IVM (in vitro maturation) is a method that started to be used in the 1990s. IVM is based on the principle of maturation and fertilization of immature eggs collected with short-term drug use or without the use of any drug in the external environment (laboratory), and then transferring them into the uterus when they reach the appropriate development stage.
The most important area of use is women with polycystic ovary syndrome who respond excessively to medications. It was introduced with the aim of performing in vitro fertilization with IVM without the use of medication in these women and thus preventing the occurrence of a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) due to their hypersensitive ovaries. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome are extremely sensitive to the effects of the drugs called gonadotropins, which stimulate the ovaries that we use in in vitro fertilization treatment, and are prone to a complication called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which can have serious side effects and sometimes require hospitalization. When in vitro fertilization is performed without stimulating the ovaries with medications, this risk of OHSS is eliminated. IVM is actually still implemented in a small number of centers around the world.
The advantage of IVM over IVF with medication is that this risk is eliminated, as well as the absence of medication use and therefore reduced costs. However, pregnancy rates achieved with IVM are lower than with classical in vitro fertilization using medication. Therefore, the main reason why IVM has not become widespread despite the mentioned advantages is that its success rates in terms of pregnancy do not reach the desired level. As recently reported in some publications, there is not sufficient scientific evidence for the use of this method in women who have previously unsuccessful in vitro fertilization and in women whose ovaries respond poorly to medications. As mentioned above, IVM is actually an application that should be used in a very limited patient group. It does not seem right for in vitro fertilization patients, who have tried many times but failed, especially because their ovaries are weak, and who are desperately chasing every innovation, to expect success from this method.
We receive many questions such as "Do you provide drug-free IVF treatment?" As mentioned above, except for a limited patient group, drug-free in vitro fertilization (IVM) is not a frequently used technique in our center due to low pregnancy rates.