Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/19/2021 -- The Olive Fertility Clinic in Vancouver has just published an article on an important debate—fresh or frozen? As humans, we emphasize the importance of freshness. Fresh is better. But when it comes to using a fertility clinic to start a family—the experts disagree. For more, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/blog

Fresh doesn't hold quite the same value when looking at embryo transfer. Freezer burn is not something that applies with embryos, Nonetheless, it often comes as a surprise to people when they learn that frozen embryo transfer pregnancy rates are generally higher than fresh embryos transfers.

This trend, along with increased use of chromosomal testing of embryos (PGT), means that at Olive nearly 90% of all embryo transfers done in the past year were frozen embryos.

The reason fresh embryo transfer pregnancy rates are typically lower than frozen is that during IVF ovarian stimulation the woman's hormones are very high - unnaturally high or "supraphysiologic." Such hormone levels have a negative impact on the uterine lining - where an embryo is placed. These unnaturally high hormone levels (largely estrogen) impact the stickiness or receptivity of the uterine lining.

For most people, IVF at Olive Fertility Clinic in Vancouver is three months, accounting for the following:

1. Priming or preparation
2. Ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, and embryo creation
3. Frozen embryo transfer

There is some debate over whether three months is too soon for the transfer. However, a study recently published in Fertility & Sterility looked at this question. The study was performed at Cornell University and examined natural cycle frozen embryo transfer performed in the first or second month after IVF and found NO difference in pregnancy rates suggesting there is no need to wait a month after an IVF cycle.

The timing of medicated frozen embryo transfer cycles has been examined as well in previous research, and again no difference was found between the women who had an embryo transfer in the first month after IVF or second month.

At Olive, most embryo transfer cycles are medicated. Natural cycle transfers have similar pregnancy rates to medicated if the woman is perfectly ovulatory. Medicated frozen embryo transfer cycles have the advantage of being predictable, do not require ovulation, and can benefit from endometrial receptivity testing (ERA).

The general takeaway is that there is no need to wait a month/cycle after IVF to have a frozen embryo transfer for most women. Who SHOULD wait a cycle? Those who develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), those doing endometrial receptivity testing, and those who need uterine surgery to remove polyps/fibroids/scarring before a transfer.

Should timing be a concern it's best to discuss this with a medical professional. In most fertility clinics, everything is personalized.

To learn more about cutting-edge IVF, contact Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver.

About Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver
Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada's leading IVF and fertility centres with among the highest pregnancy rates in the country. With decades of experience, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility, personalized care, and advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A), and egg freezing, Olive offers families an excellent chance of achieving a successful pregnancy.

For more information, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/

Oliver Fertility Clinic
604-559-9950
Company Website: https://www.olivefertility.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Trying to conceive? Fertility clinic in Vancouver shares data indicating sperm counts unaffected by vaccine.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/10/2021 -- As a Fertility Clinic in Vancouver, the team at Olive understands that when it comes to starting a family, people will do whatever it takes to increase their chances. For those wondering if COVID-19 impacted sperm counts—there's good news. For more, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/blog/gary

A study published in JAMA documented semen analysis parameters before and after the COVID-19 vaccine. Men ages 18-50, provided sperm samples before vaccination, then about 70 days after the second dose. Of the 45 volunteers who bravely ejaculated twice in the name of science, 21 received the Pfizer vaccine and 24 received Moderna.

After the second vaccine dose, the median sperm concentration, total motile count, semen volume, and sperm motility all significantly increased. Furthermore, of 8 men who had low sperm counts in their first sample, 7 had concentrations improved to the normal range after the vaccinations.

As a fertility clinic in Vancouver, the findings were enlightening. Does it look like the vaccine actually improved sperm counts? Probably not, and the authors were smart to point that out. To be transparent, the data documented that there were some men in the study whose concentrations did decrease somewhat. The authors state that "the magnitude of change is within normal individual variation and may be influenced by regression to the mean."

The moderation in their conclusion is admirable. If there was any other intervention (think vitamins, supplements, etc.) that led to a statistical improvement in sperm counts people would be quick to declare a miracle cure. Likewise, if the opposite were true and the numbers went in the wrong direction, critics would be quick to condemn the vaccine.

To reiterate from a previous article, the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines in the context of fertility and pregnancy has been endorsed repeatedly by the World Health Organization and all of the important professional societies (SGOC, CFAS, ASRM, ACOG, and ESHRE). However, it is always nice to have logic and reason supported by data, and a new study published in Fertility & Sterility Reports does just that.

For couples ready to start a family and looking for a fertility clinic, Olive is one of Canada's leading IVF and fertility centres. To learn more about this state-of-the-art laboratory and cutting-edge treatments, contact Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver.

About Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver
Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada's leading IVF and fertility centres with among the highest pregnancy rates in the country. With decades of experience, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility, personalized care, and advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A), and egg freezing, Olive offers families an excellent chance of achieving a successful pregnancy.

