Why does in vitro fail and what do I do after IVF failure?
The journey to parenthood for couples undergoing in vitro can be long and arduous, filled with ups and downs. When you learn that your IVF cycle failed, it can be devastating. You’re left asking, “Why?” and “Is this hopeless?” At Innovative Fertility Center, Dr. Mark Rispler specializes in working with couples after IVF failure to carefully determine the underlying cause and suggest newer methods that yield successful results. So while experiencing failed IVF feels like a giant step backwards, there’s still much that can be done.
IVF failure and maternal age
The most common reason IVF failure occurs is maternal age. You’re born with all the eggs you’ll ever have – 5 to 7 million. That may sound like a lot, but by the time you reach puberty that number drops to 300,000. Of those eggs only about 300 will be ovulated throughout your reproductive years. With each passing birthday, in addition to losing eggs, your eggs are aging like the rest of your body. Older eggs are less likely to result in a viable pregnancy, and carry a higher risk of birth defects and chromosomal abnormalities that can lead to miscarriage.
What can be done?
To improve the chances for getting pregnant and reducing the heartache that comes with learning that IVF failed, couples can greatly benefit from preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). PGS is testing done on one or more cells taken from an embryo while the embryo is growing in the IVF laboratory. Embryos that are found to be genetically healthy are transferred to the uterus in a later frozen cycle. Genetically sound embryos have a greater chance for implanting and growing into healthy babies.
While IVF failure can be heartbreaking and may make couples feel hopeless, Dr. Rispler encourages couples to hold onto hope. Thanks to leading-edge research and sophisticated medical advances, many women go on to have successful pregnancies when they partner with a skilled reproductive endocrinologist.
Contact us here to arrange for a consultation after IVF failure.