5 cutting edge infertility treatments for couples

The first test-tube baby was born in 1978 and since then there has been a lot of progress in the field of genetics and infertility treatment. However, despite so much progress, the success rate of IVF treatments is quite low in infertility clinics across the globe. On an average only 30%-40%, IVF cycles result in successful live birth.

This is the main reason why scientists around the world are trying to find new ways to avoid any disorders that can cause infertility. There are simple methods like squeezing an embryo to complex methods like taking DNA from three parents in order to give birth to a healthier child. The following list of top 5 cutting edge infertility treatments for couples will give you an idea of how far medical science has come to find 100% assured cure for infertility.  

1. DNA Fragmentation Index

When a couple chooses to get their sperm and eggs mixed together in a lab then they can choose from two options. The first option is IVF in which the harvested egg is kept in a petri dish along with other sperms and waits for one of them to fertilize the egg. The second method is intracytoplasmic sperm injection in which a sperm which highest probability to fertilize the egg is directly injected into the egg. The latter method adds an additional cost of around 1.5 to 2 lakh in the cost of the procedure. Now a new specialized process is being used by the doctors known as DNA Fragmentation Index or DFI which gives a clear idea if the couple needs to go for ICSI or not.

2. Squeezing embryo

At present, the doctors wait for a few days to see which embryo(s) will be best viable for the transplant in the uterus. The new technique of squeezing the embryos seems to be proving useful to decide and select the most suitable sperm. Though more testing and research is required in this field, but if it is confirmed then it can take the success rate of IVF treatment to 90%.

3. INVOcell

The process is fairly new and it is used only in a few hospitals in US and Canada but it has shown promising results. In this process, the woman’s own body is used to regulate the temperature of the embryo. The woman carries the developing embryo in her vagina until the time comes for the transplant in the uterus. The sperm and egg are mixed in the lab and then placed in INVOcell which is a tiny capsule like device. This capsule is then inserted in the vagina and it stays there for five days after which it is removed and one or more embryos are then transplanted.

4. Augment with egg precursor cells

OvaScience which is Cambridge based company has found a way to treat the low quality of eggs. As the woman gets older the mitochondria in the woman’s eggs gets tired which results in low quality of the eggs. The company has found a way to mix mitochondria from egg precursor cells with sperm before mixing them with the eggs which eventually increases the chances of IVF success.

5. Mitochondrial replacement techniques

One of the major reasons for infertility is a mitochondrial disease. In the process, the embryo is created by taking the DNA from mother’s egg’s nucleus and another DNA from a donor. This process ensures that the disease does not have any effect on the growth of the embryo. But this treatment will still take some time to reach the infertility clinic near you.

In the last few decades, the infertility clinics in Bangalore are trying their level best to give the best possible treatments to their patients. This is the reason why the latest technology reaches much before in these clinics in comparison to other cities in the country. Infertility is an increasing problem but it is curable in most of the cases.