People who plan to go to a reproductive clinic and people who have experienced many unsuccessful reproductive programs sometimes have a lot in common. In particular, they think when and why IVF does not work. The former – not to give themselves false hope, the latter — to see if they still have hope. In this article, we will tell why sometimes artificial insemination does not work and what can help to still become parents.
Why artificial insemination does not work
Conventionally, all the reasons why in-vitro fertilization does not work can be divided into two groups:
- Pathology of embryos;
- Pathologies of the mother’s body.
A high-quality chromosome set of embryos is of great importance. As you know, most miscarriages in the early stages of pregnancy occur precisely because of abnormalities in the chromosomes of the embryo. Therefore, reproductologists are very careful in the selection of high-quality eggs and sperm. A good quality embryo is more likely to develop correctly, which means it will not be rejected by the mother’s body.
To control the quality of the created embryos, good clinics practice pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The procedure is relevant not only for couples of older reproductive age (anomalies of the chromosomal set of germ cells are also found at a young age), but also for those who have already had unsuccessful transfers. At Feskov Human Reproduction Group, the procedure is included in guaranteed programs, the result of which is the birth of a healthy child.
PGD helps examine embryos before transfer to the uterus to ensure there are no genetic abnormalities. Based on the results of the study, no more than two of the most promising in terms of survival will be selected.
When IVF does not work due to an early miscarriage, the first thing a reproductologist should recommend — investigate the genotype of the parents and introduce it into the PGD protocol.
The next group of reasons why artificial insemination does not work are maternal body factors. Namely:
- Poor quality of the endometrium;
- Inflammatory processes in the uterus, tubes, cervical canal;
- Immunological disorders;
- Endocrine disorders;
- Pathology of hemostasis;
- Age changes.
With insufficient thickness and unsatisfactory structure of the endometrium IVF does not help achieve pregnancy. Even an excellent quality embryo will not be able to attach to the uterine wall if the environment is not suitable for this. Therefore, the transfer should be carried out only after the treatment and achievement of optimal performance.
Inflammatory processes in the uterus, tubes and cervical canal are most often the result of surgeries, abortions, and previous births. Even if pregnancy occurs, the toxic effect on the fetus stops its development. After treatment (and in some cases – removal of tubes) in women it is possible to achieve pregnancy.
When IVF does not help in a satisfactory condition of the reproductive organs, the doctor may suspect immunological or endocrine disorders. It is necessary to undergo tests for hormones and a complete immunogram in order to correct violations.
Hemostasis disorders are one of the key factors after the obstetric and gynecological question why IVF does not work. Changes in blood properties at any stage of pregnancy are fraught with impaired placental blood flow and fetal death. The factor must be carefully monitored throughout pregnancy, especially in in vitro fertilization.
And a banal reason are age-related changes. In women over the age of 40, fertility and egg quality decline rapidly. In men, with age and under the influence of negative environmental factors, the quality of sperm decreases. Thus, the couple faces multiple risks: the impossibility of creating high-quality embryos, failures at the transfer stage, miscarriage.
All of these factors do not mean the impossibility of successful IVF in principle. After treatment and selection of tactics by an experienced doctor, pregnancy will occur and end in childbirth. If not from the second attempt, so from the third one (that is how many cycles are needed on average to give birth to a child with the help of IVF).
In some cases, a couple is recommended intrauterine insemination (IUI) instead of in vitro fertilization. That is, they transfer the purified sperm or the partner’s spermatozoa to the uterus.
The procedure is effective for light forms of male and female infertility and costs half as much as IVF, and can be performed without hormonal stimulation. But there are a number of situations when intrauterine insemination does not work:
- Senior reproductive age of a woman (35+).
- Long experience of infertility (longer than 3-5 years).
- Obstruction of the fallopian tubes.
- Anomalies in the structure and diseases of the uterus (multiple uterine fibroids).
- Tumors of the ovaries.
- Combined factor infertility.
- Any inflammatory processes (of any organs and systems).
- Malignant tumors, chemotherapy or radiation therapy in history.
- Mental or severe somatic diseases.
A special case of hormonal disorder – lack of ovulation is also a situation when intrauterine insemination does not work.
If your first IVF protocol did not end with the birth of a child, do not rush to be disappointed in the method or in yourself. Do not rush to change the clinic and the doctor: the occurrence of pregnancy and its successful gestation is the result of a change in medical tactics, and not a doctor who knows your individual medical situation best of all.
In order not to worry about limited finances if you need several IVF protocols, take part in a guaranteed program of Feskov Human Reproduction Group. You pay a fixed amount once, and in return you get PGD + an unlimited number of IVF attempts until a healthy baby is born.