Soy-based Treatment Improves IVF Success and Reduces Miscarriage, says Study

On January 6, a group of researchers from Care Facility, an IVF clinic in Nottingham, England, suggested that going for an affordable soy-based oil treatment a week before your fertility treatment could just help boost its success rate and reduce your risk for miscarriage.

The study was presented at the British Fertility Society Meeting in Dublin, Ireland. The researchers presented evidence for the effectiveness of the soy-based oil treatment, called Intralipid.

According to the researchers, Intralipid, which is a soy-based fatty acid, helps a newly implanted embryo to properly attach to a mother’s uterus and survive.

The study involved 96 women, with an average age of 37, who all suffered from at least 6 failed IVF treatments. Fifty among these women received a mixture of Intralipid, given intravenously a week before their IVF treatments, while the remaining 46 received no treatment. After all of them underwent their IVF procedures.

Said Care Facility’s medical director, Dr. Ndukwe, “This infusion is inexpensive, well tolerated and easy to administer.”

The result was that half of those who received Intralipid successfully conceived. Only two out of these suffered a miscarriage, whereas from those who did not receive Intralipid, seven percent miscarried.

Intralipid was originally a drug used to “help correct an essential fatty acid and calorie deficiency” in those who could not eat normally. The liquid costs about $300 per use, which is significantly less expensive than the cost of a single IVF treatment.

While the results from the study may be promising, it’s also important to note that there have been other essential fatty acid sources which have displayed positive results when it comes to fertility concerns.


Photo from flickr.com

SOURCES:
•    Colette Bouchez. January 10, 2011. “Med Study: Increase IVF and Reduce Miscarriage with Natural Treatments” Associatedcontent.com
•    Fiona Macrae. January 6, 2011. “Soya-based fertility treatment may cut miscarriages and boost pregnancy up to six-fold” DailyMail.co.uk
•    Summer. January 4, 2011. “Soy Based Treatment May Help Moms With IVF” GrowingYourBaby.com