Repeated IVF failures | What are the next steps?
As successful as IVF is, the procedure sometimes fails to result in pregnancy. In fact, IVF failure can happen several times and, can be extremely painful for couples who are very desirous of having a child.
When there are multiple IVF failures, it is usually difficult to know what the next steps will be. Questions arise such as will I make it to have a baby; what are the reasons behind multiple IVF failures?
Reasons for failure of IVF
EMBRYO QUALITY
One of the most common reasons for IVF failure is that the embryos simply stop growing. Where embryos fail to implant after transfer, it is often due to a defect not found in pre-implantation genetic testing.
AGE OF THE EGGS
The age of the egg affects the quality of the embryo. For women over 35, this can lead to repeated IVF failure.
AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS
Autoimmune diseases affect about 10% of the population and women make up 80% of those diagnosed with autoimmune disorders. Some of the most common immune disorders are Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Addison’s disease, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes and lupus.
CHROMOSOMAL ISSUES
Chromosomal abnormalities in embryos are the main factors in IVF failure, as in natural conception.
Pre-implantation genetic testing detects chromosomal abnormalities before the embryos are implanted in the womb.
Advances in molecular and cellular genetics techniques enable couples to have healthy children without genetic and chromosomal abnormalities. The genetic material that is passed from generation to generation and is required for the normal development of every organism is organised in structures, called chromosomes, in the nucleus of cells. Approximately 50% of automatically aborted embryos have chromosomal abnormalities.
Numerical chromosomal abnormalities are associated with the development of genetic syndromes in humans, such as chromosome 21 trisomy or Down’s syndrome. Another type of genetic abnormalities are monogenic abnormalities, which are associated with diseases such as cystic fibrosis and thalassaemia or thalassemia interferon.
Pre-implantation genetic testing of the embryo is done by biopsy of the embryo during its development: usually on the third or fifth day (blastocyst stage) of its in vitro development.
PGT-A (Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies)
Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies (PGT-A) is recommended for couples with infertility problems undergoing an IVF cycle and aims to analyse the whole genome for chromosome abnormalities in the embryos in order to increase the chances of implantation in the uterus.
Suggested in pairs:
- with a history of miscarriages
- with multiple failed IVF attempts
- where the woman is of advanced reproductive age
PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis)
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has been practiced in recent years by infertility specialists, in combination with IVF in case the parents are suffering from or are carriers of a disease. This technique detects genetic diseases before the embryo is transferred to the uterine cavity.
There are several reasons for IVF failure, but the new techniques do not end the possibility of future success, nor are they solely attributable to the mother.
