Having a baby is one of life’s truest joys, but nearly 10 percent of reproductive-age couples in America struggle to get pregnant. About one third of these cases are due to fertility problems in the woman. The emotional impact of infertility can wreak havoc on a couple’s lives. A couple’s life can seem to rotate around nothing but ovulation calendars and menstruation. Vacations are put on hold and more importantly, careers can be dismantled.
Often times, couples choose to combat infertility using in vitro fertilization (IVF) in which eggs and sperm are joined together in a laboratory glass dish that allows the sperm to fertilize an egg. While IVF can improve the odds of pregnancy, the toll it can take on the female partner can be substantial and success is hardly guaranteed.
According to studies, a new fertility invention has been devised by scientists from the University of Michigan that dramatically improves the success rates of fertility treatments. The device replicates how embryos ricochet as they make their journey down the fallopian tube to the uterus, which makes the fertilization procedure more natural. Typically, during IVF, the eggs are fertilized by sperm outside the uterus and then sent to a culture dish for a couple of days, until the embryo will be entered into the uterus.
According to the authors of the study, Shu Takayama and Gary Smith, the invention is designed to make cells feel more natural and choose superior cells, which increase IVF success. The study indicated that hastening of the embryos movement while they mature during IVF boosts pregnancy success in mice by 22 percent.
The device, which resembles a small thimble-like funnel, contains small channels at the bottom that helps pass waste products and aid the embryo as it transfers to a nutrient-dense fluid. The support Braille pins vibrate and produce current that replicates body flows during muscle contractions and the movement of the cilia.
In contrast to embryos grown in a static environment, the embryos generated in the ingenious device were far healthier and more stable. In fact, the study revealed that nearly 77 percent of embryos developed in the new invention resulted in pregnancies, while the typical IVF method yielded just a 55% success rate.
The researchers predict that this invention design will not only dramatically boost pregnancy rates and robust embryos, but will use less embryos which will reduce the rate of multiple births.
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Edward Lakatis owns and operates Idea Design Studio, an invention development and marketing company. He is passionate about all things related to invention, and helping other inventor’s realize their products potentials. If you have a great product that you believe should be brought to market, call IDS at 888-864-1780 to find out how to turn your idea into a product!
Invention Improves IVF Success
