Medical Reviewer
Equity. Access. Progress. These are the foundations upon which Dr. Arian Khorshid, MD is building his career in reproductive medicine. He is currently a clinical fellow in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at Stanford University. His academic journey started as a biomedical engineer at the University of Virginia, where he earned his Bachelor's in Science with High Distinction in 2014. He subsequently obtained his medical doctorate at the University of Colorado where he received several merit-based scholarships for his work in medical education and underserved medical care. His residency training at Stanford University was marked by his dedication to reproductive medicine. He was recognized nationally with the 2022 SREI Resident Award for Excellence in REI for his contributions to the field.
Dr. Khorshid's mission is to enhance equity and accessibility of fertility care. His research interests focus on cost-effectiveness analyses, epigenetic aging, and the disposition of surplus embryos. He has presented his work at the ASRM Scientific Congress and Pacific Coast Reproductive Society (PCRS) meetings and has published several manuscripts in Fertility & Sterility and Journal of Assisted Reproduction & Genetics, amongst others. His decision analysis on the transfer of mosaic embryos was recognized with the Excellence in Training Award at PCRS in 2023.
Embryo freezing, also known as cryopreservation, is an assisted reproductive technology which involves storing preimplantation-stage embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Cryopreservation is done at extremely low temperatures (-196°C or -321°F) to halt embryo development and preserve their vitality, in a process called vitrification. Following vitrification, these embryos can be safely cryopreserved (frozen) for extended periods until they are thawed for transfer back to the uterus (frozen embryo transfer).
Cryopreservation is necessary when preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is chosen. Typically, fresh embryos undergo a biopsy before freezing to allow time for the genetic tests to be conducted. However, there are cases where patients decide that they want to perform genetic testing of previously frozen embryos. In these circumstances, frozen embryos must be thawed for biopsy, then refrozen until further use. This means that the embryos will undergo an additional freeze-thaw round compared to the typical protocol.
Diminished ovarian reserve is a condition in which the amount (quantity) of oocytes left in a women’s ovaries is low, as determined by ovarian reserve testing. This might result in infertility for some women. In addition, for females going through fertility treatments, DOR may put them at risk of having a poor response to fertility drugs.
Acupuncture is a type of complementary medicine involving the insertion of small needles into specific acupuncture points in the body. It is believed to work by stimulating the nervous system, which can then affect muscles and glands. It has been estimated that over 30 percent of women undergoing fertility treatment will access an alternative medical approach such as acupuncture during their treatment.i Fertility acupuncture gained popularity in North American around 2009. Since then, research of varying quality has been conducted to assess the role of acupuncture in both male and female fertility. Its effectiveness in helping improve fertility, especially with respect to IVF success rates, remains unclear.
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