A Baby or Your Money Back...Sher Institutes

I was looking through the RESOLVE website and came across a thread on the message board about the Sher Institutes For Reproductive Medicine. I wanted to pass it along to my readers  - in case you are looking for a new fertility clinic. From what I've read so far, the Sher Institutes (there are several around the country including NYC, LA, Dallas and the Lehigh Valley Area) offer more cutting edge and thorough treatments. Not a "one-size fits all" treatment like other RE's but they look at other aspects including a woman's immune system and how that could be causing  "unexplained infertility."

I looked up the office closest to me and found this description of the doctor in charge.

The office is led by Dr. Albert Peters, a board certified Reproductive Endocrinologist (Fertility Specialist). Dr. Peters has a unique approach to treatment, incorporating various eastern philosophies such as acupuncture, massage, yoga, tai chi and herbology into traditional reproductive medicine. His patients rave about his compassionate, personalized approach to treatment.

I like the way this sounds so my hubby and I will be checking out a free seminar given by the Sher Institutes'  founder Geoffrey Sher and Dr. Peters later this month!

I also found a 2003 article published on CNN.com that talked about Dr. Sher's motivations and his unique take on fertility treatments.

The best-known of Sher's innovations is what he calls the "outcome-based" plan. He guarantees that a couple will have a baby within three rounds of IVF, or he will refund as much as half the cost, depending on the woman's age (one of the major factors that affect conception). When he initiated this concept in 1995, he encountered criticism from both members and officials of the American Medical Association. The idea of basing a fee on outcome is anathema to most physicians. The standard argument: How does one know cancer will remain in remission? But in fertility science, as Sher points out, there is a clearly defined outcome: a baby. Because only 15% of patients have insurance coverage for IVF, the outcome-based plan has also provided a canny competitive edge. About 50 U.S. clinics have emulated Sher and started offering similar plans.

Sher also pioneered research linking failed pregnancies to overly thin uterine linings and found that viagra (Yes, viagra!) helped the issue.

Years ago Sher used nitroglycerine patches as a therapy for women with that problem. But in 1999 he started recommending Viagra. That opened another chapter in the drug's twisted life: Viagra was originally designed as a heart medication, but men participating in clinical trials found that it had some interesting side effects, and then Sher discovered that it could help infertile women by increasing the blood flow to the uterus and thereby thickening the lining. Sher is the doctor behind the world's first "Viagra baby," prompting jokes from Jay Leno. Sher also receives regular potshots from fellow IVF practitioners, who say he is over-hasty and irresponsible about introducing new therapies. "If they don't agree with my practices, why are they so quick to adopt them?" says Sher, unfazed.

To read the full article click here.