GREENBRAE, Calif, April 17, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dr. Peter Uzelac, a Reproductive Endocrinologist with the Marin Fertility Center in Greenbrae, CA, announced today that the first baby on the West Coast of United States to be successfully conceived and carried to term using in vitro maturation (IVM) was born in March at a hospital in the Sonoma Valley.

IVM is a groundbreaking fertility treatment that requires less office visits and little to no drugs as compared to traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF). The baby's mother, suffered for year with endometriosis, opting to avoid hormones that could potentially worsen her condition. Her first attempt at IVM treatment resulted in the birth of a baby girl.

IVM is an emerging fertility treatment distinguished by it's virtually drug-free, low cost and minimally invasive nature and is currently gaining attention as an alternative to conventional IVF. The treatment involves the removal of eggs from an ovary before they are fully developed and allows them to finish their growth process under controlled laboratory conditions. These "in vitro" matured eggs can then be fertilized and used to achieve pregnancy in the same way as in IVF.

IVM is ideal for women with hormone-sensitive issues who cannot tolerate or do not desire the traditional doses of ovarian stimulation drugs required by IVF. Women at high risk for ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), such as those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or many immature eggs in their ovaries, may especially benefit from the IVM procedure.  

The recent birth was a part of Marin Fertility Center's new IVM program which Dr. Uzelac brought to the West Coast from his former program at the University of Louisville.  Marin Fertility Center is one of only a handful of clinics in the U.S. to have successfully helped patients achieve a live birth through IVM treatment. It is estimated that, to date, there have been 3,000 live births worldwide as a result of IVM, most of them from Asia, Europe and Canada.

QUOTE FROM DR. UZELAC
"We are so excited to have this alternative to conventional IVF available to our patients. In this age of personalized medicine, IVM answers a call for those desiring something different."

QUOTE FROM THE MOTHER
I always had faith that I would become a mother one way or another.  When I read about IVM on Marin Fertility Center's website, I knew I had to try it  before moving on to IVF.  IVF uses higher doses of drugs, so I am glad I did it  and hope that our success will help others by bringing more attention to this method.  There is not a lot of readily available information on IVM.  Dr. Uzelac and his team were very professional and always supportive throughout the process.  We are eternally grateful for our little girl.  Thank you Thank you Thank you Dr. Uzelac! 

About Marin Fertility Center

Marin Fertility Center is Northern California's premiere fertility program, offering personalized care using a number of novel treatment approaches, including IVM and Moderate IVF™. Marin Fertility Center uses new technology to reimagine the patient experience, reducing the amount of medication and office visits required and resulting in less prohibitive costs. The clinic is led by Dr. Peter Uzelac, a Board-Certified expert in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility.   

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150415/199025 

For more information about IVM visit: www.marinfertility.com or Jamie Vigil, 415-925-9409, jvigil@marinfertility.com

SOURCE Marin Fertility Center