Surrogacy techniques

Repeated Transplantation Failed 3 Times? ERA Test Accurately Targets Your Specific “Implantation Window” to Improve IVF Success Rate

2025-03-20

Why is “Implantation Window” the key to IVF success? The Golden 48 Hours for Embryo ImplantationIn IVF treatment, embryos need to complete the complex process of localization, adhesion, invasion and implantation in the uterus. The success or failure of this series of maneuvers depends on a critical period known as the ‘implantation window’ – the uterine lining is at optimal tolerance for only 24-48 hours per year. Studies have shown that 30% of repeated transfer failures are directly related to missing the implantation window. Even when transferring chromosomally normal, high-quality embryos, the success rate can plummet to less than 18% if not done at the precise point in time. For women over 38 years of age, the incidence of implantation window deviation is as high as 40%, which is an important reason for the low success rate in older patients. What is ERA testing? Genetic Technology Cracks the Endometrial CodeThe ERA test (Endometrial Receptivity Analysis) uses second generation sequencing technology (NGS) to accurately determine when the implantation window opens by analyzing the expression patterns of 248 key genes in the endometrial tissue. This technology can detect abnormalities at the molecular level that are not recognized by traditional ultrasound and hormone tests, increasing the accuracy of implantation window determination to 92%. Core Principles Gene expression profiling: detects biomarkers related to endothelial tolerance (e.g. HOXA10, IGFBP1).Artificial Intelligence Algorithm: Compare the global database of 200,000 cases to locate individualized window periodDynamic monitoring capability: identify window period shortening (<12 hours) due to luteal insufficiency Explanation of the whole process of ERA testingPre-test cycle preparationTwo endometrial preparation programs Natural cycle (for regular menstruators)Monitoring of LH peak (luteinizing hormone surge) by urine or bloodEndometrial sampling on LH+7 daysRequired in conjunction with 3 consecutive days of ovulation test monitoring and ultrasonographyArtificial cycles (for those with ovulation disorders)Oral…

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A Scientific Guide to Fetal Movement Monitoring: Explaining the Biological Code of Fetal Health

2025-03-19

  Fetal movement is a visualization of fetal central nervous system development, and about 90% of fetal movement abnormalities appear earlier than fetal heartbeat abnormalities. This article systematically analyzes the scientific logic behind this fetal language from the four dimensions of fetal movement mechanism, monitoring technology, early warning model and clinical intervention.   I. Physiological mechanism and developmental pattern of fetal movement  1. Neuromuscular development timeline  8 weeks of pregnancy: unconscious twitching triggered by primitive spinal reflex (frequency 4-6 times/hour)  16 weeks of gestation: brainstem reticular formation matures and purposeful movements appear (stretching, grasping)  28 weeks gestation: establishment of cortical inhibition, formation of wake-sleep cycle (cycle 40-60 minutes)  2. Typological classification of fetal movements  Gross movements: rolling (appears after 20 weeks of gestation, frequency 2-3 times/hour)  Fine movements: finger sucking (observable by ultrasound at 24 weeks of gestation)  Respiratory movements: rhythmic contraction of the diaphragm (regular after 28 weeks of gestation)  3. Circadian rhythm regulation  Fetal cortisol-melatonin axis matures at 32 weeks of gestation and is manifested:  Morning active phase: peak cortisol induces fetal movements up to 8-10 times/hour  Late-night quiet period: melatonin inhibits motor neurons and fetal movements drop to 2-3 times/hour  Quantitative standard and technical evolution of fetal movement monitoring  1. Clinical monitoring gold standard  Count-to-10 method: the time required to perceive 10 fetal movements during the waking hours (9:00-21:00) is 3.9mmol/L)  FGR fetus: assessed by fetal movement power spectral density (PSD), <0.8mV²/Hz suggests hypoxia   III. Pathologic mechanism and early warning model of abnormal fetal movement   1. Hypoxia compensatory response chain   Acute hypoxia (umbilical cord compression) → catecholamine surge → burst of fetal movement (>15 times/30 minutes) → loss of compensatory phase → disappearance of fetal movement (lasts for 6 hours predicting acidosis pH35% of fetal movements at night for 3 consecutive days (normal value 28±5%)  3. Machine learning prediction model  Integrate the three elements of fetal movement frequency, intensity and period:  Random forest algorithm predicts risk of stillbirth…

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Why do IVF treatments require large amounts of luteal support medications?

