Over the years, IVF treatments have offered many childless couples the hope of becoming parents. But sometimes the treatment doesn’t succeed, which makes it easy to lose hope. Some couples go through several cycles of IVF treatment and still do not succeed, which can lead to dropping out from the treatment program. IVF failures – whether they happen once or repeatedly – occur for a variety of reasons.
Reasons for IVF Failures
Chromosomal Abnormalities
The first of these reasons is chromosomal abnormalities in the embryos. These embryos may look normal, but because they are chromosomally abnormal, they will not implant. The most prominent causes for chromosomal problems in the fertilized egg are advanced maternal age (more than 35 years) or very poor quality of sperm. At IVI Middle East, a leading infertility treatment center in the UAE, eggs from couples with repeated failures undergo genetic screening. The test, known as Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS), identifies the chromosomal content of the embryos so that only those with normal chromosomes are transferred. This dramatically improves IVF success rates.
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Poor Endometrial Receptivity
Another common cause of IVF failures in women is that the lining of the uterus does not accept the embryos, known as poor endometrial receptivity. Since visual examination by sonography alone cannot reveal a problem like this, doctors at the clinic turn to a more advanced technology called the Endometrial Receptivity Array (ERA). This test helps to identify the time period of the treatment when the endometrium is receptive for implantation of a fertilized egg. They then perform the embryo transfer at the most appropriate time (Personalized Window of Implantation) to improve the chances of pregnancy.
Problems with the Male Partner
Implantation failure can also happen due to problems in the male partner. IVI Middle East has a specialized andrology department to treat males. Andrologists conduct semen analysis and sperm function tests to determine the characteristics of the sperm including its concentration and motility.
Finally, you should note that a critical factor in the success of IVF, especially in cases of repeated IVF failures, is the skill of the team performing the procedure.