In Vitro Fertilization, commonly referred to as IVF, is the process of fertilization by manually combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory, and then transferring the embryo or embryos to the uterus. It can be a costly and emotionally draining process, and the various procedures and options are often changing. Here are four of the latest advancements in IVF.
1. IVF without Injections or Blood Draws
With the latest advancements in IVF, this option offers a new, convenient, lower IVF cost and, most importantly, a pain-free approach to becoming pregnant. The two key components are:
- Stimulation
Oral and nasal fertility medications will gently stimulate the ovaries into producing multiple eggs. In general, the medications used include Clomid and Letrozole pills plus a nasal spray (trigger medication) - Monitoring
During the treatment cycle, hormone levels will be monitored through saliva and urine testing, instead of blood levels.
Candidates
- Women who are afraid of taking injections or blood draws (difficult veins)
- Women who want to minimize the cost of the fertility injections that could cost up to $5,000
- Women who want to minimize the amount of chemicals in their body
- Women who had poor responses to the high stimulation by the conventional IVF protocols
2. PRP (Platelet-Rich Plasma) Ovarian Rejuvenation
PRP Ovarian Rejuvenation is a cutting-edge fertility procedure that is still considered experimental. Women always have eggs inside their ovaries, but a lot of these eggs are dormant. Even postmenopausal women still have on average 1,000 dormant eggs inside their ovaries.
Ovarian rejuvenation is a newly pioneered procedure intended to re-awaken egg maturation and development within the ovary and potentially improve egg quality. Rejuvenation Therapy could be used to achieve pregnancy in women with Low Ovarian Reserve, women with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), and women with early menopause.
The success rates and outcomes depend on the age of the patient, the diagnosis, and the frequency of the menstrual cycle.
3. Ozone Sauna Therapy
Oxygen that we breath from the air is composed of just two oxygen atoms. Ozone is similar to oxygen and is made up of three oxygen atoms. There are more than 100 benefits for Ozone therapy that includes treatment of skin problems (such as eczema and psoriasis), bed ulcers, joint problems (such as arthritis), vascular diseases, and infections (kills bacteria, viruses, and parasites).
More recently, it’s come one of the the latest advancements in IVF for improving fertility in women and men.
Ozone Sauna is a technique that uses the powerful properties of ozone (O3) to help the body take in and utilize oxygen. It is thought to offer strong physiological benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial advantages. Clinically, it helps by managing stress, weight management, developing endurance, better concentration, improves strength, improves mobility, improves mental acuity, improves sexual stamina, and promotes deep relaxation.
For women who are trying to get pregnant, ozone is believed to potentially offer a wide range of fertility-boosting benefits. Ozone Sauna is considered a helpful complementary aid for women attempting late-in-life pregnancy.
Each session is very relaxing. It feels like sitting in a steam room for 30 minutes each session, as the ozone absorbs through the skin and makes the body sweat and release toxins. The ozone sauna machine is a large, comfortable enclosure where an individual sits naked, with the head safely resting outside through a hole in the top. Also, a vaginally inserted tube releases ozone directly into the reproductive system, stimulating hormonal balance and removing free-radicals and contaminants that may interfere with conception.
Candidates
- Women with Low Ovarian Reserve (Low AMH or High FSH)
- Women who had poor egg/embryo quality
- Women who had poor response to IVF medications
- Women who have thin endometrial lining
4. VagIncubator
For women who don’t like to have their eggs and the sperm fertilized in the lab and who prefer that their body support fertilization and be the “natural incubator,” The VagIncubator IVF process is very similar to the Gentle-IVF process. The only difference is where fertilization (egg + sperm) to embryo development takes place. The VagIncubator IVF treatment has 4 main phases:
- Gentle Ovarian Stimulation
Medications to make the ovaries grow several mature, high-quality eggs. - Egg Retrieval
The procedure to extract the eggs from the ovaries, similar to any IVF process. - The VagIncubator
The egg and sperm are placed together inside the VagIncubator device, which is then placed in the vaginal cavity for fertilization and the formation of embryos; it remains there for three days. - Embryo Transfer
After three days, the patient comes back to the office where the device is removed from the vaginal cavity. The developed embryos are removed from the VagIncubator device. One or two embryos are then transferred back into the uterus. All remaining embryos (if any) will be frozen for future use.
Advantages Include
- Having control over the fertilization process
- The VagIncubator device uses the body as a natural incubator: natural pH (acidity) of the culture medium using body temperature and gas concentration throughout the incubation period.
- Stable vaginal incubation environment. In the IVF lab, the staff keeps opening and closing the incubator doors which causes unfavorable fluctuation in the temperature.
- Minimizes the cost of using the IVF lab.
Latest Advancements in IVF — Sources
New Hope Fertility — Success Rates
Gentle-IVF process
VagIncubator — Single Embryo Transfer
VagIncubator — Freezing Embryos