IVF add-ons offer little evidence of boosting success rates, study finds
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Of the millions of in-vitro fertilisation procedures done each year, only a minority result in a live birth.
PHOTO: PIXABAY
Maggie Astor
- Most IVF add-ons lack strong evidence proving they improve live birth rates, with only three out of 10 showing some potential benefits.
- Some add-ons may carry risks and high costs, making their routine use hard to justify without more reliable research.
- Researchers call for more high-quality studies and have created a website to update evidence on IVF add-ons regularly.
AI generated
NEW YORK – Every year, patients undergo millions of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures worldwide. Only a minority result in a live birth.
In an effort to improve the odds, scientists have developed an array of “add-ons” that could, in theory, identify the most robust eggs, sperm and embryos or make the uterine lining more hospitable. Some patients pay thousands of dollars for these procedures, on top of the high costs of IVF.
