“Patients undergoing in vitro fertilization appreciate the convenience and capabilities of the new surgery center,” said Clinical Supervisor, Ashley Williams. “The additional space means improved scheduling for our patients. And the operating room with its advanced technology and state-of-the-art equipment allows our physicians to perform procedures, such as hysteroscopies, onsite at Reproductive Partners.”

“Before our new surgery center opened, patients needed to have some procedures, including hysteroscopies, performed offsite,” explained Medical Director Dr. Gabriel Garzo. “Now, there’s a continuity of care we can offer our patients that streamlines the entire treatment process.”

The La Jolla Women’s Surgery Center is located on the eighth floor of the Ximed building, adjacent to the current Reproductive Partners-UCSD Regional Fertility Center office suite. It specializes in Egg Retrievals for in vitro fertilization, Dilation and Curettage (D&C) procedures, as well as both Diagnostic and Operative Hysteroscopies.

“Now that we have physically expanded our facilities, we’re able to accommodate the very latest reproductive technology for our patients who are undergoing diagnostic testing in our surgery center,” said Dr. Garzo. “Our new GE Voluson is powerful ultrasound equipment that improves the ability of our physicians to image ovaries, the uterus and early pregnancy. It helps us to better diagnose and treat uterine pathologies.”

The La Jolla Women’s Surgery Center is fully accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities, Inc. (AAAASF) and has met all requirements for Medicare certification.

Reproductive Partners-UCSD Regional Fertility Center is a center of excellence for in vitro fertilization and recognized nationwide for its extremely high success rates and pioneering work in reproductive science. Its team of respected physicians, nurses, embryologists and staff are dedicated to helping couples achieve their dreams of starting and expanding their families.

Lifestyle Modifications:

• Avoid excessive alcohol use. Excessive alcohol use has been shown to cause birth defects in fetuses. In addition, those patients who drink may show a decrease in fertility rates. Miscarriage rates have been shown to double when 2 or more alcoholic drinks per day are consumed.
• Stop smoking. Smoking has been implicated in infertility and premature menopause. Studies comparing smokers to nonsmokers show lower fertilization rates
• Stop recreational drugs and unnecessary medications.Please stop all medically unnecessary drugs prior to attempting pregnancy. If you are taking other medication prescribed by another physician, please let us know so we can determine if this medication is safe to take during pregnancy. This goes for your partner as well. Recreational drugs such as marijuana are never a good idea, especially when you are trying to conceive
• Increase physical activity and lose weight if necessary. If you are overweight, it is a good idea to lose weight before trying to conceive. We encourage you to be physically active and to get your body into the best shape you can.

Dietary Modifications:

• Increase your intake of natural antioxidants by eating pomegranate, blackberries, blueberries, and lots of fruits and vegetables every day.
• Drinking daily green tea also increases antioxidant intake, however we do not recommend over one cup of caffeinated green tea per day because the caffeine could interfere with fertility treatment.
• Excessive consumption of caffeinated products such as coffee, tea, colas, and chocolate should be avoided. Decrease in fertility rates have been seen in those women who consume excessive amounts of these products. (i.e. more than 3 cups of coffee/day)

Antioxidant Supplements:

• Pycnogenol is a potent antioxidant. Recommended intake is 50-120 mg per day. This can be particularly useful for women 40 years of age and older.
• Co Enzyme Q-10 is very important for energy production and mitochondrial nutrition in the cell. In animal studies, it has been shown to reverse the effects of aging on the egg (this has not been proven in humans). The recommended dose is 400 mg twice a day.

Other Supplements:

• Prenatal vitamins contain all the vitamins and minerals that you need for pregnancy. It is recommended that you have at least 0.4mg of Folic Acid in your diet every day. All prenatal vitamins have this amount or more.
• Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent fetal neural tube defects, and the recommended daily allowance is 400 micrograms. If you are on a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid, you do not need further amounts unless told otherwise by your doctor. Folic acid is also found in many fortified cereals and green leafy vegetables
• Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA/DHA) are healthy essential fats that have been shown in some studies to improve fetal brain development; therefore, prenatal vitamins often contain them. Daily dosing is 500 to 1,000 mg of EPA/DHA.
• L-arginine is a protein we recommend if you are a vegetarian and you protein intake is low. A dose of 1,000 to 2,000 mg will help to bring your intake up to normal levels.