New IVF Procedure Dramatically Increases Chances Of Conception

18.06.2012

AN advanced form of IVF has significantly increased pregnancy rates for couples struggling to conceive.

The new technology allows scientists to examine the genetic structure of an embryo before insemination boosting pregnancy rates by more than 50 per cent.

Killara mum Louise Jackson had almost given up all hope of having another child when she became one of the first in NSW to fall pregnant.

After six failed IVF cycles and a miscarriage, Ms Jackson doubted she would ever conceive again until her doctor suggested she try the practice known as Advanced Embryo Selection.

"Doctors only put back one embryo they had tested and that was my baby Oscar," said Ms Jackson, cradling her three-month-old bundle of joy.

"With the old IVF they would just put an (untested) embryo in and hope for the best."

The technology, pioneered by IVF clinic in Australia, allows lab doctors to remove a single cell from the fertilised embryo and screen all 24 chromosomes before implantation.

They will only implant embryos that are most likely to form a pregnancy.

IVF Australia's doctor said 70 per cent of embryos have an abnormal number of chromosomes, which will not result in a pregnancy.

He said this test increases the chance of a pregnancy by more than half because the technology is targeted.

Since IVF clinic started using this technology in June last year four babies have been born and another 26 women are currently pregnant.

"We have found the technology has significantly increased the pregnancy rates. It's fantastic," doctor said.

"We are targeting women who have had failed IVF cycles or recurrent miscarriages."

The cost was $3000 and there was no Medicare rebate, he added.

Ms Jackson, 37, said she had begun to lose hope after more than a year of trying traditional IVF

"I had used IVF to conceive my first daughter Emelia (now three) and I thought we wouldn't have any problems falling pregnant again," Ms Jackson said.

"But then we had six failed IVF cycles, which was horrible, going through the process of the injections every day.

"I did get pregnant once, but (the baby) didn't last past nine weeks. It was all an emotional rollercoaster."

dailytelegraph.com.au