Dear Friends,
As we revel in the summer sun, we look optimistically at a future full of innovation and renewal.
In this newsletter, we bring you good news for the Lakewood community and indeed the entire tri-state area.
We are also including eye-opening updates from several conferences that created a stir in the OB/GYN arena.
As always, we encourage you to reach out with any comments, questions, or requests.
Wishing you a happy and healthy summer,
Yitzchok Melber
WE ARE HONORED TO ANNOUNCE:
The opening of a new fertility clinic is always a reason for hope and excitement. But never have we been as delighted as we are now – with the launch of Conceive NJ, a state-of-the-art fertility center in the heart of Lakewood, NJ under the helm of our dear friend Dr. Isaac Glatstein.
Dr. Glatstein has spent 22 years as the director of the IVF Center at Harvard University, overseeing the births of 70,000 babies, and has always been a visionary in the field. Now, he brings his expertise, sensitivity, and uniquely caring nature to the Orthodox community of Lakewood and beyond.
Rabbi and Mrs. Melber were privileged to meet with Dr. Glatstein and have only the most effusive praise. This is an incredible new revolution for the couples in our community facing infertility.
Conceive NJ will offer the full workup and treatments to the community with cutting-edge treatments & procedures.
Dr. Glatstein traveled the world in the last few years going to seminars and conferences bringing the latest innovations in treatments, processes and procedures, bringing these services in-house.
Rabbi Melber’s warm and hearty relationship with Dr. Glatstein has been cemented throughout their mutual attendance at many medical conferences, and they continued to be in touch at every juncture throughout the planning and building stages of this unique facility.
The care is personalized and culturally sensitive, which are both so essential to couples in this vulnerable state.
We extend a warm and heartfelt Bracha to this incredible doctor and his dedicated team – may they see Hatzlacha in their hallowed endeavor and be Zoche to see many more Neshamos enter the world through their incredible care.
Dr. Glatstein has a long-standing relationship with Tahareinu and the Lakewood community, speaking at the annual Tahareinu conference for Rabbonim and Kallah Teachers in Lakewood multiple times over the past few years.
Appointments can be made by calling the office at 732-806-1613, visiting their website conceivenj.com, or emailing info@conceivenj.com.
RABBI MELBER ATTENDS RCOG CONFERENCE
The Royal College of Gynecology conference in England takes place only once in 3 years – and is always a hotbed of innovation.
Professor Joop Laven M.D PH.D. announced new guidelines for PCOS. Until now, in order to diagnose PCOS, a patient had to have 2 out of the 3 main symptoms: Acne, irregular cycles, and an ultrasound showing (many) undeveloped follicles.
The updated recommendation (in addition to the above symptoms) for diagnosing PCOS has changed to include a simple AMH blood test. The benefits include easier access and greater clarity, as well as determining POI issues simultaneously.
In the States and the UK this test is covered; in Israel it is still private.
Dr. Scott Nelson delivered a lecture on role of AMH in fertility preservations and beyond. Whenever the question of whether to freeze eggs or not arises, either because someone is approaching age 30, has endometriosis, or, is undergoing chemo – how do we determine the protocol?
Usually AMH can give us the info regarding the ovarian reserve in order to provide the answer.
Oncology patients should undergo egg-freezing before starting chemotherapy treatments, and perform the test before and after chemotherapy. Girls who have not begun menstruating by their late teens, or, who have not had a period for a full year should take this test and repeat it every year that their AMH is showing low.
AMH has a wealth of additional uses that are now beginning to be fully realized.
At Tahareinu, we recommend this test often when we see the need.
Dr. Ippokratis Sarris, Director and Consultant in Reproductive Medicine at King’s Fertility delivered another lecture focusing on two reasons for failed IVF: Thrombophilia (clotting) and immunology. He recommended that after RIF or 3 or more failed IVF cycles these 2 factors should be investigated.
