Wednesday, October 12, 2005

IVF Children are Taller and Have Better Cholesterol Profiles

A number of studies have been performed to determine whether children conceived as a result of IVF have any greater health risks than children conceived in other ways. Some studies indicate that IVF children may be at greater risk for complications during pregnancy and birth defects. Other studies argue that IVF children may be smaller at birth than other children.

A recent study conducted with New Zealand school-aged children compared 50 children conceived as a result of IVF to 60 who were conceived naturally. The children were aged 7 to 9 at the time of the study.

The authors of this study found that 15% of the IVF group was smaller at birth than expected for their gestational age. However...


To learn more about this study click below:
IVF children taller

Monday, October 03, 2005

Assisted zonae hatching - AZH - does not increase IVF Success in women with endometriosis

Assisted hatching or AZH is a procedure occasionally used in IVF treatment cycles. There has been great controversy regarding whether AZH increases the chances for an IVF pregnancy. Numerous studies have been conducted over the years. Some studies have suggested that there is a higher chance for pregnancy using AZH while others showed no improvement whatsoever.



The zonae is a hard protein shell that surrounds the embryo. During IVF cycles, the zonae can be seen under the microscope. Before an embryo can implant into the uterine lining, the embryo must break out of the zonae. This is known as hatching. It has been hypothesized that some embryos may have a more difficult time implanting because they cannot break out of the zonae. During IVF, the process of hatching can be assisted by either thinning the zonae or making a small gap.



Recently, a study was performed to determine whether women with endometriosis who underwent treatment with IVF would have a better chance to conceive with AZH than women who did not have AZH.



To learn more about this study click below:
IVF in Endometriosis Study