Cardone Reproductive Medicine and Infertility, LLC offers cutting edge technology in reproductive sciences and approaches each client in a compassionate and caring manner; as our goal is in unison with yours...to have you bring a baby home.

We accept patients for:

• Primary and secondary infertility
• Recurrent miscarriage/pregnancy loss
• Same sex couples and single women requiring insemination
• Couples and individuals with a family history of genetic disorders
• Women up to age 55, subject to physician approval, for egg donation.
• Women in need of a gestational carrier.

Philosophy and Mission Statement

After working in the field of infertility for more than 20 years, Dr. Cardone has had experience providing all types of advanced treatment for individuals faced with fertility challenges.

After opening the first private self-contained IVF center in Canada, Dr. Cardone and his team were among the first to introduce the latest techniques to the New England area. These advanced treatments included: blastocyst embryo transfers, sperm microinjections, egg donation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), and epididymal sperm aspiration (microsurgical and percutaneous), among others.

Dr. Cardone's ability to confront challenging and complex medical and/or fertility issues has been recognized by many of his peers.

Dr. Cardone openly discusses with patients their chances for a successful pregnancy and allows them to evaluate the pros and cons of undergoing treatment, including medical, emotional and financial considerations.

Today, with his smaller personalized practice, Dr. Cardone treats patients without regard for how they will affect success rate statistics. If there is even a small chance to achieve a pregnancy, he and his team will do their very best to help attain success.

After all, Dr. Cardone and his team at CRMI have committed to treating patients, not statistics...

Services Offered by Cardone Reproductive Medicine & Infertility

• IVF, IUI, PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis)
• Semen analysis and culture
• Hormone assessments through blood monitoring, lab testing and ultrasounds
• Reproductive surgery, surgical evaluations and laparoscopy
• Tubal reversals (see information below)
• Egg donation & gestational carrier programs (see information below)
• Recurrent pregnancy loss (for 2+ miscarriages)
• Primary and secondary infertility (those having 1+ children)
• Male factor infertility
• Treatment of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometriosis as they relate to infertility

Egg Donation Program

The egg donation program has been established to help women who do not produce eggs, produce defective eggs and/or embryos, or are carriers of a genetic condition. Dr. Vito Cardone and his team were the first ones in New England to have a pregnancy following an egg donation.

How to find a donor
The donors are recruited by specialized agencies well known to us. Those agencies have an extended list of donors which specify a variety of characteristics including their hair and eye color, weight, height, education, etc. This list offers the recipients the option to chose a donor that has characteristics similar to their own heritage.

Donors' Evaluation:

1. psychological test
2. meeting with a psychologist
3. initial consult with Dr. Cardone or Amy Kolano , nurse practitioner
4. blood tests which will be repeated 1 month before the ER and ET: HIV 1&2 , Hep B, Hep C, RPR
5. other blood tests including some for genetic diseases
6. vaginal cultures : GC & Chlamydia
7. pap smear
8. HIV 1&2 for the donor's husband

The FDA (federal drug agency) is very strict now regarding all donation of organs or gametes.

Donors' and Recipients' Rights
The intentions of the donor and the recipient are clear and unambiguous from the beginning. When the donor signs her consent form, she agrees to waive any rights and relinquish any claim to the donated eggs, embryos or offspring that might result.

The recipient in turn, releases the egg donor from any liability and accepts the responsibility for any problems occurring during the pregnancy, and for any mental or physical disabilities, financial support, care, custody, education and health of the child(ren) born from the donation. The recipient is also financially responsible for any frozen embryos: storage, care, etc.

Fees
The agency fee is totally separate from the fee for the cycle. For more information, you need to call the billing department.

Success rates
The average success rate with a donor between the age of 21 and 33 is 50% - 60%. Most of the time, there will be frozen embryos that could be used if the fresh cycle fails: the success rate with frozen embryos is around 30%.

For more information, please contact Daniele Cardone, BSN, at danielec@cardonerepromed.com or call her at 781-438-9600.

Gestational Carrier/ Surrogacy Program

The gestational carrier program has been established to help couples who cannot carry a pregnancy for medical reasons. It permits them to have a baby with their genetic material carried by a second woman. The indications to use a carrier are when a woman has no uterus, a congenitally deformed uterus, a uterus unable to support a pregnancy or a medical condition that precludes carrying a pregnancy. The intention following the delivery is to unite the baby (babies) with the "genetic parents."

