IVF with minimal stimulation

IVF with minimal stimulation

In vitro fertilization, or IVF, is carried out with different protocols, including standard, long, short, in a natural cycle, etc.

For couples experiencing infertility who wish to minimize the use of hormonal drugs, but for some reason, standard IVF is not suitable, it is worth considering IVF with minimal stimulation, also known as the Japanese protocol.

IVF with minimal stimulation, also known as the Japanese protocol, is essentially standard IVF but with the use of fewer hormonal drugs to obtain around 3-7 eggs. In contrast, standard IVF typically aims to retrieve 20-30 eggs. Stimulating a smaller number of eggs is believed to result in higher “quality,” potentially enhancing the chances of a successful pregnancy.

REFERENCE: This method of infertility treatment was introduced to Kazakhstan and successfully tested by the Ecomed clinic in Almaty. Thanks to this, thousands of couples were able to find a golden mean for themselves when choosing IVF and, most importantly, become parents to healthy children!

Indications for IVF with minimal stimulation?

• Women aged 35–40 years;
• High risk of ovarian hyperstimulation;
• Couples who are undergoing treatment for oncological diseases;
• Patients with autoimmune and genetic changes in whom the maturation of normal eggs does not occur even at a young age;
• After IVF due to poor embryo implantation;
• If the FSH index is greater than 12 IU/l;
• With a low level of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH);
• After surgical interventions, with a history of inflammatory processes in the appendages of the uterus, cysts, etc.;
• Women who decline traditional IVF due to the high doses of medications used.

How does IVF work?

IVF can be divided into several stages:

1. Examination to identify the causes of infertility is conducted by reproductive doctors. They may prescribe blood tests for hormones, tests for sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDs and STIs), ultrasound, hysteroscopy, colposcopy, spermogram, and other diagnostic tests for an accurate diagnosis of the causes of infertility.
2. After identifying the causes of infertility in the patient, a unique treatment plan is formulated. The woman’s body is then stimulated, with or without drugs, as part of procedures like IVF in a natural cycle, to obtain the necessary number of mature follicles (eggs).
3. Preparation and administration of necessary medications for male factor infertility to improve the mobility and activity of sperm in men.
4. Egg retrieval or puncture is conducted under the supervision of a reproductive specialist and ultrasound control using anesthesia. The procedure does not require hospitalization of the patient.
5. Sperm donation can be from a partner (husband) or the use of donor sperm, with the option to select the “best” sperm through techniques such as ICSI, IMSI, or PICSI.
6. Fertilization of an egg occurs in a special laboratory dish (medium) with the assistance of prepared sperm cells. The resulting embryo undergoes preimplantation genetic diagnosis/screening (PGD/PGS) before transplantation to identify and exclude genetic abnormalities and diseases.
7. On the 3rd–4th day of the embryo’s stay and development in the incubator, a transplant takes place into the uterine cavity for its further development and the onset of pregnancy.
8. After embryo transfer, ultrasound and an HCG test are scheduled for 14 and 21 days to confirm the patient’s pregnancy.
9. The patient is then directed to the registry for pregnancy management until childbirth, overseen by experienced obstetricians and gynecologists, ultimately leading to the birth of a healthy child.