2025-03-18

  In assisted reproduction treatments, patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) often wonder why they need to take or inject large amounts of luteal support medications after embryo transfer when they have already endured frequent injections during the ovulation induction phase. Can these medications be reduced in dosage?  The answer is very clear: they cannot be omitted! Luteal support is the cornerstone of successful pregnancy in IVF.  I. Scientific Background of Luteal Function Defects  In natural pregnancy, progesterone secreted by the corpus luteum is essential for maintaining endometrial tolerance. However, luteal phase deficiency (LPD) is present in more than 80% of patients undergoing IVF treatment, and the main causes include:  Physiologic disturbances in multiple follicular development  While only 1-2 follicles develop in a natural cycle, IVF ovulation stimulates the growth of multiple follicles simultaneously. When estrogen levels exceed 2,000 pg/mL (about 10 times that of a natural cycle), it inhibits the hypothalamic-pituitary axis through negative feedback, resulting in a shortened luteal phase to 9-11 days (normal is 14 days).  After-effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH-a)  Recovery of pituitary function after the use of down-regulating drugs such as leuprolide takes 4-6 weeks. Studies have shown a 60% reduction in the amplitude of pulsatile LH secretion within 7 days of GnRH-a withdrawal, which directly affects the ability of luteal cells to synthesize progesterone.  Mechanical injury during egg retrieval procedure  During follicular aspiration, approximately 35% of the granulosa cells are lost with the follicular fluid. These cells should have differentiated into luteal cells, and their absence leads to a 40%-50% reduction in progesterone secretion.  II. Pharmacologic panorama of luteal support  Luteal support regimens currently in clinical use include four major categories:  Natural progesterone preparations  Intramuscular injections (oils): bioavailability >95%, but the incidence of pain at the injection site is as high as 67%, and aseptic nodules occur in about 5% of patients  Vaginal gels (e.g., Crinone 8%): uterine…

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Why do we need to do four-dimensional ultrasound?

2025-03-12

    Obstetric examination is the necessary homework of pregnant mothers during pregnancy, many pregnant mothers pregnant to a certain period of time the doctor will let pregnant mothers go to do four-dimensional ultrasound, perhaps some pregnant mothers will think that usually have been regularly go to do the examination, four-dimensional ultrasound is not necessary to go to do it again, but in the birth of an unhealthy baby after the repentance of the beginning.  Some pregnant mothers are wondering, what is 4D ultrasound? Why is it necessary to go for a 4D ultrasound during pregnancy and what are its functions? What should I pay attention to when I go to do ultrasound? Below, I will give you a detailed introduction.   What is four-dimensional color ultrasound  The full name of four-dimensional color ultrasound is four-dimensional color ultrasound diagnostic instrument, is a modern advanced color ultrasound equipment. Four-dimensional color ultrasound is able to surface imaging, more clear screening of fetal limb development whether malformation, meningeal bulge, whether cleft lip and palate, spina bifida and other congenital anomalies, early detection and early solutions.  The role of four-dimensional ultrasound for pregnant mothers and babies  Determine the due date  The best 4D ultrasound examination is recommended around the 22nd to 28th week of pregnancy, because during this period the structure of the fetus has been basically formed, the amniotic fluid is also well stocked, and the size of the fetus is developing just right, with more room for intrauterine activities, it is relatively easy for 4D ultrasound to capture, and the images are clearer, which makes it easier for the doctor to discover more developmental problems of the fetus in a timely manner.  Checking the activity of the fetus  It can check whether the fetus lacks oxygen in the uterus, limb movement, swallowing movement of the fetus, etc. It can see the activity…

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Heavy research: in vitro resuscitation transfer, just need to add this drug surrogate mother live birth rate increased by 42%!