Professor Adam Balen, Professor of Reproductive Medicine at Leeds Hospital in the UK and member of FIGO, released a new classification of disorders of ovulation (#1 cause of female infertility) – known as the HyPOP classification: Hypothalamic Pituitary Ovarian PCOS.
This tool is another major advancement that puts the whole field of infertility into a new phase of progress allowing for greater investigation and treatment.
Another lecture, “The Forgotten Father – Male Factors in Miscarriage” was delivered by Dr. Stephen Gordon of the Center of Reproductive Immunology and Pregnancy. Dr. Gordon brought the guidelines from the American Urology Association, or AUA, in 2021: In couples with failed ART cycles or RPL, the male partner should be evaluated with a focus on sperm DNA. The European Association of Urology, or EAU, in 2020 states that couples with RPL and men with unexplained male infertility indicate that sperm DNA may be damaged. The new 6th Edition WHO recommends testing DFI (DNA Fragmentation Indix) as a cause for infertility and/or miscarriages.
Dr. Sarah Robertson delivered a lecture on the topic of immunotherapy. Dr. Robertson posited that a healthy immune response helps pregnancy success, and focused on the importance of immune response in helping healthy implantation and placental development. In Dr. Robertson’s opinion, poor immune response raises the risk of pregnancy loss, specifically with first pregnancy or RIF.
In order to improve immune response, one should first incorporate lifestyle changes: increase vegetable and protein in one’s diet, and exercise, considering that people with obesity have weaker immune profiles.
The next step would be medications: Intra-lipid, IVIG, and others, which in some cases would be beneficial and recommended for immune disorders.
UTERINE TRANSPLANTS: THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE
At a recent Israeli conference, Rabbi Melber was fortunate to meet Dr. Ben-Shachar, who is developing a method for uterine transplants which has already been approved by the Israeli government. This procedure will be free for Israelis – with the same high level treatment as in the US, where it costs roughly $300,000!
In general, it is often worthwhile for couples to come to Israel for fertility treatments, which are considerably more affordable even when paying privately.
TAHAREINU LIVE SHIURIM – COMING TO YOUR COMMUNITY!
Tahareinu had the honor hosting 6 shiurim around Yerushalaim during the past 4 weeks. Four shiurim were given to Rabbonim in Ramat Eshkol, Romemma, Bircas Moshe and Ganei Geulah, and two shiurim for women in the Sanhedria/Ramat Eshkol neighborhoods. Tahareinu will I”H be hosting shiurim in Melbourne, AU during the month of Tammuz, along with multiple shiurim in the Arze Habira neighborhood of Yerushalaim.
If you would like Tahareinu to come to your community please reach out to tzvi.goldman@tahareinu.com.
In the past 8 weeks we’ve hosted shiurim in:
- Lakewood
- Boro Park
- Chicago (4 different neighborhoods)
- Yerushalayim (5 different neighborhoods)
TAHAREINU PROFESSIONAL COURSE – LAST CHANCE!
Our English course is sold out and underway, with close to 100 Rabbanim, Kallah teachers, and professionals from around the world enrolled. (The course is recorded, for information pertaining to the course/recordings please email tzvi.goldman@tahareinu.com
The Yiddish course is starting this Monday, July 4! To enroll, please email tzvi.goldman@tahareinu.com
Got a question about relieving tahara problems, infertility, reproductive health, pain or other related issues?
call the Tahareinu hotline
Call the Tahareinu Hotline!
For ongoing infertility, recurrent pregnancy loss, or reproductive genetic issues,
you and your spouse are warmly invited to schedule an in-person, phone or Zoom consultation with our founder and president, Rabbi Yitzchok Melber.
Please send an email to rabbimelber@tahareinu.com Include your first name and location, and briefly describe your issue.
Personal consultations are for more involved reproductive issues. Note the Israel
office has reopened for in-person consultations, in line with the country’s coronavirus status.
IMPORTANT
Most Tahareinu issues are addressed by our hotline advisors, 13 hours a day, 5 days a week. If you are unsure whether to schedule a consultation, call the hotline first.