In recent years, fertility treatment has come a long way. It has witnessed several improvements and trends contributing to higher success rates and a better treatment experience for couples opting for assisted reproductive techniques to plan a family. Experiencing the joys of parenthood is a goal for many couples, but it may be difficult for some to conceive due to several factors.
Several studies have indicated that India’s desire for IVF procedures has consistently climbed. A study undertaken by EY has indicated that expenditures for IVF treatments are expected to double between 2021 and 2027. These figures indicate that the Indian IVF sector is thriving and has a promising future. Despite countless shifts and improvements in this sector, many individuals are curious about the most recent discoveries in IVF, cryopreservation, and embryo freezing.
The Channel 46 collaborated with Dr Aviva Pinto Rodrigues, Fertility Consultant at Nova IVF Fertility, who lists 5 notable trends in IVF treatments to watch out for in 2023.
1. Stem Cell-Related Treatment
In recent years, stem cells have become a trend in the area of IVF, with researchers investigating their potential to increase fertility and pregnancy rates. Stem cells injected into the ovary can increase oocyte quantity and in the endometrium can increase endometrial thickness. They are undifferentiated cells that can differentiate into any type of cell in the body, which can heal damaged tissue and replenish new cells, making them a viable treatment option for a variety of illnesses.
Some research suggests that stem cells may be capable of repairing damaged tissue in the ovaries and enhancing egg quality, resulting in better fertility therapy outcomes. Stem cell therapy is among the most investigated issues in medicine and fertility.
2. Artificial Intelligence
In the field of IVF, artificial intelligence (AI) is indeed becoming more prevalent, so much so that it is a trend. Fertility specialists are making use of AI because it has demonstrated promising results with its ability to evaluate enormous volumes of data and detect patterns that are not visible to the human eye, making them important tools for forecasting pregnancy outcomes and picking the most promising embryos for transfer. Paired with a skilled fertility specialist, AI is a great tool to minimise errors and also improve the outcome of a successful IVF cycle.
3. Oocyte Cryopreservation
Oocytes Cryopreservation or egg freezing is a process where the eggs / oocytes of a woman are frozen and used at a later date. Initially this was done mainly for patients suffering from Cancers and other medical ailments where the treatment needed would have destroyed their ovarian reserve. Social egg freezing is now gaining ground as it gives older women the chance to freeze eggs and use them for conceiving in the future. This treatment is now gaining ground really quickly.
4. Genetic Screening (Preimplantation)
Preimplantation genetic testing and preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) are other IVF trends that include examining embryos for genetic problems before transferring them to the uterus for implantation. This can increase the odds of a successful pregnancy and lower the risk of miscarriage. PGT-A and PGT-M are also used to test for genetic diseases, allowing carriers of certain problems to produce healthy offspring.
5. Endometrial Receptivity Analysis – ERA
The Endometrial Receptivity Analysis (ERA) helps to transfer embryos which increases conception rates and the result of endometrial lining gene expression at particular points during a woman’s ovulation cycle, the ERA test is distinctive. It tracks 238 different genes and establishes a patient-specific implantation window of receptivity, high sensitivity, and specificity have been emphasised by ERA in the detection of gene expression profiles linked to receptivity. Therefore, this test offers important benefits by cutting the number of IVF cycles a couple has to complete to conceive successfully and reducing the risk of miscarriage.
Reproductive technologies have advanced significantly in recent years and will continue to evolve and improve. From assisted hatching and preimplantation genetic screening and diagnosis to time-lapse imaging and artificial intelligence, several trends, and breakthroughs in the field of reproductive care are helping to enhance patient outcomes and experiences.
Skilled fertility specialists combined with new-age technology and tools can treat couples for infertility and help them start the cherished journey of parenthood.
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