Zygote Intra-Fallopian tube Transfer Shows Promise

Santa Monica Fertility Specialists in Santa Monica California, home to world renown Fertility Specialist Dr John Jain, recently implemented a ZIFT program for women over 40. ZIFT stands for Zygote Intra-Fallopian tube Transfer, a process where embryos are transferred to the fallopian tube soon after fertilization so that they can grow in their natural environment. The reason we offer this is that the increased rate of infertility and miscarriage seen in women over 40 years of age is primarily due to chromosomal errors that occur during egg and embryo development. Growing embryos in the artificial environment of the IVF laboratory puts further stress on developing embryos.

The results with ZIFT and early intrauterine transfer have led to ongoing pregnancies in approximately 60% of the first group of women treated in this manner. ZIFT is also a viable alternative to those women who have encountered multiple IVF failures.

Are Multiple Pregnancies Dangerous?

Over the past decade, improved fertility treatments has lead to a rise in the incidence of twins, triplets and even higher-order (Quadruplets etc.) multiple pregnancies. Although most of these multiple pregnancies are fraternal (each from one egg), the incidence of identical twinning has also increased, probably due to embryo manipulation in the laboratory.

Fertility treatments utilize hormonal injections that increase the number of eggs produced. Following hormone injections, a woman can be artificially inseminated, or undergo in-vitro fertilization whereby the eggs are fertilized in the laboratory and actual embryos are transferred into the uterus.

Multiple pregnancies are considered high-risk pregnancies. For the mother, the risks include increased chance of hypertension in pregnancy, gestational diabetes, cesarean section and hemorrhage at the time of delivery. For the babies, the main risks relate to preterm delivery and the risk of disability or death from underdeveloped organs.

Oocyte Cryopreservation In The Clinical Practice

The incorporation of oocyte cryopreservation into the clinical practice of assisted reproduction long has been a goal of many practitioners. Oocyte cryopreservation complements assisted reproduction by extending its application to fertile women. It may be used to avoid long-term embryo cryopreservation, to rescue cycles complicated by ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or failure to obtain sperm, and to avoid synchronization issues in oocyte-donation cycles.

Fertile women may take advantage of this technology to electively delay childbearing or as a strategy for fertility preservation when faced with a new diagnosis of cancer and sterilizing therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation or extirpative surgery. Recent advances in assisted reproduction and embryology, including improved culture media, fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and optimization of cryoprotectants, have made oocyte cryopreservation a viable reality. This review focuses on the etiology of oocyte cryopreservation, history of oocyte cryopreservation, recent advances, and clinical outcomes.