Innovation
New treatment options at Merrion Fertility
Pre – Pregnancy Genetics Programme
Preimplantation genetic testing, or PGT, is a genetic test that can be performed on embryos in an IVF lab. This information aims to help in the selection of the best embryos to transfer to achieve a healthy pregnancy and live birth. There are different types of test, depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor will help you decide which , if any, are best for you.
PGT – A is a genetic test that looks at the number of chromosomes in an embryo. The normal number is 46. For more information, click here.
PGT – M is a genetic test that looks for the presence or absence of genes related to a specific disease in an embryo. This test might help if you or your partner is affected by, or carries, a disease you want to avoid passing to your child. For more information, click here.
PGT – SR is a genetic test that looks at the structure of the chromosomes in an embryo. It can help you have a healthy pregnancy if you or your partner carry a structural rearrangement on your chromosomes. For more information, click here.
DNA fragmentation testing looks at DNA carried by the sperm cell to see if it is damaged. The degree of damage can impact the change of having a successful pregnancy. This test may be recommended if a previous treatment cycle has been unsuccessful. Please follow the link to our Patient Information Leaflet, and speak to your doctor if you feel this test would benefit you.
Embryo is a type of media that can be used for embryo transfer. It is enriched with a substance called hyaluronan which is thought to support implantation. If you have had a previous embryo transfer with no success, this transfer media might be helpful. More information can be found in our Patient Information leaflet here. Talk to your doctor if you feel this would be of benefit to you.
Ongoing Clinical Trials
At Merrion Fertility, we take our commitment to offering our patients the best treatment seriously. Part of this is conducting trails to contribute to the improvement of treatment options.
Physiological ICSI is a type of ICSI. ICSI happens when an embryologist selects sperm individually and injects them into the egg. The physiological part is an extra selection step, before the embryologist makes their choice and is based on the ability of mature sperm to bind to hyaluronan. For more information please follow this link.
The aim of this study is to help us understand how some women’s ovaries age faster, or prematurely, when compared to others. If you are interested in taking part in the research or would like more information please follow this link.
What's on the Horizon?
The introduction of incubators capable of taking images of embryos as they developed, like the embryoscope, has generated vast amounts of data. This data can be linked to outcomes, for example, did the transfer of an embryo result in a healthy live birth. Many companies are trying to find ways AI can help use this data to assist embryologists select the best embryos for transfer.
Thanks in part to the popularity of companies like “23&me” our genes are increasingly at the forefront of our minds. This is particularly true when we consider having a child. Carrier screening allows intending parents to find out if they are carriers for any genetic diseases they would not want to pass on to their children.
PGT P is a genetic test that, like PGT A/M and SR can be carried out on embryos in an IVF lab. Unlike them however, it screens for risk of developing disease linked to multiple genes or polygenic disorders. The link between carrying a specific combination of genes and developing the associated disease is complex, interlinked with environment and lifestyle. For this reason PGT P has not yet been proven to be of sufficient benefit for clinical use.
Platelet rich plasma is when a blood sample is taken from a patient and processed to concentrate the amount of platelets it contains. The platelets are then activated before being returned to the patients uterus with the aim of increasing the potential for an embryo to implant. This research is still at an early stage and much remains to be done before we will know if proves effective.
Rescue in vitro maturation, or R-IVM is a process where embryologists try to “rescue” and mature in the lab, eggs that were immature when collected. Immature eggs are not able to fertilise or develop into healthy embryos. Research is underway to discover if eggs can be safely matured in lab to produce healthy embryos and potentially healthy babies. We will monitor this field with interest.
Do you have a suggestion for a treatment option that may be of benefit our patient’s? If so, please contact us here at innovation@merrionfertility.ie.
