How To Improve Success Rates In Repeated IVF (Test tube baby) Failures

Parenthood is the desire of most couples.  Most of them get naturally blessed with bundle of joy but all are not that fortunate. Medical science has made huge advancements hence majority of couples desirous of children are able to have them with little help. A small percentage needs IVF (In vitro fertilization) or test tube baby treatment (layman term).

IVF has helped many but major limitation of it is poor success rate. Repeated IVF failure is not only physically and financially draining but also emotionally tormenting.

There are two main tings for the failure-either embryo is defective or uterus is not receptive.

These are few advanced ways to improve your IVF success rate-

1)    Endometrial Receptivity Array (ERA)-

This highly specialized test measures the exact time when uterine lining is receptive to accept embryo. It measures the cyclical pattern of 238 genes and determines the exact implantation time in each woman .In ERA, endometrial biopsy is taken on day 17 of dummy frozen embryo biopsy cycle and in the sample, 238 genes are analysed to tell exact implantation window period.It is very helpful in case of recurrent IVF failures.

2)     Pre implantation genetic screening(PGS)

PGSis genetic test performedon the embryos produced through IVF.It examines the exact number of chromosomes of the embryo and helps in differentiating the genetically normal embryos from genetically abnormal embryos. The morphologically normal looking embryos may be genetically abnormal leading to failure of IVF process. Hence this technique identifies genetically normal embryos. 

This is much specialised test done with laser technique wherein laser biopsy of IVF embryo is done and biopsied cell is analysed to see if it is normal or not.

It increases the IVF success rate, decrease miscarriage rate, reduces number of IVF cycles needed to achieve pregnancy, enables single embryo transfer hence avoiding complications of multiple pregnancies.

Above tests can only be done by specially certified IVF centres.

3)    AGE-

Don’t wait too late to start IVF neither jump at it at first go. Success rates of IVF decrease sharply after 35 years.After 40 years donor eggs improve chances of success.

4)   IMSI –

In cases of severe sperm abnormalities (male infertility) IMSI technique where sperms get magnified by 6000 times (in ICSI –sperms are magnified by 400 times) helps in identifying best sperms for fertilization of egg hence improving IVF success rates.

Author

Dr Preeti Jindal

MD, DNB, MRCOG, FICOG

Director: The Touch clinic

Advanced IVF & Boutique gyne centre

A5-A8 Bestech business tower