Recruitment of gestational carriers
Carriers are chosen by the biological parents thru selected agencies. After meeting your carrier, you can make a decision if she is a potential match for you: that person will be part of your life for at least 9 months and responsible for the in-utero health of your child.

Evaluation of carriers:

1. Psychological evaluation with her husband and with the biological parents
2. Uterine cavity evaluation
3. Blood tests to check the hormones
4. Infectious disease screening to fulfill FDA requirement HIV 1 & 2, Hep B & C, toxoplasmosis, RPR, CMV (those tests have to be performed within 6 months)
5. Drug screen in urine
6. GC & Chlam. in vaginal culture
7. Pap smear
8. Mammogram if over 40 years old

Note: The husband will also need blood tests and a drug screen within 6 months.

A legal contract has to be drawn between the biological parents and the carrier in order to avoid future problems and determine the rights and obligations of both parties during and after the pregnancy. All clauses are left at the discretion of both parties and will depend of the relation between the biological couple and their carrier.

Fees
The agency fee is completely separate from the fees for the cycle itself. For more information, you need to contact the billing department.

Success rates
The success rate with a gestational carrier is very dependant on the age of the biological mother because the fertility is very dependant on the age of the ovary. This will be discussed at length by the physician at your consultation.

Most of the time, there will be embryos that we will freeze for an ulterior cycle if the first one is not successful. That adds too to your chances of success.

Time allowed for a cycle
As a regular IVF cycle, for the biological mother, it will last about 2 weeks until the time of egg retrieval. The embryo transfer into the gestational carrier usually takes place 3 days after the egg retrieval.

For more information, please contact Daniele Cardone, BSN, at danielec@cardonerepromed.com or call her at 781-438-9600.

Tubal Reversal Information

Physician:
Vito R.S. Cardone, M.D., Medical Director, Cardone Reproductive Medicine & Infertility

Biography:
Dr. Cardone received his undergraduate degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada and his M.D. degree from Laval University in Quebec. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynecology. His postgraduate training includes reproductive endocrinology, assisted reproductive technology, diagnostic laparoscopy, laparoscopy, laser surgery and microsurgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Royal College of Surgeons in Canada. Dr. Cardone is fluent in French, Italian and Spanish.

Costs:
$250 for initial consultation (required) $8500 for procedure, including physician, anesthesia, room at Beverly Hospital. A laparoscopy or other exploratory or pre-admission testing may not be included.

Payment:
Check, Mastercard or VISA. Insurance does not cover this procedure.

Financing:
Financing is now available through My Medical Loan. Click on the banner ad below and save money by bypassing the application fee and getting your loan approved more quickly.

Hospital:
Beverly Hospital, a division of Northeast Health Systems, Beverly, Mass. (for fees above). A one night stay is included and generally required.

Records:
Please bring a copy of your medical records or operative notes and pathology reports from your tubal ligation to your initial consult or have them sent from your ob-gyn' s office in advance. If you cannot obtain your medical records and are not sure how the procedure was done, it may be necessary to perform a laparoscopy to examine your fallopian tubes and determine if tubal reversal is likely to be successful. In some cases, the tubes can be repaired at that time. If your tubes were corterized ("burned") in more than one place, it may not be possible to repair the tubes and Dr. Cardone will discuss the options with you, mostly likely IVF.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How long do I have to wait after surgery to resume normal activity?
A. Light activity can resume within a few days, strenuous activity within 4-6 weeks.

Q. How long do I have to wait after surgery to begin trying to conceive?
A. 6-8 weeks

Q. Should I use an ovulation predictor kit (available at drug stores)?
A. It is definitely recommended.

Q. Which methods of tubal ligation are easiest to reverse?
A. Tubal clip or ring; Pomeroy method and others to be determined in your initial consultation.

Q. Are there any methods of tubal ligation that cannot be reversed?
A. Yes, the success rate of reversal is very dependant on the amount of tube that has been removed. As you can imagine, the less tube that has been removed or damaged at the ligation, the higher chances for success.

Q. Are pre-operative tests required?
A. The following lab tests are required prior to your tubal reversal surgery: CBC (complete blood count); HIV-1 antibody; Hepatitis B surface antigen; and Hepatitis C RNA or antibody. These tests can be ordered by your own physician. Additional lab tests may be required, depending upon your medical history. Abnormal tests results indicating medical problems will delay scheduling surgery, until corrected. Please request your doctor or lab to fax the results to us at (781) 438-9601.