Challenging cases

Not all IVF clinics undertake the same up-front tests as Life Fertility. Sadly that can mean wasted IVF cycles where pregnancy was never going to happen. We can confirm that you are a good candidate for IVF or whether some other problem needs attention first.

Our consultants are amongst Australia’s best and are passionate about constantly enhancing procedures to improve success rates. The experience and skills of those performing procedures are also at the highest level so there is a greater chance of things going really well at every stage.

Our own laboratories and scientists work very closely with our consultants to assess potential problems and develop new strategies for those who are having difficulty with establishing a successful pregnancy. It’s all about an individualised approach – not off-the-shelf IVF.

When you’re feeling discouraged, you need to be able to trust someone to give you honest advice and supportive service. At Life Fertility we’ll help you understand your situation more clearly so you can make the right decisions. We’ve been able to give hope to a lot of ‘hopeless cases’ and nothing gives our team greater pleasure.

If you haven’t already had a full range of blood tests, a laparoscopic pelvic examination and semen analysis, we will undertake these for you. Some of the commonest causes of unsuccessful IVF can be identified with a laparoscopic exploration – and some can be addressed relatively easily.

Let our fertility specialists review your stimulation regimes and see if there are things that could be changed to get a better outcome for you. For example, sometimes there’s room for manoeuvre with medication dosage, different types of cycle might work better for different people or extras might be added. Think of it as tweaking the dial on the safe to crack the code!

Often success in more challenging situations can be a case of persevering a bit longer and we will certainly be there to support you in that. However it is always worth making sure that all your laboratory options have been assessed and refined. You don’t want to be hanging on longer when nothing is changing from one cycle to the next and you’re missing options that could make the difference for you.

A ‘blastocyst’ is human embryo 5-6 days after fertilisation when it is ready to hatch and implant into the uterus. Until about 10 years ago it was not possible to consistently culture embryos to this stage so standard IVF practice was to place embryos in the uterus after 2-3 days. Many clinics still routinely transfer embryos at this stage. Now with the advent of specialised culture media, extending embryo culture to day 5 is routine practice at Life Fertility Clinic. As many human embryos are not destined to reach the blastocyst stage we can be more selective in our choice of embryo for transfer. Read more in our factsheet.

In an IVF cycle, the scientist identifies the best embryo (for transfer or freezing) primarily by observing the development of the embryos and their appearance. However, we know that, regardless of what they look like, a high proportion of human embryos in all patients are what we call ‘aneuploid’. This means that they do not have a normal number of chromosomes in each cell. Aneuploid embryos are unlikely to implant and, if they do, they commonly result in miscarriage. Pre-implantation Genetic Screening is a laboratory technique that allows us to assess the number of chromosomes in the cells of the embryo. We can then select only the embryos in which no abnormality is detected. If you have had many failed cycles or miscarriages, your fertility specialist may suggest you consider PGS to assess embryos before they are transferred. Read more in our factsheet.

You may be unable to use your own eggs for IVF due to premature menopause, ovarian failure, as a carrier of a genetic disorder or because your ovaries are not responding to hormonal stimulation or are producing poor quality eggs. In such cases, you can seek an egg donor – either a relative, friend or someone in our donor program. In all cases we undertake counselling and screening for all parties to ensure everyone is aware of the legal implications and potential emotional issues. See our factsheet for more details of age restrictions and other considerations.

For couples where the male partner cannot produce suitable sperm, our sperm donor program can be used to create a pregnancy through intra-uterine fertilisation or IVF. We have strict screening and quarantining for donor sperm and a counselling program to ensure you fully understand your legal rights and any potential drawbacks. If this emerges as the best option for you, our specialists will discuss all the procedures with you and guide you through the process. See our factsheet for more details.

Some couples undergoing IVF are willing to donate surplus embryos to enable others to have a family. Life Fertility has stringent qualification, screening, donor-matching and embryo-storage criteria to do everything possible to help ensure good outcomes for all. Counselling is compulsory for all parties involved in embryo donation and your Life Fertility consultant will take you through all the implications. See our factsheet for more details.

Finding a surrogate mother can be quite challenging but many couples would rather undertake this process under the supervision of Life Fertility rather than go overseas where there can be poor conditions for surrogate mothers, changing laws, immigration issues and other uncertainties. If this becomes your best chance to have a family, please contact us to discuss how we can help you.

We offer you a free counselling session with one of our fertility counsellors for each cycle of IVF. If you have any concerns at all, please take advantage of this. Additional sessions can be arranged whenever you need them.

Our Life Fertility Clinic Nurse Coordinators are available to discuss any issues experienced as a result of treatment. They are available by appointment or by phoning the clinic. Whether it’s a quick chat to check what you’re feeling is normal or a shoulder to cry on after a set-back, it’s good to know there’s someone who knows your situation and has the time to talk things through with you.

Although it can be hard when your mind is on other things, healthy nutrition, moderate exercise and relaxation techniques all help you manage stress and keep you on track. Life Fertility offers a range of resources, complimentary classes and sessions to make sure you are your best self for coping with the challenges of becoming a parent. Learn more about this program.