For more information, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/

Oliver Fertility Clinic
604-559-9950
Company Website: https://www.olivefertility.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/15/2021 -- Running a fertility centre in Vancouver, the personnel at Olive know there are two important factors for eggs when it comes to fertility: 1) quantity and 2) quality. Both inevitably decline with age. To date, there are no tools for measuring very useful egg quality—but it looks like that's about to change. For more, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/blog/can-ai-predict-egg-quality

The ovaries contain the maximum amount of eggs before birth. These numbers decline with age. By 35 years, only about 10% of the eggs remain. Once the number of eggs reaches a minimal lower threshold, menopause ensues. It's impossible to directly measure the definite number of eggs, but tests like antral follicle counts, or checking Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) levels can compare an individual's relative egg quantity to what would be typically expected for their age.

Egg quality is much more elusive. The decline in egg quality is one of the major reasons it becomes harder to become pregnant with age. It's also why the risk of pregnancy losses increase, as well as the chances of pregnancies affected by chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome. Poor egg quality can be a significant factor even in young patients. Yet, there is no blood test or imaging study that can determine the egg quality in any helpful way.

It is not until one undergoes IVF that there is some insight into egg quality. Even then, simply observing the eggs themselves under the microscope is not very informative. Only after eggs are fertilized and embryo development is observed is it possible to make some inferences about quality.

It's possible to make some predictions using age and the number of frozen eggs to estimate the probability of eventually leading to live birth (check out the clinic's egg freezing estimator here). But accounting for only these two factors, all patients of the same age and same egg number are clumped together. For example, all 35-year-olds with 10 eggs will be given the same odds for success.

If only there was a tool that could make more personalized predictions, not just based on age and number of eggs, but also the characteristics of individual eggs? Maybe there is.

Violet is a ground-breaking image analysis tool from Canadian start-up Future Fertility that leverages the power of artificial intelligence to noninvasively assess egg quality. Violet's algorithm is based on hundreds of thousands of images in the training dataset.

Each egg is analyzed independently and a probability distribution is generated to predict its chances to develop into a blastocyst and result in a live birth. Violet is the only objective tool that provides personalized insights about egg quality. It's still in the testing stages, but if it pans out, it could be a game-changing tool for fertility clinics, granting doctors the ability to assess each egg independently and increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.

To learn more about accessing fertility care in Vancouver, contact Olive Fertility Centre today.

About Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver
Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada's leading IVF and fertility centres with among the highest pregnancy rates in the country. With decades of experience, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility, personalized care, and advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A), and egg freezing, Olive offers families an excellent chance of achieving a successful pregnancy.

For more information, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/

604-559-9950
Company Website: https://www.olivefertility.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Surrey fertility clinic assesses the safety of vaccinations for pregnant women.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/14/2021 -- As a fertility clinic in Vancouver, the team members at Olive understand that COVID-19, aka coronavirus disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has changed lives in ways no one imagined (except maybe some scientists and Bill Gates). The introduction of vaccines marks a major milestone in the effort to control the spread of the virus—but are they safe during pregnancy? For more, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/blog/covid-19-vaccine-and-pregnancy

As of writing this release, four vaccines are approved for administration--Pfizer-BioNTech Moderna, for Johnson & Johnson, and Oxford-AstraZeneca. Admin varies (sometimes one dose, sometimes two.) These will be made available for free to everyone living in Canada over the course of 2021. Due to the initial limitation of vaccine supply, high-risk groups have been identified for priority administration.

These are all messenger RNA (mRNA) based vaccines, a remarkable and fascinating approach to stimulating the body's immune response, not only useful for fighting infectious disease but also promising for cancer treatment. mRNA vaccines can be produced and scaled far more rapidly than traditional vaccines. A detailed review of mRNA technology that predates the COVID-19 pandemic can be found here, but this is an extremely simplified version:

In contrast to traditional vaccines that introduce a portion of live or attenuated virus into your system, mRNA vaccines do not require any viral protein to be directly injected. Instead, the virus is reverse engineered, with the instructions for producing the target on the virus (specifically, the spike protein for SARS-CoV-2) coded into mRNA, which is then packaged into carrier molecules and delivered via intramuscular injection. The body's cellular machinery translates the instructions from the mRNA to produce the spike protein, which is brought to the cell surface like a warning flag. The body's immune system recognizes the spike protein as foreign and is now prepared to defend should an actual infection occur.

These vaccines have been found to be highly effective and safe in the population tested. However, as is the case with most pharmaceuticals, pregnant & lactating people were not included in these trials, nor were those who were specifically trying to conceive. The lack of evidence in these populations has led to confusion and uncertainty if those who are pregnant/trying to get pregnant should be receiving the COVID-19 vaccines.

The opinion from the UK states that pregnant individuals should not be vaccinated, and vaccination should be delayed for those trying to conceive. In contrast, the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists guideline "recommends that COVID-19 vaccines should not be withheld from pregnant individuals who meet criteria for vaccination." This is aligned with the opinion from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada which states that "the documented risk of not getting the COVID-19 vaccine outweighs the theorized and undescribed risk of being vaccinated during pregnancy or while breastfeeding and vaccination should be offered."

