Why Have My Embryo Transfers Failed ?

For patients on IVF programmes and especially for patients who have been advised to seek Donor Eggs this is a very serious question and a cause of major concern. Unfortunately the stress caused by failing to get answers to this question can lead to patient/s withdrawing from IVF or Fertility Treatment or to requesting or undertaking alternate forms of treatment, or request the use of “Add-ons”, none of which have been scientifically shown to be effective!

A major development in our knowledge of Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF) were recent publications^1,2,3 at the ESHRE (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) congress in June 23.

The subject of Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF) was presented, and some important new conclusions reached:

• Recurrent implantation failure is rare, for properly tested patients who use euploid embryos (blastocyst embryos with normal chromosome numbers)
• Less than 5% of these patients would fail to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 3 transfers attempts of euploid embryos.
• Advancing Female age is directly linked to a patient producing fewer euploid (normal chromosome number) embryos, and more aneuploid( abnormal number of chromosomes) embryos. Aneuploid embryos either fail to implant, miscarry, end in later pregnancy loss or the birth of children with abnormalities (eg Trisomy 21 or Down Syndrome.)
• Donor eggs are sourced from young donors and this significantly reduces the number of chromosomally abnormal embryos. This is a major reason for the higher pregnancy rates achieved.
• The discussion as to whether or not blastocysts should undergo chromosomal testing to achieve a clinical pregnancy is complex ,so please feel free to contact Donor Eggs Australia for more information.

References

1. Recurrent implantation failure: reality or statistical mirage?
   Fertility and Sterility, Vol 120, No 1, July 2023, 0015-0282
2. Rate of recurrent implantation failure is low: results of three successive frozen euploid single embryo transfers
   Fertility and Sterility, Vol 115, No 1, January 2021,45-53
3. ESHRE 23, IBSA, Targeting the Endometrium, Recurrent Implantation Failure: A reality or statistical mirage? Paul Pirtea (France)