Fertility treatment mainly comprises of IUI or IVF apart from medication-related to hormonal imbalances. These treatments are lengthy, bit expensive and painful. Therefore, it’s important to understand the failures for having success in first or few attempts. Here, I would be citing more reasons for IVF as it’s a cumbersome process and a complicated one too.
6 Reasons for failed fertility treatment
1.Embryo Quality
This is one of the most important factor for implantation or in simple words getting conceived. The embryo fails to grow in the uterus as it’s flawed in some way and uterus is not the culprit.
Here, the role of embryologist and lVF lab plays a vital role. Embryos are graded as A, B and C as per the quality. A is the best with B and C of little poor quality. Grade B is better than C. Good grades promises success rate of IVF or live birth more as compared to grade B or C.
But that does not mean that grade B or C embryo does not gets implanted or leads to live birth. These gradings are shorthands used for communication between embryologists and the IVF specialist. Many times poor quality embryo also gets implanted and grows into a fully developed fetus.
But in general the chances are more for a successful pregnancy with better grade of embryos.
2.Age of the Eggs
Age of eggs is more vital than the age of the woman herself undergoing treatment. Ovarian or egg reserve sellers with the advancing age of a women. Women under 35 years using her own eggs for IVF have an implantation rate of about 45 percent. But the women of 40 or 42 years of age the implantation rate drastically drops to 15 percent only if she uses her eggs for treatment.
For more success rate older women can opt for eggs from younger women and can increase their chances of getting pregnant. Egg quality is better at a younger age in women.
3.Ovarian Response
Sometimes a woman’s ovaries don’t respond to the fertility medications strongly enough to produce multiple eggs. Especially if a woman is over 37 or has higher FSH levels she may not produce enough eggs to result in a number of embryos for screening and potential implantation. Chances are higher that IVF will fail when this happens. Your reproductive endocrinologist will evaluate what happened and may make changes to your fertility medications for the next IVF cycle.
4.Problems with Egg retrieval and embryo transfer
The surgical procedures involving egg retrieval and embryo transfer holds key to the success of the IVF cycle. Retrieving less number of eggs, or no eggs leads to the next cycle as the rate of success has already been compromised. Another important aspect of IVF success is the transfer of embryos at the right location of the uterus. If the embryo is located on the fundus of the uterus, the chances are more of getting pregnant.
5. Chromosomal Issues
One of the most common reason for IVF failure is chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo. After 30’s the chromosomal abnormalities increases and by the time a women reaches her mid 40’s she has 75% of chromosomal abnormalities present in her eggs. Abnormalities in embryos lead to miscarriages.
If you have a failed IVF cycle, your fertility specialist will recommend PGS (Preimplantation genetic screening) for next IVF cycle. In this screening, they take a few cells from the embryo and check the correct number of chromosomes .
6. Lifestyle changes
This is another important aspect for your fertility treatment to be successful whether it’s IUI or IVF. The foremost requirement is to give up smoking and drinking alcohol completely. Avoiding junk food, sleeping at the right time for an adequate number of hours is also vital. Maintaining moderate body weight also helps in the success of treatments. Overweight as well as underweight leads to failure or delay in success of IVF cycles.
There could be other reason for your IVF or IUI failure but the above-mentioned reasons are the most common ones. Knowing them will help you in taking good decision for your next IVF cycle. IVF is no doubt a science but also an art. It depends on the expertise of medical staff and seasoned hands for eggs retrieval and embryo transfer. More the experience better your chances of success. Do your homework before you start your next cycle.
This post is a part of the series #Trystwithinfertility of Blogchatter A2Z campaign.
Aother very informative post Debi. I look forward to reading your post every day
Thanks Simrit, for such kind words.
very crucial information, one must be aware of all the points which could be a factor of a failure conceive, standard lifestyle is the major one among all reasons.
One more very informative post. Some reasons are there but people just ignore them.
You have mentioned very important parts which all couples need to understand. I have often seen a lack of knowledge which causes problems.
I realised this during my journey. Knowledge is power and it helps you to take care of yourself in better way.
I agree lifestyle makes a major difference and with a healthy lifestyle, chances of success of conception increased greatly. recently my sister in law was struggling with her second pregnancy. she has made some changes and now she is pregnant. great post debi and you are covering all important aspect of infertility in each post.
My sole intent is to help others through my posts . Hope the readers are enlightened and can take better decisions during their journey.
Wow Debi I didn’t know any of this. Very enlightening and helpful post.
Thanks Noor, for giving it a read.
This is a very informative post-Debi..sharing all with my friend.
Thanks Harjeet, so sweet of you . Hope it helps the reader.