For those trying to conceive, the SOGC statement, which was also endorsed by the Canadian Fertility & Andrology Society, states "It is not known whether an individual should delay pregnancy following receipt of the vaccine and a risk-benefit discussion for those planning pregnancy should occur similar to the discussion for pregnant and breastfeeding (individuals)." The American Society for Reproductive Medicine is more direct stating, "Patients undergoing fertility treatment and pregnant patients should be encouraged to receive vaccination based on eligibility criteria. Since the vaccine is not a live virus, there is no reason to delay pregnancy attempts because of vaccination administration or to defer treatment until the second dose has been administered."

On balance, while there is no safety data around the COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy, it is clear from phase 3 trials that the vaccine is very safe in general. The adverse effects of the vaccine appear to mostly comprise injection site reaction, fatigue, muscle pain, and fever.

In contrast, the risks of COVID-19 infection can be deadly. Contrary to initial impressions from the earlier days of the pandemic, more recent evidence indicates that pregnant individuals may be more severely affected, requiring invasive ventilation, with risk factors particularly high for those over the age of 35. In other words, if a pregnant person does become ill with COVID-19, they have a greater risk of more complications than their non-pregnant counterparts. Even for those who recover, there appear to be risks of long-term complications, as seen in some 'long-haulers'.

In the lack of definitive data, decisions can only be based on the best evidence available. While the risks of the vaccine are theoretical, the dangers of the infection are real. Anyone eligible for the currently approved COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, can rest assured that expert opinions from both the Canadian and American reproductive specialty professional societies endorse their use during pregnancy. As always, talk to your health care professionals to determine the best course individually.

To learn more, contact Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver.

About Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver
Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada's leading IVF and fertility centres with among the highest pregnancy rates in the country. With decades of experience, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility, personalized care, and advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A), and egg freezing, Olive offers families an excellent chance of achieving a successful pregnancy.

For more information, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/

Oliver Fertility Clinic
604-559-9950
Company Website: https://www.olivefertility.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Cannulation is a potential solution that can help women with blocked tubes conceive naturally

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/15/2021 -- About 15% of the patients visiting Olive Fertility Clinic in Vancouver have tubal factor infertility, meaning it's probable that blocked or diseased Fallopian tubes are the reason they are infertile. While problematic, solutions such as tubal cannulation can work to increase the chances of conception. For more, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/blog/blocked-tubes

Infertility can be caused for many reasons. When conception is a problem, the first step is to identify the cause. When blockage is suspected, the tubes are assessed with a hysterosalpingogram (HSG). The HSG is also called the "dye test" because dye is passed up through the uterus and out the tubes. An x-ray is then taken and the radiologist can sort out whether the tubes are open or not.

If the tubes are blocked, the blockage can be in one of three places: proximal, mid, or distal. Proximal is near the uterus. Distal is at the end of the tube near the ovaries. Mid is, of course, partway in between. Both tubes can be blocked or just one. Distal tube blockages generally require surgery. Mid tube blockages generally cannot be fixed, and the patient will need IVF. Proximal tube blockages can often be opened by tubal cannulation.

Tubal cannulation is the passage of a wire up through the uterus to the blocked tube. The wire is then pushed through the blockage, hopefully opening the tube. A 2017 meta-analysis of studies on cannulation of proximal tubal blockages proved promising results. It analyzed over 1700 patients from 27 studies on the topic.

It looked at women who have just one tube blocked proximally, or both tubes blocked proximally, and underwent tubal cannulation to open the tube(s). They then follow these women for several months to see if they got pregnant. Interestingly, for cannulation of one tube or both tubes the pregnancy rate is about the same:

- 6 months after the cannulation 22% of couples are pregnant
- 12 months after the cannulation 26% of couples are pregnant
- 24 months after the cannulation 27% of couples are pregnant

There is a 4% risk of an ectopic pregnancy (pregnancy in the tube). Like fertility treatments, tubal cannulation tends to work early if it's going to result in a pregnancy.

Tubal cannulation is not recommended for patients who are older or who have a low egg count. If this is the case, IVF may be a better option. However, for younger patients with good fertility cannulation is a simple procedure that can work to facilitate natural conception.

To learn more, contact Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver.

About Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver
Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada's leading IVF and fertility centres with among the highest pregnancy rates in the country. With decades of experience, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility, personalized care, and advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A), and egg freezing, Olive offers families an excellent chance of achieving a successful pregnancy.

For more information, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/

Mairi Campbell
604-559-9950
Company Website: https://www.olivefertility.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Egg freezing is a viable way for women to preserve eggs for future use

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/16/2020 -- As one of Canada's Leading IVF and Fertility Centres, Olive Fertility Centre offers fertility services and egg freezing in Vancouver. For women who aren't ready for children, egg freezing can increase the chance of achieving a successful pregnancy when the time is right. For more, go to https://eggfreezing.olivefertility.com/

There are many reasons that a woman may decide to freeze her eggs for future use. More women today decide to freeze their eggs because they are not yet ready to start a family.

The average egg most women consider egg freezing is around 37. However, the age spectrum ranges from the early thirties to forties. Many people in this age range may be establishing their career, paying off student loans, or searching for the right partner. Egg freezing at the Olive Fertility Centre relieves the stress of trying to beat the clock.

