Last week, we shared the sad truth that many people who were going through IVF treatments wanted to get pregnant but were unable to go through with their treatments because of the COVID-19 prevention measures.
Well, we are now a bit more optimistic as a recent study was published in the peer-reviewed Human Reproduction Journal showing that women who wait for up to six months before undergoing fertility treatment have similar rates of live birth than women who are treated within three months.
The study led Weill Cornell Medical College, looked at data from 1790 women who completed their first IVF cycle between 2012 and 2018. The women in the study all had low AMH levels, a hormone that shows a woman’s remaining eggs, also known as low ovarian reserve.
The study explains “providers and patients should be reassured that when a short-term treatment delay is deemed necessary for medical, logistic or financial reasons, treatment outcomes will not be affected.”
The research demonstrates that the live birth rate was similar in women who started their IVF cycle between one and 90 days after they were assessed, and those who waited until 91-180 days after their assessment. While it is far from conclusive, it does suggest that short delays in accessing fertility treatments do not seem to affect the live birth rates. One thing important to note about this study is that it only assessed older women; the average age of the subjects was 39. More studies will be needed to apply the results to younger women.
This is promising, as many of our patients have had to wait to get the treatments they are so desperately wanting to complete or get started. We have been busy getting cycles completed and resuming with much-awaited embryo transfers. Baby Dust to all!! ✨
