Dr. Anita Singh - Medical Director

Dr. Anita Singh is a Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist and Infertility Specialist. She completed here residency in OB/GYN and fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at University of CA, Irvine. Following her fellowship, Dr. Singh joined the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. There she led the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility for 8 years. Under Dr. Singh’s direction the division achieved fertility success rates that were among the highest in the nation. Dr. Singh also has been voted "top doctor" in infertility by Phoenix Magazine. She also has been active in research and has various publications in the specialty.

Dr. Singh's area of special interests include: In-Vitro Fertilization, Assisted Reproductive Technologies, Reproductive Surgery (Hysteroscopy and Laparoscopy), Female and Male infertility, Reproductive Aging, Endometriosis and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.

In 2005, Dr. Singh opened LifeStart Fertility Center in Southern California.

Dr. Singh has a unique compassion for all her patients. Her personal experience with infertility helps her to more closely relate to each and every one of her patients. She takes time to listen to the concerns of her patients, develops treatment plans based on individual patient needs, and focuses on providing high quality patient care.

For further information about Dr. Singh, please click here to view her Curricular Vitae.

Egg Donation

Oocyte donation allows women who cannot conceive with there own eggs to become pregnant. The first successful pregnancy and delivery from oocyte donation was reported in 1984 from a woman that had premature ovarian failure.

Premature ovarian failure is one indication for oocyte donation. Other indications include carriers of genetic disorders, diminished ovarian reserve, advanced maternal age, women whose ovaries were removed, and repetitive IVF failure. 

The source of donated eggs can be an anonymous or known donor. The egg donors undergo ovarian stimulation with fertility medications and egg retrieval for the sole purpose of donating their eggs to an infertile couple. Generally egg donors are young, under the age of 34 and fertile. Egg donors must undergo a thorough screening process before being accepted as an egg donor. This screening process includes infectious disease testing, psychological evaluation, laboratory testing, physical exam, medical evaluation, and genetic screening.

The recipient couple of oocyte donation also undergoes an evaluation, some testing, and an examination. Once all the screening and evaluation of the recipient couple and egg donor is successfully completed, treatment begins. The donor and recipient cycles are usually synchronized. The recipient is being prepared to receive the donated eggs with hormone replacement treatment while the egg donor is receiving fertility drugs to stimulate her ovaries. Once the donated eggs are retrieved they are fertilized in-vitro with the recipient partner’s sperm. All the resulting embryos are then available for the recipient couples use. Usually, two embryos are transferred into the recipients uterus and excess embryos are cryopreserved for later use. 

Oocyte donation has allowed many women previously thought unable to conceive, to be able to realize the dream of having a child. 

There are many egg donation agencies available for patients to obtain high-quality oocytes.  Although LifeStart Fertility Center does not endorse specific agencies, a few examples for reference are The World Egg Bank, Fertility Alternatives Inc, Creating New Generations and Egg Donation, Inc.

We highly recommend visiting the Center For Disease Control website as they have much information about national success rates on oocyte donation as well as success of IVF based on the age of the female.

LifeStart Fertility Center welcomes the opportunity to assist you in realizing your dreams. Please feel free to contact us with any questions about the services we offer as well as to set up an initial consultation.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

In Vitro Fertilization, also commonly known as IVF, is the treatment of choice in cases of infertility when both fallopian tubes are blocked. However, IVF may also be used for unexplained infertility, endometriosis, cervical factor infertility, ovulation disorders, or when a man has a low sperm count. In Vitro Fertilization is the process by which eggs (oocytes) are retrieved from the ovary, fertilized by the sperm in the laboratory, and cultured into early embryos. The embryos are then transferred into the uterus.

Since multiple oocytes are desired in order to enhance the likelihood of pregnancy, stimulation with injectable gonadotropins is usually required. Frequent monitoring is necessary during this stimulation time with ultrasounds and blood tests. When these diagnostic methods indicate that the time is appropriate, an hCG injection is taken to mature the eggs. The eggs are retrieved from the ovary just before they are ready to be ovulated.

The eggs are retrieved by ultrasound guided needle aspiration through the vagina. Transvaginal oocyte aspiration is done using intravenous anesthesia.  Your partner also provides a semen sample on the day of egg retrieval. 

After aspiration, the embryologist will determine the number of eggs obtained and classify them as mature, immature, post mature or degenerative.  The semen sample is then processed in the IVF laboratory and both sperm and eggs are placed in a dish and fertilization takes place (in vitro) outside the patient’s body in the laboratory. The fertilization process takes approximately 10-20 hours. Embryos are then cultured for 3-5 days before being replaced back in the uterus by a simple technique much like intrauterine insemination.  The embryo transfer involves loading a thin catheter with the embryos and then gently placing this catheter under ultrasound guidance through the cervix and into the uterine cavity.

Generally, 2-3 embryos are transferred back into the uterus depending on the patient’s age, embryo quality and physician recommendation.

The patient usually receives progesterone to support implantation and embryo growth.  The first pregnancy test is usually 12 days following the embryo transfer.

According to national statistics, approximately 25 to 35 percent of women who try In Vitro Fertilization conceive. However, the likelihood of success can vary from 0 percent to 70 percent depending on such factors including the women's age, the reason for the infertility, and the experience of the IVF program.

For more information on the IVF process, please read from some of these sources:

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine

RESOLVE - The National Infertility Association

American Fertility Association

The International Council on Infertility Information Dissemination (INCIID)