Women may also consider egg freezing for a variety of medical reasons including:

- Losing an ovary to surgery
- Having a disease, like stage V endometriosis, that can diminish egg reserve
- Having a medical condition that requires taking medication that is toxic to eggs
- Having to take high doses of testosterone medication
- Having a family history of premature menopause
- Testing positive for low egg reserve

Egg freezing lets women take charge of their fertility and lives by preserving eggs when they are most fertile, so there are greater options when it comes to creating a family in the future.

To learn more about fertility services and egg freezing in Vancouver, contact Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver.

About Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver
Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada's leading IVF and fertility centres with among the highest pregnancy rates in the country. With decades of experience, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility, personalized care, and advanced fertility treatments such as IVF, Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT-A), and egg freezing, Olive offers families an excellent chance of achieving a successful pregnancy.

For more information, go to https://www.olivefertility.com/

Mairi Campbell
mairi.campbell@personae.ca
Company Website: https://www.olivefertility.com/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Olive Fertility Centre (olivefertility.com) is proud to be the recipient of the 2020 Employee Recommended Workplace Award. This award ranks workplaces based on employee reviews.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 02/12/2020 -- "We are absolutely thrilled to have received this award since it is a recognition that we have created the kind of work environment we want for our staff. We really feel it is only by taking care of the people that work here that we can provide the excellent patient-centered we are known for," says Olive Fertility co-director, Dr Jason Hitkari.

As one of Canada's leading fertility clinics, Olive is dedicated to creating a workplace culture that attracts and retains the best of the best. Driven by their mission to provide the best patient-centred care and the best chance of a successful pregnancy, Olive is always innovating and encouraging staff to be at the forefront of fertility research and care. Fertility treatment is one of the most dynamic and rapidly changing fields of medicine today and Olive offers staff specialized in-house training programs, opportunities to attend conferences all over the world, and up to $1000 per year, per staff member, for Professional Development.

According to co-director Dr Niamh Tallon, "This kind of award recognizes our management team's strong commitment to, and advocacy for, our staff. We value every member of our team, recognizing these individuals are caring for our patients. In order to do that well, they need to be content and proud of where they work."

But it's not all work and no play at Olive! Olive offers plenty of team building activities and celebrations. The culture at Olive also recognizes that staff need to practice self-care and have a good work life balance in order to provide the best care for patients. They offer flexible schedules, compressed work weeks, part time and casual shifts, as well as very competitive salaries and benefits and free fertility treatment.

According to Penny Blesch, Director of HR and Operations. "It's more than the pay or the benefits; it's the culture, the work itself and the people. In-short, it's the ethos of Olive. We have a culture based on mutual trust and respect, and we truly care for one another. It's not quantifiable."

However, what contributes most to staff satisfaction is the patients themselves and the deep sense of gratification that staff have in helping people achieve the family of their dreams.

"It's so gratifying helping people through their journey in trying to conceive. It's incredibly heart-warming when our patients are successful in expanding their families!" Says Katrina, Patient Care Coordinator

Olive Fertility Centre is one of Canada's largest fertility clinics, offering an advanced IVF lab, personal care teams, and innovative programs that include specialized genetic testing, egg freezing, and prenatal NIPT testing.

About Olive Fertility Centre
Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver leverages leading-edge technology and the only on-site, full-time Ph.D. Lab Director in BC. With an outstanding, innovative facility and highly trained and dedicated staff, our laboratory has achieved one of the highest pregnancy rates in North America.

For additional information, please https://www.olivefertility.com or call 604-559-9950.

Olive Fertility Centre Vancouver
Mairi Campbell
Company website: https://www.olivefertility.com
300-East Tower, 555 West 12th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3X7

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Vancouver Canada-Olive Fertility Centre is proud to announce that they have been voted Best Fertility Clinic in Vancouver in the Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver Awards 2019.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/03/2019 -- We want to extend a sincere thank-you to all our wonderful patients who chose Olive to help them create their families and voted us the winner of the Georgia Straight's Best Fertility Centre, Vancouver.

"This is the fifth year in a row that we have been honoured with this award. It feels great to be recognized like this. We are all grateful to have our work in fertility care honoured." says fertility specialist and clinic co-director Dr Beth Taylor. "This means providing patients with their best chance of having a successful pregnancy by using the most advanced technology to help them grow their family."

Just as important as having a world class lab and some of the best success rates in Canada, is the exceptional patient-centred care that Olive provides. Everyone at Olive, from the receptionists at the front desk, to the patient care coordinators, the nurses, the embryologists and the doctors, strives to make sure that patients have the best experience possible.

"This award is also a testament to all that goes on behind the scenes at Olive," says Dr Taylor. "We are always trying to improve on our IVF lab design, processes and technology in order to create the best possible environment to ensure excellent outcomes and patient safety."

Olive would also like to congratulate Acubalance Wellness Centre for receiving the Georgia Straight Best Acupuncture, Naturopathic and Integrative clinic.

Acubalance works in partnership with Olive to offer natural fertility care and onsite fertility acupuncture treatment.

Olive Fertility and Acubalance will be offering a free, interactive information seminar October 16th.

Trying to Conceive?

