Tuesday 11 November 2008
Safer cheaper alternative to IVF reports a leap in fertility rates
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The UK’s only clinic to provide pioneering IVM treatment achieves a 48% pregnancy rate
In January 2007 the government’s fertilisation body (HFEA) gave Oxford Fertility Clinic the only licence to perform IVM in the UK.
IVM is a pioneering new technology that is a simpler, safer and cheaper alternative to IVF. It does not require the fertility drugs that cost up to £1,500 and can also cause serious side effects, in rare cases fatal, in the third of women seeking fertility treatment who suffer from polycystic ovaries.
Historically the success rates of IVM have been lower than IVF at 25% compared to 45%.However since being granted its licence, the Oxford Fertility Clinic has achieved a pregnancy rate of 35% for its first 40 cases, and 48% for women <35 years of age. Ten babies have been born as a result of the treatment, including one set of twins who have just celebrated their first birthday.
The use of fertility drugs is avoided with IVM by collecting eggs from the ovaries while they are still immature. They are then grown in a laboratory for 1-2 days before being fertilised and inserted into the womb.
Factors limiting the success rate to date have been a relatively high fall out rate of eggs throughout the process, and so you need to start with a high number. Another issue has been that the eggs have developed harder outer shells, making them more difficult for the sperm to fertilise.
Oxford Fertility Unit has just received a £700k grant from the Medical Research Council to continue its work in this field.
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