About 12 percent of U.S. women between the ages of 15 and 44 have trouble getting pregnant, according
to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But today, remarkable advances in reproductive
medicine have made conception possible for many people with problems affecting their fertility.
Based at Tampa General Hospital, the University of South Florida In Vitro Fertilization (USF-IVF)
program makes parenthood possible for many couples and individuals. Our program provides the most
advanced medical therapies and assistive reproductive techniques to help conceive a child.
The USF-IVF program at Tampa General provides the highest level of expertise in a compassionate,
caring environment. Our staff is made up of physicians, nurses, and laboratory professionals who
specialize in infertility medicine and are affiliated with the University of South Florida College
of Medicine.
Generally, any woman who has been unsuccessfully trying to conceive for a year could benefit from
our program. However, because the chances of becoming pregnant decrease as you get older, women over
the age of 35 should come in after six months of trying, and women over 39 should come in after
three months. You should seek immediate help if your menstrual cycles are not regular.
We provide a complete evaluation of women and men to explore the factors affecting a couple’s
fertility. This includes a complete history and physical exam, a semen analysis and tests to
determine a woman’s hormonal levels, ovulatory function, and condition of her reproductive organs.
Some problems can be addressed with medication or lifestyle changes, while others may require more
advanced approaches. We work with each individual and her partner to determine what will work best
for them.
Diagnostic Services
Hysterosalpingogram. This test can detect abnormalities in a woman’s uterus and fallopian tubes as
well as blockages in the tubes. It involves injecting fluid into the uterus and taking an x-ray to
see if the fluid progresses into the fallopian tubes.
Histeroscopy. A surgical technique to detect abnormalities in the uterus. It involves extending the
uterus with a fluid solution and then using an instrument similar to a telescope to inspect the
uterus’s interior.
Laparoscopy. Performed under general anesthesia, this procedure involves making two tiny incisions
in the abdomen through which the surgeon inserts instruments to allow for observation of the pelvic
organs. It is used to determine the existence of conditions such as endometriosis, scarring, blockages,
and irregularities of the fallopian tubes and uterus.
Pelvic ultrasound. This involves using high-frequency sound waves to produce pictures of organs inside
the pelvis. The resulting images show both the structure and movement of organs.
Saline Ultrasound. Also called a sonohysterogram, this test involves injecting saline into the uterus
while an ultrasound is performed. It is used to detect polyps, fibroids, and other abnormalities of
the uterus that may affect fertility.
Semen Analysis. A comprehensive analysis of a semen sample by a laboratory to determine factors that
may affect fertility, including the number of sperm and their shape and movement.
Donor egg implantation. This technique can be used when a woman lacks good quality eggs because of
advanced age, disease, or other abnormalities, or to avoid passing on a known genetic disease to her
baby. It involves taking eggs, usually donated by a younger woman, fertilizing them with the sperm of
the recipient woman’s partner, and inserting them into her uterus.
Fertility drugs. Fertility drugs are the primary treatment for women who are infertile due to
ovulation disorders. These medications are used to regulate or increase the ovary’s production of eggs.
They’re frequently used in conjunction with intrauterine insemination.
Fertility preservation. The fertility of a man or woman undergoing treatment for cancer can be
preserved by freezing their sperm or eggs for later use. A woman’s eggs can also be fertilized before
they’re frozen and transferred to her uterus at a later time.
Gestational carrier. This is an alternative for a woman with viable eggs but who lacks a normal uterus
or cannot carry a baby for other medical reasons. It involves removing the woman’s eggs, fertilizing
them with her husband’s sperm, and implanting an embryo in a surrogate mother’s uterus.
Intrauterine insemination. This technique, used in conjunction with fertility drugs, attempts to aid
the implantation of an embryo into the lining of the uterus. Timed to coincide with ovulation, it
involves placing sperm into the cervix or uterus via a catheter. The goal is to bring the eggs and sperm
as close together as possible to encourage conception.
ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). This procedure is used when a man has a low sperm count.
It involves extracting a single sperm obtained through ejaculation and injecting it into an egg to
achieve fertilization.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). IVF is a method of extracting eggs from a woman and combining them with
a man’s sperm in a laboratory where fertilization occurs. After three to five days, embryos are
transferred into the woman’s uterus to maximize the chance for pregnancy. The number of embryos
transferred is based on the woman’s individual diagnosis and age.
Laparoscopic surgery. Surgery through an incision in the bellybutton may be recommended for some
women. This technique can be used to examine the pelvis’s anatomy and to treat conditions such as
endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic adhesions and tubal obstructions.
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. This procedure can improve the chances of having a healthy child
for couples who are carriers of inherited disorders such as cystic fibrosis. It is used in conjunction
with in vitro fertilization. Once the fertilized eggs begin to divide, the physician can remove a cell
and analyze its genetic material. The eggs without abnormal genetic material would be implanted in the
woman.
Surgery. Surgery can be a treatment option to address conditions such as endometriosis, blocked or
damaged fallopian tubes and other factors affecting fertility. Depending on the woman’s condition,
laparoscopic surgery can be utilized.
Our program offers a variety of therapies to address conditions that interfere with a woman’s ability
to conceive. The physician’s recommended course of treatment will be based on the distinctive needs
of each couple or individual.
Advanced age. As a woman gets older, the quality of eggs released by her ovaries declines. This affects
her ability to get pregnant. By the time a woman is 30, her chances of conceiving naturally have
declined, and those chances drop rapidly every year after that. We can address this problem with a
variety of methods, including in vitro fertilization.
Endometriosis. In endometriosis, tissue that normally lines the uterus grows in other areas of the
body, usually inside the abdominal cavity. This condition can cause infertility. If necessary, it can
be corrected by surgery. However, in mild cases, medication or in vitro fertilization is sometimes an
effective treatment.
Fallopian tube blockage. The fallopian tubes carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus. This condition
can be addressed through surgery or bypass of the blockage via in vitro fertilization.
Genetic Disorders. Inheritable disorders such as cystic fibrosis can be addressed through in vitro
fertilization in conjunction with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis.
Low or absent sperm count in a man. We can provide referrals to male infertility specialists for
further treatment. We also offer ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) procedures.
Medical castration. Men and women undergoing radiation or chemotherapy for cancer often become
sterile from the treatments. Our clinic can address that problem with fertility preservation therapy.
Polycystic ovary syndrome. This syndrome is characterized by a menstrual cycle that’s irregular
or non-existent, a high level of male hormones, and sometimes, the appearance of small cysts in the
ovaries. It can be treated with fertility drugs or other medications.
Recurrent pregnancy loss. There are a variety of reasons why some women have problems carrying a baby
to full term. We provide comprehensive evaluation and testing to determine the causes and then address
those causes with the most appropriate treatment.
Unexplained infertility. This problem can be addressed with a combination of fertility drugs and
intrauterine insemination.
