Fertility Innovations 2017: Key Breakthroughs & What to Watch

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) has improved IVF success rates by selecting chromosomally normal embryos. Mini-IVF offers a cost-effective option for specific patients, and three-parent embryos help prevent mitochondrial disease transmission. Unproven methods like lab-grown sperm and egg maturation outside the body remain impractical.

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Key Takeaways

Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) Improves IVF Success Rates

PGS assesses embryo chromosomal abnormalities before implantation, increasing pregnancy success rates by eliminating abnormal embryos. While reducing the number of available embryos, the remaining ones have a higher chance of successful implantation and live birth.

Mini-IVF: Cost-Effective Option for Low-Responder Patients

Mini-IVF uses lower medication doses, reducing costs and injections for women with naturally low egg production. It’s recommended for low responders who don’t benefit from traditional high-dose IVF protocols.

Three-Parent Embryos Prevent Mitochondrial Disease Transmission

This technique replaces faulty mitochondria in women’s eggs with healthy ones to prevent hereditary mitochondrial diseases. Though life-changing for affected families, its application is limited due to the rarity of mitochondrial disorders.

Fertility Preservation Advances: Egg Freezing & Ovarian Tissue Harvesting

Egg freezing preserves fertility for elective or medical reasons, while ovarian tissue harvesting is reserved for prepubescent girls at risk of infertility. Both methods enable future parenthood despite cancer treatments or delayed family planning.

In-Vitro Maturation (IVM) Lacks Practical Benefits Over IVF

IVM, which matures eggs outside the body, is not widely adopted due to minimal cost savings and lower success rates compared to IVF. Current advancements make in-body egg maturation more efficient and practical.

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