The wait and journey to parenthood for couples who have experienced several miscarriages or failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts could understandably be scary and frustrating. The entire experience is nonetheless going to be worth it when, at the end of their efforts, they hear the good news that they are finally going to be parents. Don’t you agree that the moment is simply magical?
Take for example the case of Elena (changed name), who is a former patient of Igenomix. For Elena, the road to becoming a parent was marred with challenges. She and her husband had been consulting with doctors of different specializations – gynecologists, psychologists, therapists, acupuncturists, homeopaths, and dieticians–for more than three years just to get pregnant.
She tried IVF to help her conceive. After years of failed IVF attempts, her persistence had paid off. She was overjoyed to learn that she was going to be a mommy. Her baby, she said, is her “big miracle” and the “best thing that has happened to us.”
IVF, a form of assisted reproductive technology (ART), is a process of fertilization where an egg and a sperm are combined in the laboratory.. Once an embryo is formed, it is then transferred to the uterus. In some cases, the reason behind an unsuccessful IVF procedure can be that it takes place outside a woman’s window of implantation (WOI), or the time when she is not receptive to embryo implantation. In a 28-day cycle, this typically occurs from day 19 or 20, lasting four to five days. The Endometrial Receptivity Array (ERA) test is a patented test, designed by Igenomix to identify the best Window of Implantation to avoid a possible IVF failure. This test is recommended to couples like Elena and her husband who have undergone numerous IVF transfers that have failed to attach the embryo to the uterine wall. At Igenomix, Elena underwent the ERA test, which she credits for her successful pregnancy.
The test, which is currently the only tool available to evaluate the status of endometrial activity from a molecular point of view, provides insights into a woman’s endometrial receptivity – or lack thereof – when embryo transfer takes place. It improves the pregnancy rate in patients under 38 years old by 24 per cent. In addition, over the past four years Igenomix ERA test has offered a solution for more than 10,000 patients struggling to conceive. It saves couples time, expensive tests, and incorrect diagnoses, not to mention heartaches. The success rate is high and so is hope among couples, which is the most vital thing.
But ERA is just one of the myriad of tests available to couples who are ready to start their own families. There is Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS), a test by Igenomix which, identifies embryos with the correct number of chromosomes to ensure a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby.
With the rapid advancements in technologies, increasingly innovative solutions to infertility problems, couples have better opportunities to fulfill their dreams. Making sure that the best treatments and procedures are readily available and easily accessible is highly critical to make informed decisions.
