Blog

brent
World Record Shattered

August 24, 2012 - World Record for Birth through Cryopreserved Sperm is Broken As a world record is broken, hope comes alive.   Late in August, twin girls were born to a couple who used in vitro fertilization (IVF) to achieve pregnancy. On the surface, this may look like just another of the increasingly common success stories for the IVF industry. But this story has its own unique twist that makes it different from every other IVF pregnancy—the sperm used to fertilize the egg was frozen over 40 years ago, shattering the existing record of 28 years for a successful [Read More...]

brent
ReproTech Earns AATB Accreditations

November 27, 2012 - ReproTech, Ltd.'s established three facilities have again been awarded the prestigious accreditation of the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB), it was announced today by Russell Bierbaum, President. AATB accreditation follows an intensive nine-month process, and ensures that the processed tissue is of high quality and that tissue banking activities are performed in a professional manner consistent with or exceeding the AATB's Standards. Tissue banks also undergo an independent review of their standard operating procedures (SOPs) and an on-site inspection of their facilities and operations. AATB inspectors examine tissue banks for compliance with all aspects of [Read More...]

brent
41 Years Ago, A Sperm Donation. Today, Twins.

May 2, 2013 - World Record for Birth through Cryopreserved Sperm is Broken As a world record is broken, hope comes alive.   Late in August, twin girls were born to a couple who used in vitro fertilization (IVF) to achieve pregnancy. On the surface, this may look like just another of the increasingly common success stories for the IVF industry. But this story has its own unique twist that makes it different from every other IVF pregnancy—the sperm used to fertilize the egg was frozen over 40 years ago, shattering the existing record of 28 years for a successful [Read More...]

brent
NASA Scientist Gives Birth Using Embryos Frozen for Nearly 19 Years

Source:  Reproductive Science Center of the Bay Area SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 20, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kelly Burke – a 45-year-old NASA research scientist – looks upon her babbling baby and ponders the unique reality that his biological siblings, created from the same embryo cycle and born to another family 2,500 miles away, will be of voting age at the time of his first birthday this November. This story could, possibly, only be conceived by a rocket scientist. Kelly gave birth to Liam James using what her doctor believes to be the second oldest cryopreserved human embryo in history. [Read More...]

brent
ReproTech Founder Receives American Association of Tissue Banks Award

October 4, 2013 - The American Association of Tissue Banks recognized Russell Bierbaum, ReproTech, Ltd. founder and former President, for his contributions to the tissue banking industry this week at its annual meeting.   The American Association of Tissue Banks' Jeanne Mowe Distinguished Service Award is given annually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to tissue banking or transplantation, whether in research, education, or laboratory improvement, or who has served the Association or the field of tissue banking. The individual has demonstrated leadership qualities and a consistent willingness to lend his or her expertise to the Association [Read More...]

brent
New research supports long-held beliefs that length of cryostorage period does not impact embryo survival

SOURCE: Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics April 2014, Volume 31, Issue 4, pp 471-475 A recent article in the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics concluded that storage time did not influence the survival and pregnancy outcomes of slow-frozen early cleavage human embryos. The developmental potential of cryopreserved human embryos with different storage times does not appear to have a negative influence on further development. Access the article on SpringerLink

brent
Storing Frozen Embryos From First IVF Treatment May Be an Advantage

Women Have Good Chances of a Second IVF Pregnancy May 8, 2020/ Source: Amanda D'Ambrosio, MedPage Today - Women who conceived their first child via assisted reproductive technology (ART) and returned for a second baby had better than even probability of getting pregnant again, according to a large population-based study. After six complete cycles, women who recommenced ART treatment with previously frozen embryos had a cumulative live birth rate of 61% to 88%, depending on assumptions made about the likelihood of success in women who dropped out of treatment, reported Georgina Chambers, PhD, of the University of New South Wales [Read More...]