A range of new techniques are being developed to improve the success of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments, including a drug from Spanish biotech firm Oxolife that aims to improve the structure of the endometrium and its blood supply, potentially increasing implantation rates by up to 7%. The drug, OXO-001, has shown a 15% increase in implantation rates in animal trials, while small-scale human trials have also proved safe. Researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark are testing whether a probiotic powder packed with ‘good’ bacteria can boost pregnancy rates, while scientists at Edinburgh University are exploring a method of preserving and growing immature eggs outside the body that could replace the hormone injections required to stimulate egg production. Finally, doctors at Lubeck University in Germany are studying whether blood processed to be extra-rich in platelets can “wake up” resting eggs in women in their late 30s and early 40s, leading to more eggs being produced before IVF.
Promising Developments in Infertility Treatment
Banks, law firms, supermarkets, and other employers are offering egg-freezing packages, paid leave for fertility appointments, and discounts for in vitro fertilization (IVF) to attract and retain female employees. While these perks make fertility treatments more accessible, they do not guarantee a higher chance of motherhood. The success rate of IVF decreases as women age because of the reduction in the number and quality of eggs.
In the UK, one in seven couples experience infertility, a condition where couples are unable to conceive despite regular unprotected sex for a year. The emotional toll of infertility treatment was highlighted by actress Jennifer Aniston, who shared her struggles with IVF and other treatments in her quest to become a mother.
Despite these challenges, scientists are making significant strides in infertility treatment. One such development is the discovery of a drug that can rejuvenate aging ovaries. As women age, their ovaries release eggs less regularly, reducing their chances of conception. Pirfenidone, a drug used to treat lung fibrosis, has been found to double the number of eggs produced by aging ovaries.
In a recent study, Professor Rebecca Robker, a biomedical scientist at the University of Adelaide, found that pirfenidone softened the ovaries of mice equivalent to 35-year-old humans, resulting in the production of more eggs than untreated mice. Researchers believe that fibrosis, a stiffening of the lung tissue, traps eggs in the ovaries, preventing their growth and release. Pirfenidone softens the ovaries, giving eggs room to expand and break free.
While this development shows promise, much more research needs to be done before it can be used to treat humans. Nevertheless, this discovery is one of many promising options being explored by scientists to help millions of women achieve motherhood. Other developments include egg freezing, paid leave for fertility appointments, and discounts for IVF.
Promising Developments in Infertility Treatment
Scientists are making significant strides in infertility treatment to make motherhood more achievable for millions of women. One of the most pressing problems in reproductive medicine is age-related infertility. Women who are advanced in age may only produce one or two eggs, or none at all, leaving them with the option of using donor eggs. However, researchers are exploring treatments that can give women in their late 30s and early 40s a greater chance of producing any eggs, as well as a chance of producing more than one.
Anti-fibrosis Treatment for Rejuvenating Ovaries
A new drug called pirfenidone has been discovered that can double the number of eggs produced by aging ovaries. The drug softens ovaries that have become stiff with age, giving eggs more room to expand and break free. Professor Rebecca Robker, a biomedical scientist at the University of Adelaide, hopes to start clinical trials of this drug in the future.
Wake-Up Jabs from Own Blood
Doctors at Lubeck University in Germany are investigating whether platelet-rich plasma (PRP), blood processed to be extra-rich in platelets, can “wake up” resting eggs in women in their late 30s and early 40s. PRP is already used in other areas of medicine, including orthopedics, where proteins released by the platelets speed up healing of damaged tendons. Researchers are studying whether these proteins can also activate immature eggs, coaxing them into maturing so more eggs can be collected before IVF.
Early studies of the technique in Greece have been promising, with women who have gone through menopause becoming pregnant after treatment. A new trial is underway, with 140 women having a teaspoonful of PRP or a placebo injected into their ovaries. The number of eggs they produce will be counted, with the first results due next year. If the treatment is effective, it is simple enough for widespread use and could cost less than £900 a patient.
Building a Better Womb Lining ‘Nest’
A new drug is being developed to overcome one of the main IVF hurdles: implantation failure. In IVF, the egg is fertilized in the lab, creating an embryo, then transferred to the woman’s womb. The embryo needs to implant in the womb lining (endometrium) to continue growing. But in more than half of IVF cycles, the embryo doesn’t implant properly, so the woman either doesn’t become pregnant or quickly miscarries. Currently, there are no drugs to improve implantation.
These developments show promise in helping women achieve motherhood. However, more research needs to be done before these treatments can be used to treat humans. As actress Jennifer Aniston candidly shared, infertility treatment is an emotional rollercoaster, and the quest to become a mother can be challenging. While there are no guarantees, these advancements in infertility treatment offer hope to millions of women.
New Developments in IVF Treatment
Infertility affects one in seven couples and can cause a lot of emotional distress. However, new developments in IVF treatments offer hope for couples looking to start a family.
A New Treatment to Improve Implantation Rates
Spanish biotech company Oxolife has developed a new treatment called OXO-001 that aims to boost implantation rates by improving the structure of the endometrium and its blood supply, providing the embryo with oxygen and nutrients. In animal trials, the drug increased implantation rates by up to 15%. A small-scale trial on women showed the tablets were safe, and they are now being trialed on 350 women undergoing IVF. The first results are due next month, and 75 babies have already been born to women taking part in the trial, although it’s not yet known how many of these took the active drug.
Probiotics to Boost Pregnancy Rates
Researchers are investigating the role of the vaginal microbiome in fertility. An imbalanced vaginal microbiome, where harmful bacteria start to outnumber the beneficial ones, is very common and can hamper implantation chances. A 2016 study in Denmark found that women with an imbalanced vaginal microbiome had just a 9% chance of getting pregnant, compared to 44% of those with a normal microbiome. Now, researchers at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark are testing whether a probiotic powder packed with ‘good’ bacteria can boost a woman’s chances of becoming a mother. Almost 350 women with an abnormal vaginal microbiome have received the treatment, and preliminary results are due in weeks.
Supercharging Eggs for IVF
Another exciting development in IVF treatments is supercharging eggs. Researchers are exploring how mitochondria, the energy powerhouses in cells, can be manipulated to help improve the quality of a woman’s eggs. Scientists believe that by injecting a woman’s egg with a small amount of mitochondria from a younger donor, they can help improve the egg’s quality. In early experiments on mice, this technique increased the number of embryos that went on to hatch by a third.
While these developments show promise, more research needs to be done before they can be used to treat humans. Nonetheless, they offer hope to couples struggling with infertility.
Scientists find a gentler way to perform IVF
Edinburgh University researchers have discovered a technique for growing large quantities of a woman’s immature eggs in the laboratory, potentially leading to a gentler form of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). By preserving immature eggs and growing them outside of the body, women could avoid the stress, expense and side-effects of multiple rounds of hormone injections to produce eggs. Hormone injections can cause side-effects such as breast tenderness, bloating, nausea, mood swings and the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which affects up to a third of women undergoing IVF. The technique could also reduce costs, with the injections potentially adding £1,000 to the bill for an IVF cycle. Successful animal studies could mean the first women could be treated in five to 10 years.
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