2025-03-11

    With the resuscitation transplantation success rate increasing across the board, many surrogate mothers in IVF cycles prefer frozen embryo resuscitation transplantation, and in general for surrogate mothers who are able to ovulate on their own, doctors are more inclined to recommend the natural cycle.  The natural cycle is more in line with the human body’s natural state of pregnancy, with a short medication time and very low dosage of medication. This programme is also particularly suitable for our circle sisters, as the reduction in the use of oestrogen can significantly reduce the risk of hypercoagulability.   Improving the live birth rate has always been a pain point for our surrogate mothers, Circle Sisters turned to a heavyweight study in Human and Reproduction last year, where they added only one drug to increase the live birth rate of surrogate mothers by 42%.  I can’t wait to share it with you in hopes that it will help you who are entering your recovery cycle soon!  01 Luteal Support Boosts Live Birth Rate Randomised Controlled Study  It’s an already known fact that progesterone boosts live birth rates in surrogate mothers with early pregnancy preeclampsia, and progesterone is also required for frozen embryo transfers, but it’s generally used in artificial cycles.  Generally natural cycles mimic the natural process of pregnancy and progesterone is not usually given for IVF, will natural cycle use boost pregnancy rates? This is the question this article is trying to answer. Between February 2013 and March 2018, a total of 500 subjects were randomly assigned to two 1:1 groups.  Randomisation was carried out using opaque sealed envelopes after transfer of frozen embryos in natural cycles.  The primary outcome was live birth rate; secondary outcomes were pregnancy, biochemical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates.  From the date of embryo transfer, half of the subjects received vaginal progesterone administration at 100…

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The real deal, your eggs are more savvy than you are!

2025-03-10

    In the world of reproductive medicine, the birth and growth of each egg is full of mystery. As a reproductive physician, I am often struck by the egg’s amazing intelligence and ability to choose. Today, let’s unravel the mystery of the egg and see how it can be even smarter than we are in the ‘race’ of fertility.   In the female reproductive system, the egg is undoubtedly the bright star. Although women only produce one egg per month, this scarcity doesn’t make the egg a cool one. On the contrary, Miss Egg is like a graceful dancer who knows how to attract her suitor, the sperm.  Instead of waiting quietly for the sperm to arrive, the study found that the egg actively releases chemicals that light a ‘beacon in the night’ for the sperm. These chemicals act like pheromones secreted by female moths, attracting male moths and guiding the sperm in the direction of the egg. In human female egg selection experiments, the number of sperm in the follicular fluid was almost 10 times higher than in the control solution, which proves the ‘guiding’ ability of the egg lady.  Once the sperm are attracted to the ‘light’ of the egg, the next step is the intense selection process. In this session, Miss Egg is a strict examiner, scrutinising the sperm in the vicinity. She not only examines the speed and strength of the sperm, but also assesses their genetic quality.  The follicular fluid not only attracts sperm, but also specifically selects them. This means that even though some sperm are fast, if they carry serious genetic defects, Miss Egg will still reject them without hesitation. This selection mechanism ensures that only those sperm that are strong, swift and genetically superior will have a chance to combine with the egg to form a fertilised…

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Can single women freeze their eggs and who will protect their fertility?

2025-03-08

 Recently, a piece of news has aroused much debate among netizens, which suggests that single women should be given the right to implement assisted reproductive technology. 31-year-old Jess wanted to preserve and delay her fertility by freezing her eggs because of her job and age, but she was refused by the hospital because egg freezing is not open to single women in her home country. However, they were refused by the hospital because egg freezing is not open to single women in their home country.   ‘Why is it that single men can save their sperm, but single women cannot freeze their eggs?’ Such a sentence resonates with many women, and also expresses the helplessness of many senior single women. So let’s talk about those things about egg freezing!  Guarantee of Female Fertility  The best age for women to have children is between 25-29 years old. After 30 years old, the function of the ovaries starts to decline, and so does the ability to have children naturally. Egg freezing (egg freezing technology), in order to prevent eggs from aging with the human body, removes the eggs when a woman is healthy and freezes them using cryopreservation technology, which not only preserves a woman’s fertility, but also slows down the latest time for a woman to have children. To a large extent, it protects a woman’s right to reproductive freedom and freedom of reproductive methods.  Egg freezing for women abroad has become the norm  Due to the restrictions on egg freezing for single women in their own countries, a large portion of women who have the need for egg freezing have to choose to spend a high amount of money to freeze their eggs abroad, where it has become the norm for single women to preserve their fertility through egg freezing.  The rise of underground illegal egg…

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Infertility 90 per cent have this problem! 4 misunderstandings and 3 key points of treatment, must get!

