Last Updated on 8 March 2024 by Brisbane Livewell Clinic
Despite many recent technological advances, there are no guarantees of IVF success, with the average IVF live birth rate per single initiated cycle still only 30%. (1) We look at unsuccessful IVF factors with special attention to naturopathy’s role to improve IVF outcomes.
IVF Success – IVF isn’t foolproof
The first IVF baby was born in 1978, and the technology has come a long way since then. By 2006, more than 2 million IVF children had been born(2) while by 2019 the number of IVF children is currently well over 8 million worldwide. (3) While these figures indicate IVF procedures’ success, the latest data from the 2019 Australian and New Zealand Assisted Reproduction Database (ANZARD) report shows that IVF clinics have live birth productivity rates (from combined initiated fresh and frozen cycles) ranging from 9.3 to 33.2%. (3) These figures demonstrate that the technology is certainly not foolproof. In fact, over the past decade and a half, IVF has increasingly disappointed outcome expectations. (4)
IVF is utilised as a solution for many fertility problems
One of the reasons the figures are not as high is due to ‘poor prognosis candidates’, meaning a poor-prognosis for IVF success comes from one or more adverse factors, including:(3),(5),(6),(7)
- advanced age (>40 years)
- poor ovarian response (POR) to ovarian stimulation (defined as the retrieval of three or fewer oocytes per woman)
- inability to generate high-quality blastocyst-stage embryos
- recurrent implantation failure
- recurrent early pregnancy losses
- increased duration of infertility
- unexplained fertility
- male infertility, which is identified in up to 50% of infertile couples, either as the sole cause or coupled with female infertility
- tubal infertility
- lack of previous pregnancy
- autoimmune associated conditions
For some women pregnancies may occur via IVF; however, recurrent implantation failure and miscarriages can become an issue which also reduces the statistical likelihood of success via IVF. Clearly, infertility is a complex and multifactorial issue, and one of the many reasons why integrative treatment can help ensure a team of health professionals can contribute to solutions.
Good health is a vital part of any pregnancy and IVF is no exception
Preconception care is essential in all cases of IVF, and treating the couple is important. Healthy fertility occurs when the individual’s health is optimal(8) and optimising potential parents’ health helps prevent harmful exposures from affecting the developing foetus. (9) The final stages of oocyte (egg) development take approximately 100 days. In comparison, spermatogenesis (sperm development) takes 72-76 days(8), so a minimum of 3 months is always recommended for preconception care to ensure that treatment effectively targets the oocyte and sperm’s cellular health.
The body is primed to pass on genetic material only when the environment and conditions are at their best(8) and nutrition plays a paramount role in supporting future pregnancy. (9) Preconception care gives peace of mind, and as a preventative strategy also helps to mitigate the chances of a high-risk pregnancy. Pregnancies that occur after infertility treatment, particularly after assisted reproduction, constitute high-risk pregnancies and have significantly higher rates of requiring induced labour or caesarean section. (10)
How Naturopathy Can Help
About 65-75% of Australian infertility patients report the use of CAM (Complementary and Alternative Medicine)(11). Many patients have turned to CAM treatments as adjuvant therapy to improve their chances of success when they undergo IVF treatment. (1) However, while many women consult natural therapists for infertility, often they have been treated by gynaecologists and have tried IVF without success and try natural medicine as a last resort. (12)
Naturopathy helps address the problems associated with infertility, emphasising treatment to provide the most stable environment for conception to occur. (12)
Naturopaths work with you to:
- Ensure you are getting comprehensive testing
- Recommend appropriate diet and lifestyle interventions
- Prescribe nutritional and herbal medicines
- Implement stress management techniques
- Offer support, counselling and referral
The ultimate goals of naturopathic treatment are:
- to improve the poor prognosis
- to reduce, prevent and address associated health risks
- to ensure a healthy pregnancy
- to ensure a healthy baby
- to provide a holistic experience via consideration for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health
We encourage any couple considering or currently experiencing IVF procedures to experience complementary medicine to improve the chances of a healthy pregnancy.
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