Departmental News

Kallen Interviewed by The Daily Dish about Reality TV Discussion on Oocyte vs. Embryo Cryopreservation

September 11, 2023 by Lucy Gardner Carson

(SEPTEMBER 11, 2023) Bravo’s The Daily Dish spoke with Amanda Kallen, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, about an egg-freezing vs. embryo-freezing debate between two women on the reality TV show Real Housewives of New York City.

Amanda Kallen, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences

(SEPTEMBER 11, 2023) Bravo’s The Daily Dish spoke with Amanda Kallen, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences, about an egg-freezing vs. embryo-freezing debate between two women on the reality TV show Real Housewives of New York City.

In a recent episode of the show, one of the women shared her positive experience with freezing her own eggs, something the other woman hadn’t seen through, citing hormone injections and costs. The second woman also claimed that while filling out an intake form, medical professionals suggested she try embryo freezing as a more successful alternative and required her to provide contact information for a potential biological father.

The Daily Dish asked Kallen about the woman’s account of her experience.

Oocyte cryopreservation (egg-freezing), Kallen explained, is when a woman’s eggs are removed from the ovaries and stored for future use as “a way of preserving reproductive ability in women (or individuals with ovaries)” and an alternative for “anyone who isn’t planning pregnancy immediately” but might want to explore their options in the future. “Embryo freezing entails fertilization of the egg with sperm and freezing the resulting embryo. Whereas frozen eggs need to be thawed and fertilized with partner or donor sperm for use at a later date.” Kallen continued, “Embryo freezing entails fertilization of the egg with sperm and freezing the resulting embryo, whereas frozen eggs need to be thawed and fertilized with partner or donor sperm for use at a later date.”

When asked by The Daily Dish if claims that freezing embryos is more successful than freezing eggs, Kallen said it’s a “two-part answer.” Though some studies show that both have a 97 percent success rate, she said the difference is that embryos are “farther along” in the process.

“A frozen egg needs to be fertilized, cultured for a few days in the lab, and then the resulting embryo needs to be transferred back into the uterus. But not all frozen eggs will fertilize well, and not all embryos will continue to grow well in culture, and not all embryos will become a viable pregnancy.”

Kallen did add she’s “never heard of a clinic requiring contact information for a potential father or sperm donor” and that such requirements sounded “intrusive and unnecessary” and “irrelevant to the decision to freeze eggs.”

“If the patient has a male partner, it’s reasonable to discuss whether it’s more appropriate to freeze eggs or embryos, depending on whether it’s a serious [or] long-term relationship,” said Kallen. “But I would hope a doc wouldn’t insist on contact information for a potential father or donor.”

Read full story at Bravo’s The Daily Dish

Announcements

 

We are excited to welcome to our department two new faculty: 
-Karen George, MD, Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (Division of General Obstetrics and Gynecology).  Dr. George is also Associate Dean for Students at Larner College of Medicine

-Amanda Kallen, MD,  Associate Professor of of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences (Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility)

Anne Dougherty, M.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences has now accepted the enhanced role of ODEI Director for Gender Equity.

In this new role Dr. Dougherty will continue her current coordination of workshops, speakers and awards related to the LCOM Gender Equity Initiative.  She will also develop new mentoring and resource programs for women and underrepresented minorities in medicine, participate in analysis and tracking, and collaborate on efforts to enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in faculty recruitment. As ODEI Director for Gender Equity, Dr. Dougherty will report directly to Margaret A. Tandoh, M.D., FACS, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.   Congratulations to Anne on her new role!

CONGRATULATIONS to the following faculty who received promotions (July 2021):
Nathalie Feldman, MD to Associate Professor and Navid Esfandiari, PhD to Professor

Navid Esfandiari, PhD, Professor, REI Division, received the "Star Award" from the 77th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) - October 2021

Congratulations to Justin DeAngelis, MD who was appointed interim assistant dean for students in the Office of Medical Student Education at the Larner College of Medicine, effective March 1. Read more here

A champion for women's health, diversity and science, Elizabeth Bonney, MD recognized in News Spotlight from UVM Larner College of Medicine.  Read the article here.

