Sweet’s Rules: Four simple rules I use each day to guide me as I diagnose and treat my infertile patients

During National Infertility Awareness Week, I’d like to share my four patient care rules. I made them up rather spontaneously nearly 22 years ago and I still use them each and every day when I am uncertain of what to tell a patient or how we should proceed.

Before the rules are invoked, it is most important to first understand what brings patients to my clinic. By understanding the causes of their infertility, I will better be able to tailor a treatment plan specific to their needs. Some patients feel this is a waste of time and want to proceed immediately to treatment, but I strongly recommend understanding the issues first before proceeding forward.

So, once the evaluation is complete, my Sweet’s Rules are used to guide us forward-

1. Get my patients pregnant as fast as I can
Time can be an enemy and patients are not necessarily patient. We need to complete the evaluation quickly and move forward as most of my patients wanted to be pregnant many yesterdays ago. Some will call this a “duh!” rule, but it is still a good one to keep me moving forward as the patient desires.

2. Achieve success in the most cost-effective manner possible
We always want to choose the least costly conception method. This might even mean sending the patients on a date to try natural means for a tad bit longer. Hopefully, the successful patient potentially saves a bundle by my guiding them away from costly alternatives. Sometimes, adoption is also the best option and I’ll send them down this new road, if it is needed, even if the practice loses a patient. My cardinal rule is to treat the patients like family and tell them what I would tell someone close to me, regardless of the gain or loss to the practice. Practicing this way has always served may patients well.

3. Minimize complications (i.e., no litters)
I took an oath to do no harm and I take that oath very, very seriously. A multiple pregnancy can be a million dollar pregnancy with complications too long to list here. Always pull back, no matter how much pressure from the patient, if I fear a complication is likely.

4. Minimize the use of procedures with minimal chances of success
This may be the most important rule. I do not like being a “Gynechiatrist” (borrowed from the movie “Knocked Up”) by performing procedures that are unlikely to work. While some patients need to try a procedure destined for probable failure, to have closure and the inner knowledge that they gave it a shot, I prefer to move quickly through these treatments and get the patient to understand what will truly bring them to their goal.

I tell patients these rules when I am trying to guide them through their treatment plan. I believe it helps them to understand why I am telling them something, especially when they don’t necessarily want to hear it. Understanding my motivations, I believe, helps them to appreciate that I truly have their best interests at heart. By following these simple four rules, I will always keep my patients’ needs first and foremost.

While I may not be successful with all my patients, I will always try my best, give them the best information I can and provide options that simply make sense. Interestingly, these rules help me keep on the path, as much as they simultaneously guide my patients, as we make decisions and travel the infertility to fertility journey together.

By: Dr. Craig R. Sweet

Medical Director & Founder

Dr. Craig Sweet, April 22nd 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Questions & Answers

No Longer Silent – National Infertility Awareness Week

national infertility awareness weekEach year, physicians such as myself, fertility patients, their caregivers and families dedicated to raising awareness about the disease of infertility which affects 7.3 million Americans. RESOLVE, the national infertility association, has coordinated this week, April 24 through the 30 and we fully support it and encourage you to speak up in support as well. For information on how you can get involved in infertility awareness projects around the country and upcoming Advocacy Day on May 5, visit RESOLVE at www.resolve.org/takecharge.

At SRMS, we are committed to providing the highest quality care and support to patients and their families. Infertility is a disease, it is important and we are working to raise awareness on your behalf. For more information, visit www.dreamababy.comor call 239-275-8118.

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Dr. Craig Sweet, April 20th 2011 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Diseases and Complications, Events, Fertility, In The News, Infertility

‘The Fertility Chase’ featuring Fort Myers physician and patients set to air May 15

Southwest Florida physician, Dr. Craig R. Sweet, a reproductive endocrinologist and medical director of Specialists in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, and several of his patients will be featured in the new independently produced television series “The Fertility Chase” began airing on Saturday, May 15 from 8:30-9 a.m. on WE tv, the Women’s Entertainment cable television network. The half-hour program produced by Exodus Productions will highlight the issue of embryo donation and the story of 44-year-old Kerry Lewis, a patient of Sweet’s and mother-to-be.

“As I approached the age of 44, I said to myself, ‘even though I’m still not married, I have a lot of love to give’ so I pursued having a child on my own,” says Lewis. “With a history of reproductive problems, I was devastated to learn from my previous physician that I would need a hysterectomy. I would never have a child of my own.”