Maximize your chances of a successful pregnancy

Join Fertility Experts Dr Niamh Tallon MD and Lorne Brown Dr TCM

Learn about the most effective fertility treatments and natural ways to optimize your fertility and help you conceive.

Free Seminar Wednesday October 16th 6:30 to 8:30

Olive Fertility Centre 4th Floor
400 East Tower, 555 West 12 Ave, Vancouver

To register, go to olivefertility.com or e-mail info@olivefertility.com

About Olive Fertility Centre
Located in Vancouver, BC, Olive Fertility Centre olivefertility.com is one Canada's leading fertility clinics, offering an advanced IVF lab, personal care teams, 70+ years of combined experience, and innovative programs including specialized genetic testing, egg freezing, and prenatal NIPT testing.

For more information please contact Mairi Campbell mairi.campbell@telus.net

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Olive Fertility Centre is proud to announce that Olive nurse, Wendy Baker, has been awarded the 2019 CFAS Carole Rhéaume Award on behalf of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/20/2019 -- This award seeks to acknowledge and commemorate Carole's passion for, and contribution to, patients with infertility. Wendy is "the recipient of this prestigious award for having advanced care for LBGTQ+ and single women in British Columbia, developed and improved the clinical practice of donor sperm access, safety, tracking and use, and because of her expertise in third-party ART."

According to the numerous letters from patients and colleagues supporting her nomination, the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society, and Goldi Gill, the Society's Executive Director, "Wendy's dedication to not only her patients and community, but to the improvement of the fertility nursing clinical practice as well, is inspiring and merits recognition."

After graduating from UBC's School of Nursing with a BSN, Wendy worked in a variety of jobs including Labour and Delivery in Vancouver, Prince George and Vernon, Community Health in Vancouver and Richmond, Pine Free Clinic, Everywoman's Health Centre, and Long-Term Care in Vernon before venturing into fertility care in 1995.

"I often feel that I didn't choose this field but that it chose me. I was hooked from the beginning and cannot imagine being anywhere else." explains Wendy.

Wendy joined the first fertility clinic in BC to provide fertility care for single women and same-sex couples, and for over two decades she has been at the forefront of delivering inclusive fertility care.

"Over the past 20 or so years, our commitment to inclusive fertility treatment has both broadened and strengthened. We have essentially learned a new language as our patient population becomes more diverse, and we continue to embrace new ideas, treatment modalities, and refined techniques."

Olive co-director, Dr Al Yuzpe, has worked with Wendy since the beginning of her career as a fertility nurse. "Wendy has been devoted to our patients for more than 20 years. She always goes a step beyond to support and advocate for patients and is always there to support them in any way that she can," says Dr Yuzpe.

Above all, Wendy is known for taking Olive's commitment to patient-centred care to the next level. According to Olive co-director Dr Beth Taylor, "Wendy is an extraordinary nurse. She's been known to drive medications to patients' homes, come in on her days off to help, and always advocates for the best care for our patients. We call her a mother hen – always worried about her patients and going the extra mile for them."

For Wendy, it is the privilege of being a part of someone's fertility journey that makes this job so special.

"I love having the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our patients. Building the trust and ensuring the experience is a positive one, regardless of the outcome, is a goal we all share at Olive. And, of course, I love hearing from patients when their joy is shared as they announce the arrival of long-awaited babies."

About Olive Fertility Centre
Located in Vancouver, BC, Olive Fertility Centre is one of Western Canada's largest IVF and prenatal diagnosis centres. With an advanced IVF lab, and innovative programs that include IVF, ICSI, PGT-A, egg freezing, and prenatal NIPT testing, Olive Fertility (olivefertility.com) provides comprehensive fertility care to infertile couples, single women, same-sex couples, and trans people.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/19/2019 -- Olive Fertility Centre is proud to announce that Olive staff will be presenting posters on a range of research topics at the September 2019 Canadian Fertility and Andrology Annual Meeting in Ottawa. The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society is Canada's national organization of professionals dealing with reproductive medicine and science.

"We are always striving to provide the most up-to-date evidence-based treatments in all aspects of our fertility care," says Dr Beth Taylor, co-director of Olive Fertility and co-author of two of the studies. "We encourage our staff to do ongoing research and to keep abreast of the latest developments in their field."

The topics that Olive is presenting on include:

Social Oocyte Cryopreservation: Who, When and Why
Ashley Bartlett, BSc; Rachel Butler, MSc, CCGC, CGC; Beth Taylor, FRCSC, MD

The trend towards delaying childbearing has increased interest in social egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation OC) over the past decade. The reasons for this delay are complex and include absence of the right partner and career and financial considerations. Using an electronic survey, this study explored the demographics of women considering social egg freezing, including their motivations and factors that limit their access to treatment at Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver, BC.

Pregnancy Outcomes from IVF/ICSI cycles Employing a Mixed Protocol of HP-hMG (Menopur) and Follitropin Delta for Controlled Ovarian Stimulation.
Jennifer Lylford, RN, BscN; Jing Chen, Msc; Al Yuzpe, FRCSC, MD

This study compared Olive's clinical pregnancy rates using a combination of Rekovelle and Menopur vs Puregon and Menopur, and discovered they result in similar rates of pregnancy success. The benefit of using Rekovelle and Menopur together is that the combination results in a higher number of blastocysts per cycle compared to Rekovelle alone, and results in a lower incidence of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome compared to similar Antagonist medication protocols.

