols. In general, medications used in Gentle-IVF include:

  • CLOMID PILLS
  • LETROZOLE PILLS
  • SOMETIMES ONE DAILY INJECTION OF GONAL-F OR FOLLISTIM
  • TRIGGER MEDICATION

IMPORTANT NOTES FROM RFC

  • OUR DOCTORS ARE RECOGNIZED GLOBALLY AS LEADING PIONEERS OF GENTLE-IVF TREATMENT.
  • SOME FERTILITY CENTERS TREMENDOUSLY CARE ABOUT THEIR NATIONAL PREGNANCY SUCCESS RATES AND RANKINGS. THIS IS A REASON THEY MIGHT REJECT YOU FOR IVF BECAUSE OF YOUR AGE, YOUR OVARIAN RESERVE, OR IF YOU ARE A “DIFFICULT CASE TO GET PREGNANT.”
  • WE, AT RFC, ALWAYS GIVE A WOMAN THE CHANCE TO TRY IVF USING HER OWN EGGS.
  • OUR DOCTORS HAVE HELPED A LOT OF WOMEN WHO WERE TOLD “YOU WILL NEVER GET PREGNANT WITH YOUR OWN EGG,” HAVE BABIES USING THEIR OWN EGGS.

Medical Reference(s):

  1. Zaher Merhi et al. Efficiency of metaphase II oocytes following minimal/mild ovarian stimulation in vitro fertilization. Fertil Res Pract. 2016 Sep 1;2:2
  2. Zaher Merhi et al. Reproductive potential of mature oocytes after conventional ovarian hyperstimulation for in vitro fertilization. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2016 May;133(2):230-3.
  3. Zaher Merhi et al. Minimal stimulation IVF vs conventional IVF: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2016 Jan;214(1):96.e1-8.
  4. Zaher Merhi et al. Obesity adversely impacts the number and maturity of oocytes in conventional IVF not in minimal stimulation IVF. Gynecol Endocrinol. 2015 May;31(5):409-13.
  5. Clark ZL et al. Follicular Hyperstimulation Dysgenesis: New Explanation for Adverse Effects of Excessive FSH in Ovarian Stimulation. Endocrinology. 2022
  6. Baker VL et al. Gonadotropin dose is negatively correlated with live birth rate: analysis of more than 650,000 assisted reproductive technology cycles.  Fertil Steril. 2015
  7. Clark ZL et al. FSH dose is negatively correlated with number of oocytes retrieved: analysis of a data set with ~650,000 ART cycles that previously identified an inverse relationship between FSH dose and live birth rate. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2021
  8. Karl KR et al. Negative impact of high doses of follicle-stimulating hormone during superovulation on the ovulatory follicle function in small ovarian reserve dairy heifers. Biol Reprod. 2021
NATURAL ivf

important notes from RFC:

  • SOME FERTILITY CENTERS TREMENDOUSLY CARE ABOUT THEIR NATIONAL PREGNANCY SUCCESS RATES AND RANKINGS. THIS IS A REASON THEY MIGHT REJECT YOU FOR IVF BECAUSE OF YOUR AGE, YOUR OVARIAN RESERVE, OR IF YOU ARE A “DIFFICULT CASE TO GET PREGNANT.”
  • WE, AT RFC, ALWAYS GIVE A WOMAN THE CHANCE TO TRY IVF USING HER OWN EGGS.
  • OUR DOCTORS HAVE HELPED A LOT OF WOMEN WHO WERE TOLD “YOU WILL NEVER GET PREGNANT WITH YOUR OWN EGG,” HAVE BABIES USING THEIR OWN EGGS.