Since MFC’s inception, we’ve recognized that some individuals undergoing IVF face unique clinical and personal situations that shape the right treatment approach. As such, we’ve always made it a priority to offer low-stimulation IVF alternatives and adjuncts, customized to each patient’s individual needs. Honoring our commitment to personalized fertility care, we proudly offer the following IVF variations:
IVF Variations
treatment as individual as you
moderate ivf
when less is more
Moderate IVF focuses on egg quality, not quantity. The goal of moderate (aka mini) IVF is to stimulate the ovary with a lower dose of medication, promoting the development of a smaller number of fertilizable eggs. This low-stimulation approach is sometimes considered at the extremes of reproductive age (under 30 or older than 43 years old).
Key features
Less stimulation medication than traditional IVF (~30-50%)
Goal: 3-4 mature follicles (each mature follicle normally contains 1 fertilizable egg)
Who it may be for
- Very young age desiring only 1 child
- Low responders or severely diminished ovarian reserve
- Sensitivities to stimulation medications/hormone concerns
- Immunologic medical problems or cancers
- Specific hormone profiles
How it works
The end result
Moderate IVF: ~2 mature follicles on each ovary
vs
Traditional IVF: ~4-8 mature follicles on each ovary
intravaginal culture (ivc)
the body as incubator
Intravaginal culture (IVC) uses the INVOcell device, a small (2.5 x 4.5 cm) capsule that houses eggs, sperm and embryos while resting inside the vagina for 3-5 days. Unlike conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF), where embryo culture takes place inside a laboratory incubator, INVOcell uses the woman’s own vagina as a natural incubator to support embryo development. This innovative IVF technology offers patients a more connected, affordable approach to achieving pregnancy while keeping treatment costs down.
Key features
Moderate ovarian stimulation with a goal of 6-8 follicles
The embryo culture component of the IVF process occurs in the body instead of the lab
Who it may be for
- Patient desiring an added connection to the journey
- Patients prioritizing cost containment
- Dual IVF
- Aligns well with smaller family size goals and no PGT (preimplantation genetic testing)
How it works
the difference
The INVOcell unit (foreground) and the holding device (background)
vs
Our in-house time lapse IVF incubator: “the Geri”
in vitro maturation (ivm)
IVM: finishing egg development in the lab
In vitro maturation (IVM) is a fertility treatment in which immature eggs, those not yet ready to be fertilized by a sperm, complete their final developmental stages in the laboratory. Under normal conditions and in response to hormone stimulation, follicles (ovarian structures that house eggs) enlarge and release mature (fertilizable) eggs. With IVM, eggs are collected from small follicles at an immature stage of development. After maturation in the lab, IVM eggs can be fertilized and used to achieve pregnancy in the same way as in IVF.
Key features
No (or minimal) ovarian stimulation
Goal: maximum number of immature eggs retrieved from small follicles
Who it may be for
- Prior IVF failures due to egg maturation problems
- Ovarian resistance to injectable stimulation medications
- Medical contraindications to ovarian stimulation
- New cancer diagnosis desiring fertility preservation
- Polyfollicular ovaries, normal body habitus, <35 years old
How it works
the difference
In traditional ivf the goal is large follicles (achieved through medication use)
Large follicles contain mature eggs (eggs that are immediately ready to receive sperm when released from the ovary)
vs
Small (unstimulated) follicles house immature (underdeveloped) eggs
Small follicles contain immature eggs that need to be matured in laboratory