Disclosure of Donor-Sperm Conception to Children Conceived by Assisted Reproduction
Wendy Baker, RN; Tracey Mills; Beth Taylor, FRCSC, MD

This study looked at how individuals and couples disclose the use of donor-sperm to their donor-conceived children. The study showed that parents used a wide range of ways to tell their children, ranging from using books or simply discussing how babies were made. Of those who disclosed, all were satisfied with the age when this was discussed, except one (homosexual) who would have discussed at an earlier age. Most added that the discussion is ongoing and age related.

Our commitment to research enables Olive to ensure that patients have the very best chance of getting pregnant and having a healthy baby as well as the best experience possible throughout their fertility journey," says Dr Taylor. "We are dedicated to patient-centred care every step of the way."

About Olive Fertility Centre
Olive Fertility Centre is one Canada's largest fertility clinics, offering an advanced IVF lab, personal care teams, 70+ years of combined experience, and innovative programs including specialized genetic testing, egg freezing, and prenatal NIPT testing.

For more information, contact Mairi Campbell mairi.campbell@telus.ca

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Olive Fertility Centre is pleased to announce that Dr. Areiyu Zhang MD FRCSC has joined Olive Fertility, bringing the number of fertility specialists at Olive to seven.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 01/18/2019 -- "We are delighted to welcome Dr. Zhang to Olive Fertility," says Olive co-director, Dr. Beth Taylor. "With her expertise in infertility and IVF, her fluency in Mandarin, and her reputation for outstanding patient care, Dr. Zhang is an invaluable addition to the Olive Team."

Born in Beijing, Dr. Zhang moved to Ottawa with her family at a young age. After graduating with a BSc in physiology and psychology from McGill University, she went on to get her medical training at the University of Calgary. Dr. Zhang then completed her residency in Ob/Gyn at the University of British Columbia, followed by a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology (REI) at the University of Ottawa.

Dr. Zhang is dedicated to helping create diverse families and offering compassionate, patient-centred care. She finds counselling patients about their fertility options and guiding them through difficult decisions a deeply rewarding part of her practice. She is pleased to be able to offer patient care in English and Mandarin.

Along with her focus on whole patient care, Dr. Zhang is excited about the rapidly evolving technological advances in fertility treatment.

"Fertility treatment is one of the most innovative and rapidly changing areas in medicine today. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with a team of doctors who are recognized as leaders in the field. With Olive's outstanding lab and the new technologies that are now available, like Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A), we are able to help most patients achieve a successful pregnancy."

About Dr. Zhang
Dr. Zhang is a registered sonographer in obstetrical and gynecologic ultrasound with the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

About Olive Fertility Centre
Olive Fertility Centre is of Canada's largest fertility clinics, offering an advanced IVF lab, personal care teams, and innovative programs that include Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A), egg freezing, and prenatal NIPT testing.

For more information on Olive Fertility Centre, contact Mairi Campbell mairi.campbell@personae.ca , ph 778-885-5300

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Olive Fertility Centre is proud to announce that they have been voted Best Fertility Clinic in Vancouver in the Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver Awards 2018.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/04/2018 -- We want to extend a sincere thank-you to all our wonderful patients who chose Olive to help them create their families and voted us the winner of the Georgia Straight's Best Fertility Centre, Vancouver.

Olive Fertility is dedicated to being the best fertility centre in Canada. This means caring for patients' emotional well-being as well as using the most advanced technology to help them grow their family. Everyone at Olive, including the patient coordinators, the nurses, the embryologists and the doctors, try to make each patient's fertility journey as successful as possible.

"This award is a tremendous honour and testament to all that goes on behind the scenes at Olive." says fertility specialist and clinic co-director Dr. Beth Taylor "We are always trying to improve on our IVF lab design, processes and technology, as well as our patient experience, in order to create the best possible environment to ensure excellent outcomes and patient safety."

According to Olive Fertility patient Tammy Chomiak it was the hope and emotional support that Dr. Taylor provided, along with the treatment, that helped her through the difficult times and finally resulted in a successful pregnancy.

Now the mom of two Tammy recalls, "This journey is not an easy one and definitely has its mix of devastating lows and unimaginable highs. Olive was an incredible source of encouragement through this whole journey and definitely made themselves available to us every step of the way. We also learned to ask questions - as many as you need to even if you are repeating yourself."

As more and more women are delaying starting a family until their 30's and even 40's. The rate of infertility is rising. Many women don't realize that their fertility peaks in the mid-20's and drops off sharply after 35.

"Frequently women don't know that a woman over 35 and her partner should have a full fertility workup if they haven't conceived after six months of unprotected intercourse." says Dr. Taylor. "The biological clock starts ticking much more quickly at this age. So the sooner a problem is diagnosed, the more quickly the treatment cans start."

Fertility evaluation and testing is fully covered by MSP in British Columbia with a referral from a family physician or a doctor at a walk in clinic.

Olive would also like to congratulate Acubalance Wellness Centre for receiving the Georgia Straight Best Acupuncturists and Best Naturopath.