After researching her options including adoption, Lewis, a nurse, was referred to Sweet where she learned more about embryo donation and surrogacy. Through a process called cryopreservation or embryo freezing, excess embryos resulting from in vitro fertilization are stored for future use. When genetic parents elect not to use remaining embryos, rather than destroy the embryos or donate them to science, they may chose to donate their embryos to infertile patients. An estimated 500,000 embryos are currently in cryopreservation in the United States.

Lewis chose to accept donated embryos and a surrogate. Christina Lynn, a friend and fellow nursing colleague of Lewis, offered to be her surrogate.

Less than two weeks after Sweet transferred the donated embryos into Lynn, Lewis received the news that she had been hoping for.

“It was amazing to learn that Christina was pregnant and I would soon be a mother,” says Lewis. “I’m grateful to Christina for carrying my child and to Dr. Sweet and the miracle of modern medicine. Embryo donation is truly a gift of life.”

Lewis recently moved from Port Charlotte to Stuart but will return “home” to participate in the upcoming birth of her daughter.

Specialists in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, P.A. is a reproductive endocrinology practice providing comprehensive and compassionate reproductive endocrine care including IVF, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), egg donation, embryo donation, gestational surrogacy, conventional surrogacy, oocyte cryopreservation, cryopreservation of ovarian/testicular tissues, sex selection, gynecology, genetics, endocrinology as well as menopausal diagnostic and treatment services.

For more information, visit http://www.dreamababy.com/the-fertility-chase.php or http://www.sweetfertility.com/. Become a fan of Dr. Sweet on Facebook and follow him on Twitter. Become a fan of The Fertility Chase on Facebook.

admin, May 7th 2010 | Tags: , ,
Posted in Uncategorized

Southwest Florida fertility specialist, patients featured in new nationally televised series, ‘The Fertility Chase’

Local fertility patients and physician, Dr. Craig R. Sweet, a reproductive endocrinologist and medical director of Specialists in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, will be featured in a new independently produced television series “The Fertility Chase” scheduled to begin airing on May 1, 8:30 – 9 a.m. EST on WE tv, the Women’s Entertainment cable television network. The launch of the series, produced by Exodus Productions, coincides with National Infertility Awareness Week, April 24 – May 1, a week dedicated to raising awareness about infertility, a condition affecting 7.3 million Americans. The segment featuring Sweet and his patients is scheduled to air on Saturday, May 15 and will highlight the issue of embryo donation.

One local couple featured in the show, Walter and Amy Costello from Sanibel, underwent in vitro fertilization following diagnosis and treatment for endometriosis, a leading cause of infertility. Under the care of Sweet and his staff, the couple implanted two embryos and chose to save their remaining four embryos to try for more children in the future or to donate to another infertile patient.

Through a process called cryopreservation or embryo freezing, excess embryos resulting from in vitro fertilization are stored for future use. An estimated 500,000 embryos are currently in cryopreservation in the United States.

“In addition to minimizing the opportunity for multiple births, cryopreservation gives families the opportunity to have more children in the future,” says Sweet. “In the event that patients choose not to transfer and use all of their remaining embryos, our patients are given the option to donate them to research or to other infertility patients who have chosen embryo donation to build their family.”

“In our case, we hope to use our embryos to grow our family someday,” says Amy. “However, should we decide not to do so, we have indicated our wishes to give the gift of life to another family through embryo donation.”

Less than two weeks after the Costello’s own embryos were implanted, the couple received long-awaited news: “We are expecting a baby boy, due on June 20, Father’s day,” says Amy. “It was a long, emotionally and financially difficult journey, but we couldn’t be happier. We are truly blessed.”

Specialists in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, P.A. is a reproductive endocrinology practice providing comprehensive and compassionate reproductive endocrine care including IVF, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), egg donation, embryo donation, gestational surrogacy, conventional surrogacy, oocyte cryopreservation, cryopreservation of ovarian/testicular tissue, sex selection, gynecology, genetics, endocrinology as well as menopausal diagnostic and treatment services.

For more information, visit www.dreamababy.com. Become a fan of Dr. Sweet on Facebook and follow him on Twitter. Become a fan of The Fertility Chase on Facebook.

admin, April 23rd 2010 | Tags: , ,
Posted in In The News