Healthcare | Monday 29 August, 2016 11:43 am |

IVI Fertility Middle East, an international fertility centre based in Abu Dhabi, with presence in over 50 cities round the word, has reported that Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) treatment has contributed to a 70% success rate of achieving pregnancy among its patients in the UAE.  

The centre attributes this high success rate to its in depth understanding of region-specific causes of infertility, combined with highly specialized diagnostic tests used for IVF treatments, according to Dr. Human Fatemi, Medical Director of IVI Fertility Middle East. 

“We see an average of 90 patients per month at IVI Abu Dhabi and do almost 60 egg pick-ups. ICSI is performed on every patient at some stage of their treatment and delivers over 70% success rate in the Middle East which is much higher than IVI’s success rates in other parts of the world,” said Dr. Fatemi.  

“The Middle East has an estimated 2 to 3 million couples in the age group of 20-40 who are facing difficulties in conceiving naturally. This challenge of infertility is globally acknowledged to be a major health issue. In the last few years, we all have probably read or heard about advancements in fertility treatments. Couples facing infertility are more intensively researched, have better access to fertility treatments and are aware that science has led to many breakthroughs.”  

Infertility treatment is better known as IVF i.e. in vitro fertilization. It involves combining the egg and the sperm outside the body in a laboratory. Once an embryo or embryos form, they are then transferred back to the uterus of the woman. If done with correct approach, this technique delivers good results. However, there have been factors like severe male sterility, previously failed IVF cycles, failure with Intrauterine Insemination or even limited number of available eggs that pose challenges. Such cases do not necessarily see results with the conventional IVF technique. 

“The most utilized and successful methodology of IVF is the Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) which involves the injection of a single sperm directly into a mature egg in the IVF laboratory,” Dr. Fatemi explained. 

At IVI Fertility, great emphasis is put on patient education. Extensive counseling is given to familiarize them with the designed treatment. Before the start of IVF/ICSI treatment, the clinic also customizes the ovarian stimulation as per the patient’s needs for egg production. These eggs are then collected and each egg is injected with a single sperm from the spouse. The rest of the process is the same as IVF. The patient is more likely to become pregnant with twins or triplets if more than one embryo is transferred so at IVI Fertility, a Single Embryo Transfer (SET) is typically recommended. 

ICSI was pioneered by Dr. Prof Paul Devroey - a prominent Belgian researcher and professor specialized in infertility treatments. He worked for over 30 years at the University of Brussels and has trained Dr. Human Fatemi, Medical Director at IVI Fertility, Abu Dhabi, in various Assisted Reproductive Techniques. 

“At IVI, we have several proprietary tests and techniques that are now used worldwide and are known to enhance the chances of one getting pregnant,” Dr. Human Fatemi added.

Dr. Human Fatemi has carried out extensive research on treating infertility in the GCC and highlights four specific causes that impact fertility, such as higher prevalence of Consanguinity (marrying of first- or second-degree cousins), Vitamin D deficiency, Obesity, and the desire to have larger families. 

This unique knowledge also helps us boost our success rate by adding specialized techniques like the PGS (pre genetic screening), ERA (endometrial receptivity array) and the CGT (carrier genetic testing). These techniques are focused on addressing specific parameters and greatly contribute to a more scientific and planned way of a healthy conception, added Dr. Barbara Lawrenz, Senior Consultant at IVI Fertility, Abu Dhabi.