Acubalance works in partnership with Olive to offer natural fertility care and onsite fertility acupuncture treatment.

Olive Fertility and Acubalance will be offering a free, interactive information seminar October 16th.

Trying to Conceive?

Maximize your chance of a successful pregnancy

Join Fertility Experts Dr. Niamh Tallon MD and, Lorne Brown DR TCM (fertility acupuncturist)

Learn about the most effective fertility treatments and natural ways to optimize your fertility and help you conceive.

Free Seminar Tuesday October 16th 6:30 to 8:30
Olive Fertility Centre 4th Floor
400 East Tower.555 West 12 Ave, Vancouver

To register call 604.678.8600 or go to olivefertility.com

About Olive Fertility Centre
Located in Vancouver, BC, Olive Fertility Centre is one of Western Canada's largest IVF and prenatal diagnosis centres. With an advanced IVF lab, and innovative programs that include Comprehensive Chromosome Screening (CCS), egg freezing, and prenatal NIPT testing, Olive Fertility provides comprehensive fertility care to infertile couples, single women, and same-sex couples.

For more information please contact Mairi Campbell mairi.campbell@personae.ca.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

A new study by researchers at Yale University presented at the at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology’s conference (ESHRE) in Barcelona shows that the majority of women who freeze their eggs do so because they have not found a partner to have children with.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/26/2018 -- A new study by researchers at Yale University presented at the at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology's conference (ESHRE) in Barcelona shows that the majority of women who freeze their eggs do so because they have not found a partner to have children with.

Egg freezing, as a way for a woman to preserve her fertility for the future, is becoming increasingly common with women in their 30s. In addition more and more single women are taking control of their own fertility. Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver has seen the number of single women coming into the clinic triple since 2013 according to Olive co-director Dr Niamh Tallon.

In the Yale study the researchers analyzed interviews conducted with 150 women, from four IVF clinics in the US and three in Israel, who had completed at least one cycle of egg freezing for social reasons.

More than four in five (85%) of the women did not have partners at the time. Focus on their career was the least common reason given for having their eggs frozen, even among women who worked for companies where egg freezing insurance was offered.

This goes against the current wisdom that women are postponing motherhood and freezing their eggs because they are focusing on advancing their careers according to Marcia Inhorn, a medical anthropologist from Yale University, and one of the authors of the study. "Our study, however, suggests that the lack of a stable partner is the primary motivation," says Inhorn.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/07/180702094046.htm

"The study reflects what we are seeing at Olive," says Dr Tallon. "From our experience at Olive it's quite clear that the majority of women that are freezing their eggs aren't doing it for career reasons, but are doing it because they are not in a position to have a baby--mostly because they don't have a partner." Dr Tallon sees the growth in egg freezing as an example of women taking charge of their own fertility and family building.

This was exactly the case for Natalie Grunberg, a Victoria teacher. Like many women today, Natalie had just not found the right man to have a child with.

"I didn't delay getting pregnant for any other reason than I couldn't find an appropriate partner. Like many middle class educated professional women, I was unable to find a suitable mate. I spent my 30s pining for Mr Right, so I could get on with creating a family much like the one I grew up in.

However, as I felt the clock ticking faster after 35, I decided I needed to take my fertility into my own hands, and that's when I decided to freeze my eggs."

Not only does the quantity of eggs decline as a woman ages, but the quality declines as well. Poor egg quality leads to a higher rate of infertility, more frequent miscarriages, and a greater risk of chromosomal disorders in the offspring.

"I see women in their late 30s and early 40s who exercise, eat well and look young for their age, and they can't understand why they are having trouble getting pregnant," says Dr Tallon. "The fact is that 40 is not the new 30 when it comes to fertility. Our eggs are exactly as old as we are. We want women to know there is an option for them if they want to preserve their fertility when their eggs are young and healthy, in case they want to get pregnant at a later time."

"Dr Nakhuda, my doctor at Olive, explained that there were no guarantees, but once I decided to go ahead, I gave a mental sigh of relief. I felt that I was taking control of my future. It felt very empowering to realize that I didn't have to wait for the right man to come along--that I could be my own family," says Natalie.

The egg freezing process is exactly the same as traditional IVF. It involves injecting medications that stimulate egg growth to the point they can be harvested. However, instead of fertilizing the eggs with sperm, they are frozen unfertilized and stored until a woman is ready to conceive sometime in the future. At that point, the eggs are thawed and fertilized to hopefully result in viable embryos that can then be transferred into the uterus.

"Egg freezing should not be considered a sure thing," cautions Dr Tallon. "Unfortunately, even freezing numerous eggs cannot guarantee a healthy pregnancy will be possible. However, recent evidence suggests the success of egg freezing is now on par with traditional IVF, and is especially favourable in women under 37."

After freezing her egg at 37 Natalie decided, on her 40th birthday, that she was no longer going to keep looking for "him" but was going to move on and create her own family using her frozen eggs and donor sperm.

However, sometimes life can take an unexpected turn. "At this point, without trying, I had met a delightful man and he was supportive of my chosen path of single motherhood. He was welcome to come along for the ride, but I was no longer on any man's schedule. I had shed my desire to please another person in order to get the family I dreamed of. My life and my family was mine to create. It would take a special man to not be threatened or scared by this reality."

