Most IVF ‘add-on’ treatments have no effect on fertility or remain unproven, study says
Review shows majority of procedures offered alongside standard IVF not backed by reliable evidence Most IVF “add-on” treatments sold to people hoping to boost their
Review shows majority of procedures offered alongside standard IVF not backed by reliable evidence Most IVF “add-on” treatments sold to people hoping to boost their chances of having children are not backed by reliable evidence, fail to boost fertility and may be a complete waste of money, the largest study of its kind has concluded. There has been a surge in extra procedures, medicines or techniques offered to patients in addition to standard IVF with bold claims they will increase the probability of success.
Take-up is widespread, with more than 70% of IVF patients in the UK, Australia and New Zealand paying for one or more add-on during IVF treatment. Acupuncture – inserting thin needles into points on the body. Corticosteroids – medication to reduce inflammation and suppress immune system activity. Endometrial receptivity testing – a biopsy of the uterine lining to assess gene expression patterns. Intralipid infusion – a liquid containing fats that is administered into the blood.
Intraovarian injection of platelet-rich plasma – injecting platelet-rich plasma into the ovaries. Intrauterine infusion of platelet-rich plasma – insertion of platelet-rich plasma into the uterus. Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy – a screening test to check whether embryos have the expected number of chromosomes. EmbryoGlue – an embryo transfer medium containing hyaluronic acid. The evidence review found it may increase the probability of pregnancy and live birth; however, the effect on live birthrates was not robust.
Endometrial scratching – a minor procedure undertaken to scratch or disturb the lining of the uterus. The review found this may increase the probability of pregnancy and live birth. Physiological intracytoplasmic sperm injection (PICSI) – a technique used to select sperm based on their ability to bind to hyaluronic acid. There was weak evidence this may lower the risk of miscarriage. Continue reading...
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