2025-03-06

 Infertility has become an unspeakable pain for many couples on the long road to pregnancy. Did you know? In fact, about 90% of infertility cases have a common problem, that is, ovulation disorder. However, many people have misconceptions about ovulation disorders and tend to overlook some key points in the treatment process. Today, let’s talk about these things related to ovulation disorders to help you clear the fog and find the right direction.  First, what is ovulation disorder?  Ovulation disorder, simply put, is a woman’s ovaries can not normally discharge eggs, or the quality of the eggs discharged is not good, and can not be successfully combined with the sperm to form a fertilised egg, thus affecting conception. It can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, polycystic ovary syndrome, premature ovarian failure, hyperprolactinaemia, and so on. It can be said that ovulation disorders are like a ‘barrier’ on the road to pregnancy, blocking many couples’ path to parenthood.   The 4 myths about ovulation disorder  Myth 1: Normal menstruation must have normal ovulation  Many women think that as long as they have regular menstrual periods, they will definitely be able to ovulate normally, and there is no problem of ovulation disorder. But in fact, normal menstruation is not the same as normal ovulation! Some women have regular periods, but they may have anovulatory menstruation, which means that the ovaries are only thickening and shedding their lining periodically, but they are not actually discharging eggs. For example, some patients with polycystic ovary syndrome have seemingly normal menstrual cycles, but ultrasound monitoring of follicular development and ovulation will reveal that there are no mature eggs to be discharged, which is typical of ovulation disorders that are ‘hidden’ under the appearance of seemingly normal menstruation.  Myth 2: Ovulation is not a…

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10 Ways to Improve Egg Quality for IVF Success

2025-02-28

 The success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is closely tied to the quality of a woman’s eggs. A decline in egg quality can reduce the chances of a successful pregnancy, which is particularly concerning for women of advanced age. Various factors such as poor lifestyle choices, underlying health issues, and aging can adversely affect mitochondrial function, leading to decreased egg quality. Mitochondria, which are passed down from the mother and play a key role in energy production, can deteriorate over time, resulting in suboptimal eggs. To help enhance mitochondrial function and improve egg quality, consider the following strategies:  Diet:  1. Increase Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Intake  Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that helps maintain mitochondrial health. Aim for 6 to 9 servings of a variety of colorful vegetables and fruits each day, focusing on dark greens like kale and bright colors like carrots and beets.  2. Consume Omega-3 Fatty Acids   Omega-3 fatty acids are essential components of mitochondrial membranes. Foods high in Omega-3, such as deep-sea fish (mackerel, sardines, herring), nuts, and avocados, can improve mitochondrial function and reduce inflammation. The World Health Organization recommends eating 6 to 12 ounces of these foods weekly, prepared in ways that preserve their nutritional benefits.  3. Ensure Adequate Calcium Intake  Calcium is vital for maintaining bone strength, especially during preconception. Incorporate calcium-rich foods like dairy products, leafy greens, and sardines into your diet for sufficient intake.  4. Follow an Anti-Inflammatory Diet  Minimize red meat consumption and opt for fish, eggs, or lean meats instead. Incorporate vegetarian meals a few times a week with protein sources like lentils and tofu. Avoid high-inflammation foods such as sugar, white bread, and alcohol.  Exercise:  5. Engage in Regular, Moderate-Intense Exercise  Regular aerobic exercises can stimulate mitochondrial autophagy—essentially, the body’s way of refreshing its mitochondria. Consider including strength training and high-intensity interval training…

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