In September, Natalie had an embryo implanted and became pregnant. As the pregnancy progressed she and Philip became closer, and he proposed to her when she was seven months pregnant. When the baby was born on May 29th, the birth certificate included both Natalie and her fiancee's names-- Arieh Gustav Grunberg-Ferreira.

"This summer I will marry my soul mate and Arieh will be there under the chuppah (Jewish marriage canopy) with us. Our son is a miracle to both of us. Every day we are grateful I saved my eggs and that Olive was able to help us create the family we both dreamed of. I have a second embryo and we hope to one day soon add a brother or sister to our happy house."

About Olive Fertility Centre
Located in Vancouver, BC, Olive Fertility Centre is one of Western Canada's largest IVF and prenatal diagnosis centres. With an advanced IVF lab, and innovative programs that include the EmbryoScope, specialized genetic testing, egg freezing, and prenatal NIPT testing, Olive Fertility (olivefertility.com) provides comprehensive fertility care to infertile couples, single women, and same-sex couples.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

A Statistics Canada report shows that infertility in Canada has nearly doubled in the last two decades with one in six Canadian couples of childbearing age struggling to conceive. Infertility is a medical condition that can leave people feeling isolated, confused, heartbroken and helpless.

Vancouver, BC -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/21/2018 -- Olive Fertility Centre (olivefertility.com) and Acubalance Wellness Centre (Acubalance.ca) are hosting FREE information talks for Canadian Infertility Awareness Week April 23rd and April 24th.

"Fertility treatments have made major advancements in the last few years," says Dr. Beth Taylor, co-director at Olive Fertility Centre. "Our success rates are much higher, and a new screening technology called Comprehensive Chromosome Screening (CCS) allows us to achieve IVF rates of up to 70% and to greatly improve the odds for women who have had multiple miscarriages or repeated failed IVF cycles."

While medical science has made great strides in diagnosing and treating infertility, the social stigma of infertility remains. One of the most devastating aspects of infertility is the feeling of isolation, loneliness and helplessness it creates.

Alda Ngo, a doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Acubalance Wellness Centre, treats women and men with fertility issues, and has endured her own challenging journey to motherhood.

"Some of the most important things I have learned from my patients and from my own experience with infertility are to get a good support team and to do what you can to take some control over your fertility journey."

After an in-depth fertility workup with Dr. Taylor, Alda learned that she had uterine polyps—a condition that can affect the embryo implantation—and that her husband, Sean, had some sperm issues. She underwent surgery for her uterine polyps and did injectable fertility medication and a procedure called IUI. She managed to conceive naturally and then with IUI only to suffer heartbreaking miscarriages both times.

Throughout this process Alda and Sean incorporated an integrative approach which combined Western medicine with Chinese medicine and other natural treatments. "We optimized our overall health and wellbeing with acupuncture, herbs, changes in diet, exercise, yoga and meditation practice. During this time we had Dr. Lorne Brown and my colleagues at Acubalance and Dr. Beth Taylor and the team at Olive by our side every step of the way."

"Integrative fertility treatment can provide women (and men) with the tools, the emotional support and, most importantly, the sense of empowerment they need on their fertility journey," says Dr. Lorne Brown, clinical director at Acubalance. "Increasingly, studies are showing that changes in diet, lifestyle and stress management may be effective in restoring balance and optimizing the conditions for conception and a healthy pregnancy. And acupuncture, in particular, has been shown to reduce stress hormones and may increase pregnancy rates."

Finally, after trying every option, Alda and Sean decided that IVF gave them their best chance of having a baby and were ready to start the process. But life can be funny. The IVF clinic was forced to delay the procedure, and so they decided to do a 10 day silent meditation retreat to help them cope with the stress of waiting. It was while she was on the retreat that Alda discovered that she had conceived naturally—and she had to wait for the remainder of the retreat to tell Sean the joyful news. Fast forward: they are now the proud parents of a precious little boy.

When asked what had contributed to her success Alda says, "There was no one single thing that made the difference, every piece was important: Dr. Taylor, her team and the Western medical interventions; Acubalance and the wisdom of Chinese Medicine that helped optimize fertility and overall wellbeing; and my mindfulness meditation practice that helped me cope with the mental-emotional turmoil of my fertility journey. Above all, I think it was the support of my incredible team of Western and Chinese medicine doctors and the fact that I felt like I had done everything in my power and I was in a place where I was OK no matter what the outcome."

Alda has recently started a Mindfulness Program for women who are struggling to conceive: http://www.mindfulnessforfertility.com

FREE PUBLIC TALKS

For couples and women who are looking for information on western testing and treatments and on tools that can help them optimize their fertility naturally, join Olive Fertility and Acubalance Wellness Centre for FREE information talks.

Monday April 23rd | 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Surrey City Centre Library, 10350 University Drive

Tuesday April 24|6:30 to 8:30 pm
Jewish Community Centre 950 West 41st Ave, Vancouver

Call 604-678-8600 or go to acubalance.ca or http://www.olivefertility.com

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm