FertilityAuthority Recognizes an Embryologist Whose Techniques Improve IVF For Patients

May 14, 2010 - PRLog -- FertilityAuthority has named Dr. Barry Behr, Ph.D., H.C.L.D. its Fertility Doctor of the Month for May 2010.  Dr. Behr is at the forefront of clinical and scientific advances in reproduction.  He holds prestigious titles at Stanford Fertility & Reproductive Medical Center including Director, In Vitro Fertilization/Assisted Reproduction Laboratories Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility and Co-Director, Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) Laboratory.  He is also the Consulting Lab Director for La Jolla IVF, and Conceptions Reproductive Associates.  As an embryologist he is responsible for running an assisted reproduction service laboratory and hormone and andrology laboratories, as well as performing clinical research.

Dr. Behr has worked in the area of human IVF for more than 20 years. The first time he saw a human embryo, “a light bulb went off,” Behr says. This led him further down the embryology path and he received his Ph.D. in biology with an emphasis on reproductive technology.  Behr's research is driven by his desire to “understand and devise systems that would improve the experience for IVF patients.”

One of his many significant contributions includes developing a culture medium for embryo development to the blastocyst stage (day-five embryo).  He focuses on selecting the best embryos for implantation, and claims blastocyst (Day 5 embryo) implantation rates are two times that of Day 3 embryos.

With an interest in "testing and developing things that have practical significance for patients,” Dr. Behr has furthered the application and rollout of trophectoderm biopsy on frozen embryos at blastocyst stage from a previous IVF cycle. Currently, the most common technique for embryo biopsy is PGS/PGD using a Day 3 embryo. Trophectoderm biopsy has a number of benefits including higher pregnancy and implantation rates. Behr says patients seek out his practice to do this procedure.  In addition, trophectoderm biopsy can also test embryos to ensure parentage.

Dr. Behr has many responsibilities – administrative, writing, lecturing, and overseeing the IVF program.  He spends about 20 percent of his time in the lab, handling the more technically challenging procedures -- PGD cycles, biopsies and trophectoderm biopsies -- in addition to training team members to ensure competency and innovation in the lab. FertilityAuthority applauds Dr. Behr. Whether in suit or scrubs, he has fertility patients’ well being and success driving his work.

Each month the FertilityAuthority editors, in consultation with their Advisory Board and experts in the field of reproductive medicine, recognize one specialist for his/her ground-breaking research, outstanding patient care, efforts to make treatment accessible or unique treatment philosophy.  Previous Doctor of the Month honorees include James Goldfarb, Robert Stillman, Mitchell Rosen, Tarun Jain, Mark Trolice, John Zhang, Andrew Toledo, Avner Hershlag, Angeline Beltsos, Sherman Silber, and David L. Keefe. Read their profiles along with Dr. Behr’s at www.fertilityauthority.com. Nominations for Doctor of the Month can be emailed to editors@fertilityauthority.com.  

ABOUT FertilityAuthority.com - FertilityAuthority is the only web portal dedicated to fertility. FertilityAuthority encourages women and men to be proactive regarding their fertility and provides the tools and information to do so: best-of-breed content written by healthcare writers and journalists and vetted by reproductive endocrinologists, a robust interactive community of bloggers, columnists and message boards, a growing video library of patient testimonials, breaking fertility news, and a database connecting you to fertility specialists. Visit www.fertilityauthority.com or find it on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

# # #

FertilityAuthority is the only web portal dedicated to fertility. FertilityAuthority encourages women and men to be proactive regarding their fertility and provides the tools and information to do so: best-of-breed content written by healthcare writers and journalists and vetted by reproductive endocrinologists, a robust interactive community of bloggers, columnists and message boards, a growing video library of patient testimonials, breaking fertility news, and a database connecting you to fertility specialists.