If you are experiencing recurrent miscarriage, you may be exploring all of your options to aid in your pregnancy journey, including IVF. Given that women struggling with recurrent miscarriages are fertile, you may be wondering if IVF, a treatment typically aiding infertility, can still help. Let’s break it down.
What is IVF?
For those who may not know, IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilization, a treatment for infertility and/or genetic problems. In a nutshell, this is a series of procedures that involve collecting mature eggs from ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm in a lab. For this process, you are able to use a couple’s own sperm and egg or that of a donor. Learn more about IVF here.
IVF’s Impact on Recurrent Miscarriage
IVF aids those struggling with infertility, but does it have any benefits for patients with recurrent miscarriage? According to the IVF Center, IVF along with fertility medications and intrauterine insemination (IUI) have not been shown to increase the chance of live birth. In a study by Michal Kirshenbaum and Raoul Orvieto, the two analyzed the validity of claims that IVF can provide additional benefits to recurrent pregnancy loss, such as shortening the time to conceive, optimizing the timing of conception, and other elements, but found that there was not enough compelling evidence to prove any meaningful gains from IVF treatment.
Furthermore, some resources may recommend a procedure called PGS (preimplantation genetic screening) that is used in conjunction with IVF. PGS involves chromosome testing of the embryo before it is transferred to the patient. Because with PGS, you are able to identify a known “normal,” healthy embryo, it is claimed that live birth rate is increased and the likelihood of a pregnancy loss is decreased. However, in a report by Dr. Shayne Plosker, he assesses that no studies can confirm this answer as some cases find no significant difference in live birth rates while others do.
Now, what?
Although IVF may not be a sure option to help with recurrent miscarriages, do not fret! There are still many other resources available to aid you in your pregnancy journey. It is always recommended that you speak to your doctor about your concerns. In addition, if you need more emotional support throughout this process, you can always book a Discovery Call with me. I have been helping people of all backgrounds in their TTC journeys—including infertility and miscarriage support for over ten years—and I would love to learn more about how I can assist you during this time.
TTC is no easy feat, and it is a journey unique to every woman. You are strong, and you can do this.