A new in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is giving light and new hope to women who cannot conceive and have struggled with infertility. Researchers from Australia and Japan said that the technology could help women who have tried past IVF treatments but to no avail.
Based on statistics, many couples are struggling for years trying to conceive a child of their own. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in six couples is infertile. There are 1.5 million married women who are infertile and around 7.4 million women have already used infertility services.
A couple, Sarah Siakew and Shane Murphy, have tried IVF eight times and almost gave up until they were offered to enroll in a trial program, reports ABC News.
"This was our last go, we had tried for many, many years. I took some long service leave from work last year, we went on a trip to Europe, bought a new house and we thought we'd just give it one more go," Ms. Siakew said.
She added, "I am glad it worked."
Researchers from the University of Adelaide developed the revolutionary technology known as BlastGen. According to Associate Professor Louise Hull, out of the 16 couples who used the program, seven were able to conceive. It incurred a 43% success rate, reports SBS News.
The Adelaide trial is the twin of another trial in Japan. They are the first ones to use the BlastGen treatment. They were also proud to announce that the women are now in their 24th and 25th weeks of pregnancy.
The technology used a growth factor that signals the molecule called GM-CSF which is naturally occurring compound in the woman's uterus. It aims to protect the embryo from stress and will make it stronger to surpass the days after conception.
The trial will push through for another 18 months and it is hoped that the said treatment will become available to the public. However, they are recommending for couples who still struggle with conception to enroll in the trial. The female should be aged 25 to 41 years old and had undergone at last two embryo transfers without implantation, poor embryo development and at least one miscarriage. They can contact Fertility SA on 8100 2900 for more details.