Women who have endured repeated IVF failures have been given fresh hope by a new fertility treatment that studies indicate can increase success rates fivefold. Up to one in four women who have problems conceiving may have faults with their immune system that mean their bodies “reject” the pregnancy. These women often go through repeated cycles of IVF, often spending thousands of pounds, only to suffer repeated failures or conceive but miscarry early in the pregnancy.
A study conducted by Care Fertility, in Nottingham, part of the biggest private provider of fertility treatment, has found that a soya oil based substance used for artificial feeding of patients with stomach problems can boost success rates. The research involved almost 100 women who had suffered repeated IVF failures where the embryo had not implanted in the womb. Of the group, 50 women were given intravenous infusions of Intralipid, and 46 similar women were not. The women were aged around 37 and had undergone an average of six failed cycles of IVF.
The substance, called Intralipid, is one of a number used to feed patients artificially through a tube into a blood vessel in cases where they cannot eat or have suffered severe injury or had surgery that prevents them from eating normally. Pregnancies were achieved in 50 per cent of women who received Intralipid compared with less than nine per cent of those who were not given it. In the women who received Intralipid there were two miscarriages, the equivalent to per eight per cent compared with seven miscarriages or 64 per cent, in those not receiving it.
In non-intralipid group, four gave birth, which was 8.7 per cent, compared with 23 births in those receiving Intralipid or, 46 per cent. Dr. George Ndukwe, Medical Director at Care Nottingham, said: “Every day in my clinic I see women who have endured numerous IVF cycles all with the same negative outcome and no baby
– telegraph.co.uk