Services

We offer all aspects of reproductive endocrinology and infertility, including artificial insemination, seven days a week for our patients and for patients from outside physicians, upon request.

We also offer:

• Ovulation induction with monitoring services, including week-ends and holidays
• In-office diagnostic hysteroscopy
• Ultrasonography performed by Dr. Mersol-Barg or our registered nurses
• On-site high-complexity laboratory, offering:
• Andrology services, including:
• Complete and complex semen analysis
• Post-ejaculate urine analysis
• Complete and complex semen analysis; strict (Kruger, W.H.O. 5th Edition) analysis is always used
• High complexity semen preps for insemination, seven days a week for our patients and for patients from outside physicians, upon request

Our andrology lab has more technicians who are specifically trained for infertility services than any other lab in the area. Overall, our laboratory technologists have over 100 years in andrology experience.

• Blood count and chemistry tests
• Endocrine hormone assays
• Minimally invasive laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery
• On-site nutritional counseling
• Coordination of treatment with acupuncturists and holistic medical practitioners
• On-site In Vitro Fertilization laboratory, SMART Labs, offering:
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
• Mini IVF (minimal stimulation IVF, which is significantly less expensive than standard IVF)
• Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
• Percutaneous Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (PESA)
• Microsurgical Epididymal Sperm Aspiration (MESA)
• Testicular Sperm Extraction (TESE)
• Cryopreservation of Eggs, Embryos, Sperm, Epididymal Aspirate and Testis Tissue using the most advanced freezing technology, vitrification
• Frozen donor egg bank, which is significantly less expensive than traditional donor egg IVF and much simpler

We offer discounted pricing for cancer patients who need to freeze their eggs or sperm in order to preserve their fertility options. Please have your oncologist contact us in order to coordinate your treatment in the most time-sensitive way.

Dr. Mersol-Barg performs minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery, laser surgery, and robotic surgery at several hospital outpatient facilities.

Success Rates with IVF

Success rates vary depending on many factors including age, ovarian reserve (quantity of eggs in ovaries), quality of eggs and/or sperm, and diagnosis. You are a unique individual with a unique medical history that affects your chance of having a baby.

The Centers for Disease Control receives IVF outcome data from sart.org. While these outcomes are a good indicator of the general quality of an infertility clinic, there are many factors that can affect a specific patient’s chances of having a baby that are not accounted for in this data. Each clinic has definitive criteria for allowing a patient to become a candidate for IVF, so patient selection may affect a center’s success rate.

IVF Reports.org ranks the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Surgery as #1 in the Midwest region. IVF Reports is an independent “consumer reports- like” website that compares IVF centers throughout the country based on pregnancy rates, quality, safety and consistency of care such as low multiple pregnancy rates, emphasis of single embryo transfer.

Another important aspect to consider is the number of embryos transferred into the uterus. We strive to reduce the number of multiple gestation pregnancies, which can be emotionally, physically and financially difficult for both mother and baby.

Overall, the best way to determine if a clinic is right for you is to make an appointment and discuss the services offered and their success rates in your age group over several years. Dr. Mersol-Barg and our staff will be happy to meet with you to go over your medical history, your concerns and any questions you may have.

The Latest Technology Now Available in Michigan

We are thrilled to introduce Michigan's FIRST frozen donor egg bank, which has produced Michigan's FIRST frozen donor egg baby! This baby is also the first baby born in Michigan from ANY frozen egg. We have also produced Michigan's FIRST frozen embryo pregnancy using a frozen egg, which had been thawed, inseminated, frozen as an embryo and then thawed for embryo transfer. These are cutting-edge technological breakthroughs that are happening right here in Michigan. Thus far, we have produced twenty-four frozen egg pregnancies with seventeen babies born and six on-going pregnancies as of December 2011. We are so pleased to offer these new fertility options to our patients.

Quality Control and Assurance

The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Surgery and SMART Labs has had two F.D.A. inspections, which are always unannounced. In both cases, we passed with flying colors! The F.D.A. specifically looks at the quality control and assurance that sperm, eggs and embryos are handled appropriately and responsibly. Because our labs have earned a positive F.D.A. assessment, this is your assurance that our labs are functioning at the highest possible level of care. Our endocrinology and andrology laboratory is accredited by COLA and certified by CLIA to maintain the highest standards. During our most recent inspection, our laboratory received a 100% rating. In fact, COLA gave our lab its highest commendation, "The Laboratory Excellence Award" for 2009-2010. Our IVF Lab at SMART Labs is inspected by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). In 2007, SMART Labs passed with zero items to be corrected, and the inspector said that in 14 years of inspecting labs, this was the finest facility the inspector had ever evaluated. In September, 2009, another CAP inspector also passed SMART Labs with zero items to be corrected and was impressed enough to say that this is the best lab that had been inspected and asked for permission to use some of the methods we use for documentation and quality control.

According to CAP's press release about SMART Labs' inspection:

"The laboratory's director was congratulated for the 'excellence of the services being provided'. During the CAP accreditation process, inspectors examine the laboratory's records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine the entire staff's qualifications, the laboratory's equipment, facilities, safety program and record, as well as the overall management of the laboratory. This stringent inspection program is designed to specifically ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients."

We are truly honored by such strong praise and will continue working to make our labs the best quality for our patients and referring physicians. Please know that when you come to the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, you will receive care at the highest standard possible--and we've got the inspections to prove it!

If you ever have concerns about a laboratory's quality, one thing you can do is go to the F.D.A.'s website at www.fda.gov and check if the clinic's laboratory director has received any warning letters by typing the full name of the clinic or the lab director into the search window.