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If you’re in your late 30s, and you’re trying to have a baby for the first time, one obvious choice is to attempt in-vitro fertilization (IVF). But what plenty of people don’t realise about IVF is that it isn’t a surefire thing – in fact, statistics show that only 40% of women under 35 who embark on IVF procedures manage to have a successful live birth; once you pass the age of 42, the chances of having a successful live birth drops to 4%.
That having been said, there are definitely things you can do to boost your fertility, and increase your chances of having a successful IVF procedure. Doctors and experts have long talked about the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle, having a healthy and varied diet, and keeping your stress levels low. In addition to this, for women in New Zealand, new genetic screening technology that has only recently become available is also said to be able to improve your chances of conceiving through IVF.
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In October this year, a study into pre-implantation genetic screening was presented to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine conference in Texas, with results showing a noticeable increase in sustained pregnancies due to this new screening technology. Out of the 267 women in the trial who had a single embryo implanted, 50.8% of women who utilized the technology were still pregnant at 20 weeks (in contrast, only 37.2% of those from the control group were still pregnant at 20 weeks). In addition to this, participants who utilized the new technology also saw a decrease in miscarriages.
How does the genetic screening work? In a nutshell, before implantation takes place, a biopsy of the embryo is taken. This allows scientists to ensure that the embryos have the correct, balanced number of chromosomes, and determine which embryos are most likely to result in a successful pregnancy.
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This genetic screening is currently being done in two New Zealand clinics – ReproMed, as well as Fertility Plus. ReproMed carries out its tests in Auckland with the help of Auckland University’s Genomic Centre, whilst Fertility Plus sends its samples to Australia for analysis.
Other New Zealand clinics and hospitals, who offer older forms of pre-implantation genetic screening, are also eager to jump on the bandwagon. These include Fertility Associates, whose scientific director Dr Dean Morbeck has confirmed that the clinic would be switching to the new technology next year.
Fertility consultation with BeNatural’s fertility coach, Marie Otsuka
If you and your partner would like to learn more about conceiving, come down for a 45-minute consultation with Marie Otsuka, BeNatural’s fertility coach. In this session, Marie will seek to understand the couple’s situation, and offer insights she’s gained through her 10 years of experience in working with infertile Singaporeans. Slots are limited and on a first come first serve basis; contact us here to schedule an appointment!
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