Failed IVF Previously?
To help keep fertility patients safe during COVID-19, our regulator, the HFEA, has suspended reproductive immunology until more is known about the impact of COVID-19 on those undergoing immunology treatment.
However, there are many other treatment approaches we can still offer to help.
Many of the couples we see have had failed IVF cycles at other clinics. Dr George Ndukwe excels in this areas with his work in reproductive immunology.
There are many reasons why IVF can prove unsuccessful including age, low egg reserve, underlying medical factors, immune issues, or the inability of the endometrium to receive the embryo. Male fertility issues and genetic causes also need to be considered.
A Couple’s Story following IVF at the Zita West Clinic
The immune system will naturally reject any foreign body, so this reaction has to be suppressed during pregnancy to allow the father’s genetic material to be accepted and the fertilised embryo to implant. During a normal pregnancy, a unique type of immunity prevails which stops a woman from rejecting the embryo and aids the growth and development of the foetus. If anything goes wrong with this immune process embryos fail to implant and early pregnancies may miscarry. There are tests that can identify couples that are at risk of these problems.
“Pregnancy is the only time that the body’s immune system allows a “foreign body” to grow unhindered. Sometimes, however this natural process does not occur – this is where Reproductive Immunology can help” Dr Ndukwe
The reasons for implantation failure may need investigating so that any problems can be corrected to allow progress with IVF. Reproductive Immunology can correct these problems and stimulate the proper immune response in the mother which may then improve the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Our Medical Director, Dr George Ndukwe who was mentored by Professor Alan Beer at The University of Chicago, is one of the world’s leading experts in the field of reproductive immunology and has developed the most successful treatment programme in Europe over the past 9 years.
We have a comprehensive package of immune tests that help identify reasons why IVF may have failed previously.
Our Medical Experts
Genetic Tests
There are also techniques (Array CGH) that can be used during an IVF cycle that can screen embryos for any chromosomal abnormalities prior to transfer.
The first step is to make an appointment to see Dr George Ndukwe or Dr Simone Rofena. At this consultation an in depth assessment is carried out to explore why IVF is failing and what further tests and investigations might help improve your chances next time around.
Holistic Approaches
It is also worth considering a consultation with Zita West, Anita O’Neill or Jane Knight. We can advise you about changes you might make to aspects of your and your partner’s reproductive health to help increase your chances of conceiving successfully. We believe strongly that changes in nutrition, lifestyle and your mind-body approach can have a significant impact on your chances of success. Everyone who goes through an IVF cycle with us gets a free nutritional and lifestyle assessment developed for you into a personal practical and simple plan of action.
If appropriate, and in keeping with our unique holistic approach to IVF, we may recommend additional consultations and/or complementary therapies too, such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy or counselling, all of which can be easily integrated into your schedule of investigative tests and treatment and which can, in our experience, increase your chances of success still further.