Navid Esfandiari, PhD, received the “Star Award” from the 76th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) – October 2020

Misty Blanchette Porter, MD, Associate Professor, REI Division, was invited to present at AIUM education webinar - teaching on ORADS and IOTA on the evaluation of adnexal masses – Sept 2020

Justin DeAngelis, MD, Assistant Professor, Ob/Gyn, was selected as Class Mentor to the residency by the class of 2021 and was recently awarded the 2019 APGO Excellence in Teaching Award.

SO PROUD! Congratulations to Katherine Menezes, MD (PGY-3) who was awarded the Clinical Resident of the Year Award by the LCOM graduating Class of 2021!!!!  These are the awards that are given out on Honors Night to and from the graduating class.  Check out the video here.

Marjorie Meyer, MD, Division Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine, was recognized for her work in the treatment of women with opioid dependence during pregnancy in Governor Phil Scott's State of the State address on Jan 9.  Read announcement here

Theresa Ko, PhD (Croucher Fellowship 2006), Assistant Professor in the Division of Reproductive Sciences, was recently interviewed with the Croucher Foundation in December 2019 about her molecular biology quest to reduce maternal deaths.   Read the article here

Elizabeth Bonney, MD, MPH, Professor and Head of the Division of Reproductive Sciences was selected to present the lecture entitled "A Theory of Maternal Immunity" at the 25th Annual Dr. Raymond O. Berry Memorial Lecture on October 18, 2019. Read the announcement here.

Congratulations to Marti Churchill, CNM who received the award for "Excellence in Advanced Nursing" at the Nursing Awards Ceremony  on May 6, 2019.

Congratulations to Tendai Chiware, MD who won the 2019 Beth Fitzpatrick M.D. Citizen of the World Award, awarded by the Global Health Program at UVM LCOM and the Western Connecticut Health Network. 

We are pleased to share news of the appointment of Anne Dougherty, M.D., as Gender Equity Liaison in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI) at The UVM Larner College of Medicine.    Read the announcement here.

Cheung Wong, MD was invested in a formal ceremony on June 8, 2018 as the inaugural Berta Pi-Sunyer Williams Endowed Professor.   Read all about it.

The cover photo on the March 2018 issue of the American Journal of Ob/Gyn is from Dr. Kelley McLean's article Mechanical heart valves in pregnancy:  the necessity of appropriate and careful anticoagulation.

Congratulations to Cheung Wong, MD for his recent appointment as the VP for Clinical Affairs for the University of Vermont Health Network.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Bonney, MD and Natalia Gokina, PhD who have won the NIH RO1 funding for "Systemic Vasculature Remodeling Females:  Effects of the Immune System and Experience of Pregnancy".  The application was scored at the 1st percentile!

Our match results are in!  Announcing our newest residents 2018-2022:  Hayley Pierce (Saint Louis University); Allison Walker (Oregon Health & Science University) and Rebecca Zuckerman (University of Chicago).  We look forward to seeing them soon!

We are excited to welcome our new fellows on July 2, 2018 for their 3 year fellowship:  Maximilian Klein, MD (Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility fellow) and Ankita Kulkarni, MBBS (Maternal Fetal Medicine fellow)

Nathalie Feldman, M.D., Educator Assistant Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, was recently awarded (along with her colleague, Judy Lewis, MD in the Dept. of Psychiatry) the UVM Larner College of Medicine Teaching Academy's "Educational Scholarship Award" for her work on the learning environment.  

Jenna Flanagan, MD (PGY-3) will be presenting a poster "A Needs Assessment for Somali Women:  Optimizing this Populations' Peripartum Care in a Tertiary Care Center in Vermont" at the North American Refugee Health Conference, June 16-18, 2017 in Toronto, Canada.

Erin Morris, MD, received the 2017 APGO Excellence in Teaching Award.  Dr. Morris is an active clinical member of the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine.  She currently serves as our Associate Ob/Gyn Clerkship Director and the Faculty mentor for the Ob/Gyn Student Interest Group. 

May 15, 2017 - Elise Everett, MD was presented the Clinical Teacher of the Year Award from the Class of 2017 during Honors Night.

CONGRATULATIONS to our new interns starting June 2017: Johanna Kelley, Katherine Menezes & Rebecca Parad.