Genetic pattern linked to IVF failure identified

Scientists have identified a specific genetic pattern in the womb that can reveal the reason behind why In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment fails repeatedly in some women.

According to experts, the discovery of genetic abnormality in the womb would help clinicians understand why IVF succeeds or fails in some women.

"Many women undergo a number of IVF cycles without success despite having good quality embryos and, up to now, it has been unclear whether or not the lining of the womb may be the cause of that," said Nick Macklon, a professor at the University of Southampton in Britain.

A large proportion of women who suffer recurrent implantation failure may be infertile due to a problem with the receptivity of their uterus, the findings revealed.

And their chances of achieving successful pregnancy are likely to be very small and this information gives clinicians much more clarity in counselling patients, explained the researchers in the study, published online in the journal Scientific Reports.

The study will assist women on whether or not they should continue even after a number of unsuccessful IVF cycles, the researchers said.

Also, the study may lead to the development of a new test to help patients understand how likely they are to achieve a pregnancy before they embark on the treatment process, the researchers added.

Researchers obtained biopsies of the lining of the womb from 43 women with recurrent implantation failure, which occurs when three or more transfers of high quality embryos or the placement of ten or more embryos in multiple transfers fail to result in pregnancy, and 72 women who successfully gave birth after IVF.

During analysis of the biopsies, the researchers found an abnormal gene profile in the lining of the womb in 80 per cent of women with recurrent implantation failure that was not present among women who had given birth after IVF treatment.