A new improved method in IVF can increase the chances of pregnancy

10.07.2015

A recent discovery published online in the journal Nature Communications holds a promise in resolving the poor success rates of in vitro fertilization (IVF) which had previously led to high incidence of chromosomal abnormalities in human embryos.

The research team led by Shawn L. Chavez, Ph.D. at Stanford University focused on looking at the period of first mitotic phase - a short phase in the cell cycle - and examined the difference between normal and abnormal embryos at the first stage of development through correlating their chromosomal make-up to a subset of 12 genes that were activated before the first cell division.

It takes embryos three to five days of formation and only until they were created can embryologists determine whether or not embryos formed were abnormal.

According to European statistics stated in the paper, only about 1.5 percent of IVF embryos in Europe successfully develop into born babies. Among all other factors, development of created embryos have brought to non-pregnancy, as there are about 50 to 80 percent of them appeared to have chromosomal abnormality according to Medical Xpress.

Due to the discovery, the amount of time to culture embryos will be less making it faster for embryologists to transfer them for implantation. There will also be a slimmer chance that the development of the embryos will not develop into pregnancy or result into a miscarriage in mothers.

"Many couple(sic) are choosing to have children later in life, and this trend is only going to continue," said Chavez, co-author and assistant scientist in the Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at OHSU, and assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Physiology and Pharmacology, in OHSU School of Medicine, as quoted in the news release.

"A failed IVF attempt takes an emotional toll on a woman who is anticipating a pregnancy as well as a financial toll on families, with a single IVF treatment costing thousands and thousands of dollars per cycle. Our findings also bring hope to couples who are struggling to start a family and wish to avoid the selection and transfer of embryos with unknown or poor potential for implantation," explained the co-author.

There were 117 human fertilized eggs - coming from 19 couples and created through in vitro fertilization - included in the analysis. This new research was the first to combine chromosomal constitution, single-cell gene expression (SCGE) and time-lapse imaging to examine human embryos. The SCGE profiling was used to measure the activity of numerous genes at the same time, their basis in judging the embryos as to whether they are chromosomally normal or not.

From the successful research, scientists hope that it will help more families achieve successful pregnancies. "IVF has helped countless women all over the world, and we now have the technology and research to improve a couple's chances of having a biological child of their own. This discovery can potentially increase those chances," said the co-author.

Source: ischoolguide.com