On Sunday, June 24, Reading Hospital will host a celebration honoring the 30th anniversary of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) program that began at Women's Clinic, Ltd., now known as Advanced Fertility and Reproductive Medicine - Tower Health Medical Group. The celebration will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Reading Hospital Conference Center.
Berks County's first IVF baby was delivered on January 15, 1988. As of June 13, 2018, a total of 607 IVF babies have been delivered. Some of the practice's IVF babies and their parents are expected to attend the celebration.
In vitro fertilization is an assisted reproductive technology that fertilizes a mother's egg with a father's sperm in a laboratory dish. The process includes drug therapy to stimulate the growth and maturation of healthy eggs, retrieval of the eggs from the mother in a minor surgical procedure, insemination that combines the egg and the sperm for fertilization, and transfer of the embryo to the mother's uterus.
Advanced Fertility and Reproductive Medicine - Tower Health Medical Group was one of the first private practices in the United States to offer an IVF program. The practice began training for the procedure in 1984, and its physicians and staff continue to offer leading-edge IVF care.
Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians, specialists, and advanced practice providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for four consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.