IVF is an emotional process filled with hope and stress. People often think about the success rate and happiness they will get post the treatment. But, they must be aware of reasons for failure of IVF before beginning the IVF journey.
Because it is difficult to accept that your IVF treatment fails at the last minute. So, understanding the reasons for in vitro fertilization failure prepares your mind to make informed decisions.
Therefore, keep exploring this blog to spot out the reasons for IVF failure and increase the success rate.
Common Reasons for IVF Failure
In Vitro fertilization is a common yet successful treatment for people with fertility issues. Fertility experts examine the patients and help them to conceive.
IVF Doctors retrieve the eggs from the women, collect sperm from a male partner or donor to inject it into the eggs. Then, the embryo is processed in the laboratory and transferred to the woman’s womb.
No doubt that the success rate of IVF is high, but there is a chance for failure also. In this section, you’ll know about some common reasons for IVF failure.
- Embryo quality.
- Endometrial receptivity.
- Chromosome abnormalities.
- Laboratory conditions.
- Ovarian response.
- Age and egg quality.
- Lower ovarian reserve.
- Uterine abnormalities.
- Poor blood flow to the womb.
- Abnormal sperm.
Embryo Quality:
The quality of the embryos is crucial for successful implantation. Poor-quality embryos may not have the necessary genetic integrity or developmental potential to implant in the uterine lining, leading to failure. Factors affecting embryo quality include the age of the egg and sperm, as well as the conditions under which they were fertilized and cultured.
Chromosome Abnormalities
Genetic abnormalities in embryos can lead to implantation failure or early miscarriage. These abnormalities can arise from the egg or sperm and are more common as maternal age increases. Preimplantation genetic testing can help identify these issues before transfer.
Age-Related factors
Female age is directly connected with ovarian reserve, which declines as women get older. Typically, an ovary releases an egg every month, so there will be a decrease in reserve during her mid-30s. In the IVF process, fertility medications will be provided that induce an ovary to produce more eggs. So, the problem starts here.
This affects the chances of pregnancy through IVF treatments. However, it doesn’t mean that women over the age of 35 can’t get pregnant. Age factor is one of the reasons for IVF failure as it decreases egg quality and quantity.
Lifestyle factors
Most of the people are following a sedentary lifestyle in this busy world. This is also a reason for in vitro fertilization failure. Habits like excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking, following a poor diet, including junk foods, and improper sleep cycle can also affect the success rate of IVF.
Fertility experts suggest that at least you must cut off these habits before two or four months of IVF procedures. Both men and women who undergo IVF treatment should practice these habits.
Underlying health issues
Conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), autoimmune disorders, and endometriosis are the reasons for IVF failure. Fertility experts perform screening tests to address these issues. According to the level of these health problems, your IVF results will change.
Genetic factors and medications
Poor embryo quality,chromosomal abnormalities, and genetic anomalies lead to implantation failure or early miscarriages. Fertility medications must be included during the IVF treatments.
These supplements trigger the ovary to produce more eggs and growth of the egg. Excessive or insufficient response of ovary to the fertility drug can affect egg quality and quantity, which impact the success rate of IVF.
What can be done to Improve IVF success rates?
Holding the little fingers of the baby is a dream for many couples facing infertility issues. Artificial insemination techniques such as ICSI, IUI, and IVF help to achieve this dream.
While undergoing the IVF treatment, patients may face emotional traumas and different symptoms that can affect the IVF outcomes. Showing extra care and attention to yourself prevents IVF failures and improves the success rate.
- Intake foods to nourish eggs and uterus like spinach, broccoli, brown rice, pumpkin seeds, berries, avocado, peas, and fresh vegetables.
- Consider foods for motile sperms such as banana, pomegranate, oysters, berries, walnuts, red beans, and eggs.
- Limit caffeine consumption.
- Consume folic acid and vitamin D supplements.
- Get enough sleep and follow a pattern regularly.
- Reduce stress and practice healthy lifestyle habits.
- Quit smoking and drinking.
- Follow an ideal IVF diet and take fertility medications properly.
- Practice the habits insisted by your doctor throughout the IVF treatment.
Is there treatment for recurrent IVF failure?
Failure of IVF treatment is not the end of your parenthood. Many couples understand it and find some best ways to cope up with IVF failure. However, there is no treatment for continuous IVF failures. Couples can also try to get pregnant naturally, this also works out sometimes.
You can try the maximum number of cycles or opt for surrogacy or adoption. But, make sure you do all the sufficient tests like preimplantation genetic screening, blood tests, and others.
Apart from this, doctors perform a few assessments to identify the root cause of the IVF failure. They are immune testing, infection screening, uterine cavity assessment, sperm assessment, and karyotyping (to identify genetic problems). Such screenings can help patients in the next IVF cycle and improve the chances of pregnancy.
Failure of IVF treatment is not the end of your parenthood. Many couples understand it and find some best ways to cope up with IVF failure. However, there is no treatment for continuous IVF failures. Couples can also try to get pregnant naturally, this also works out sometimes.
You can try the maximum number of cycles or opt for surrogacy or adoption. But, make sure you do all the sufficient tests like preimplantation genetic screening, blood tests, and others.
Apart from this, doctors perform a few assessments to identify the root cause of the IVF failure. They are immune testing, infection screening, uterine cavity assessment, sperm assessment, and karyotyping (to identify genetic problems). Such screenings can help patients in the next IVF cycle and improve the chances of pregnancy.
When to consider another IVF Cycle?
If unfortunately you didn’t get any positive results after the first cycle, then you must learn to wait. Yes, sufficient spacing between IVF cycles is important.
The standard spacing between cycles is around four to six weeks post a negative pregnancy test. That indicates, a fresh IVF cycle shouldn’t take place two months in a row without a menstrual cycle in between.
Don’t lose hope if the first IVF cycle fails. Because the second IVF cycle is comparatively more effective and has positive pregnancy outcomes.
Conclusion
Whether you’re at the consultation stage or undergoing IVF process, you need to be aware of the causes of IVF failure. It keeps you even more conscious throughout the process.
And, a lot of advancements are available in the medical field to address such causes. So, you can contact your fertility specialists if you sense any difference after the embryo transfer.
FAQs
Yes, laser-assisted hatching and preimplantation genetic testing are the two notable advancements of IVF treatments. It improves the embryo selection process and the success rate of In vitro fertilization.
Research concludes that psychological stress didn’t affect the IVF outcomes. But, managing stress, anxiety, depression, and fear during the treatment make the IVF treatment smooth and happy.
So, you can practice mindfulness techniques and meditation to keep yourself positive.
Among many reasons, endometrial receptivity and embryo arrest are considered as the main causes for failure of IVF. embryonic arrest is due to the chromosomal and genetic abnormalities.
Endometrium is a membrane lining important for implantation. If it is not receptive to the embryo then the implantation fails. Endometrial receptivity analysis before initiating the IVF procedures helps to determine whether it is receptive or not. It increases the chances of pregnancy.
