IVF screening breakthrough
Mon Oct 19 2009 14:27:42
A pioneering IVF screening test has shown to dramatically increase the chances of a woman getting pregnant.
The test - which checks for abnormalities - more than doubles the chance of conceiving. Initial results also show a live birth success rate of 80 per cent per cycle of In-vitro fertilisation.
Dr Dagan Wells from Oxford University, who led the study, described the latest results as "astonishing" and announced the first babies born as a result of the technique.
He hopes the test will become standard practice and help boost birth rates in both private and NHS clinics.
The test is particularly useful for older women, who have a naturally higher chance of producing eggs and genetic defects. Many of the trial participants were aged 39 and on their "last chance" at treatment.
It could also benefit younger women by maximising their chances of falling pregnant in each cycle.
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Dr Enda McVeigh from the Oxford Fertility Unit explains a new IVF screening test which could double the chance of a woman conceiving.
