Techniques to help women with low egg count conceive.

With techniques such as egg freezing, embryo creation, and embryo culture using artificial intelligence, women with severe ovarian failure still have a chance to become pregnant and give birth to healthy children.

This was shared by MSc. Dr. Giang Huynh Nhu - Director of the Center for Reproductive Support, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City (IVFTA-HCMC), during the consultation program "Female infertility due to ovarian failure, reduced ovarian reserve (low AMH) and egg freezing for motherhood," on the evening of May 25th. The program also featured the participation of doctors Pham Thi My Tu and Ngo Dinh Trieu Vy from IVFTA-HCMC.

Experts answer questions from infertility patients in an online consultation program. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital.

According to MSc. Dr. Giang Huynh Nhu, the best age for women to conceive and give birth is between 20 and 30 years old, when the number of eggs in the ovaries (AMH level) is abundant and of the best quality. As women get older, their ovaries gradually age, declining in both quantity and quality until menopause, at which point the ovaries are depleted. However, there are cases where women experience premature ovarian failure at a very young age due to diseases related to the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or congenital conditions.

According to 2022 statistics from IVFTA-HCMC, 47% of patients who visited had AMH levels below 1.2, meaning they had low ovarian reserve. This is a challenge because the egg cell is the cell that determines the success and embryo creation for the entire treatment cycle.

However, thanks to egg retrieval and freezing techniques combined with an ISO 5 Lab system for embryo culture integrated with artificial intelligence software, these women still have a chance to become mothers.

"Egg cells are difficult to store because after freezing and thawing, they may be visually viable but no longer functionally usable. At IVFTA-HCMC, with our ultra-clean ISO 5 Lab system and integrated artificial intelligence software, we are confident in mastering this technique," said MSc. Dr. Giang Huynh Nhu.

Typically, pregnancy rates in IVF are categorized by age groups, such as the 29-year-old group, the 29-35 age group, the 35-40 age group, and those over 40. At IVFTA, statistics from the end of 2022 show that groups under 40 years old all have nearly equal pregnancy rates, around 60-65%, thanks to good egg freezing and embryo processing techniques using both frozen and fresh eggs. There are patients with AMH levels as low as 0.1 who still successfully conceive and give birth without needing donor eggs.

Embryologist performs intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) during in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Photo: Hoai Thuong

Dr. Pham Thi My Tu said that not long ago, she received a relatively young patient whose AMH level was only 0.1. The patient had undergone IVF three times at other hospitals without success. After persevering for five months with four cycles of ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, the patient had four high-quality embryos, increasing the chances of pregnancy. The patient can also continue with IVF to have a second and third child successfully in the years to come, even if her ovaries are depleted.

In response to concerns from many young readers about how to recognize ovarian dysfunction in order to seek timely examination and treatment, Dr. Tú advises that a healthy woman's normal menstrual cycle is 28-32 days. Women of reproductive age who experience menstrual irregularities, infrequent periods, or a gradual decrease in menstrual flow should visit a hospital for examination, whether single or married.

If diagnosed with ovarian failure, egg freezing is considered "reproductive insurance." When eggs are frozen, their biological clock stops at that point. Egg quality is maintained, helping women preserve their future fertility and proactively plan for pregnancy and childbirth.

A patient struggling with infertility visits Dr. Giang Huynh Nhu after successfully receiving treatment and giving birth to a healthy child. Photo: Hoai Thuong

According to Dr. Ngo Dinh Trieu Vy, at IVFTA, many female clients who want to become mothers have come to freeze their eggs before using hormone therapy or gender reassignment surgery. Those who have not undergone hormone suppression or have stopped hormone suppression, and who have ovaries and a uterus, can freeze their eggs. Afterward, they can use sperm from a donor or from a sperm bank to perform IVF and conceive and give birth normally.

Unmarried women who are focused on their careers and personal development, and who plan to have children in the future but haven't set a specific timeframe; or women who wish to be single mothers should consider egg freezing as soon as possible to preserve their fertility. In younger women, a larger number of eggs can be retrieved, the egg quality is better, increasing the chances of success in embryo creation and transfer.

Hoai Thuong

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