Researchers in a 2026 randomized trial found that ~9 weeks of transdermal testosterone before IVF didn’t improve pregnancy rates or egg numbers in women with diminished ovarian reserve.
Egg Quality
A 2026 study suggests that restoring the protein SGO1 can reduce early chromosome separation in eggs, a process that might help reduce embryo aneuploidy, though this was not directly tested.
In DOR patients, a 2025 study found that follicles measuring 15–17 mm at the time of egg retrieval were associated with the best outcomes, suggesting that optimal trigger timing in this group might occur earlier than standard thresholds used for normal responders.
A 2025 study introduces the term “oocyte and early embryo competence defects” to describe younger IVF patients who repeatedly have no transferable embryos due to low quality eggs, finding that about 13–23% had genetic changes.
A 2025 study showed that supplement use is widespread among IVF patients, with mixed impressions, limited evidence, and frequent confusion that leads many people to seek guidance from online communities rather than from clinical recommendations.
In a 2025 study, researchers found that poor mitochondrial activity limits the ability of immature eggs to reach maturity, leading to reduced maturation in eggs from older women.
A 2025 study found that aging eggs and their support cells may have increased ribosome activity that contributes to reduced egg quality, and early clinical results suggest that rapamycin may help improve embryo quality and pregnancy rates.
A 2025 meta-analysis combined the results of 22 studies and found no clear improvement in live birth rates from hormonal add-on for poor ovarian response, though growth hormone and testosterone ranked as the most promising options, and growth hormone increased the number of eggs retrieved.
A 2025 study of women with repeated IVF failure and unexplained infertility found that about 13% had mutations affecting egg or embryo development, mostly in the TUBB8 and PATL2 genes, suggesting that many “unexplained” cases may have underlying genetic causes.
A 2025 case report describes a live birth from a frozen immature egg matured through rescue IVM, suggesting that immature eggs in freezing cycles may have reproductive potential and should not be routinely discarded.
In a 2025 study, researchers tested a noninvasive MRI-like tool that reads an embryo’s metabolic health, accurately predicting which would stop developing and potentially helping select the healthiest for transfer.
A large 2025 study charts how AMH levels decline with age in over 22,000 women, revealing when diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) becomes more common, regardless of infertility status.
A 2025 case report describes a live birth in a 46-year-old woman using her own eggs through IVF, adding to a small number of published cases showing that pregnancy at this age, while uncommon, is still possible without add-ons or PGT-A.
A pilot study in 2025 explored whether mitochondrial DNA mutations in follicular fluid could reflect egg quality, finding some early signs of a possible link, but there were some significant limitations.
This post summarizes the 2025 ESHRE/ALPHA Istanbul consensus on egg and embryo assessment, offering patients a clear overview of how embryologists evaluate and rank eggs, zygotes, and embryos based on updated international guidelines.
In a 2025 study, researchers estimated how many frozen eggs are needed, by age, to reliably yield three euploid blastocysts or achieve one, two or three live births, offering practical guidance for egg freezing patients.
Researchers performed rescue IVM on immature eggs collected from poor prognosis patients, and found that a large number became mature and fertilized, allowing about 1 in 12 patients to have a live birth that they wouldn’t have had otherwise.
A 2025 study compared cumulative live birth rates for patients transferring up to 15 untested embryos. Besides the CLBR based on single blastocyst transfers and age, they found differences based on ovarian response and blastocyst formation rates. They also suggested a new way to define recurrent implantation failure.
A new study performed an “umbrella review” on the use of supplements for improving female infertility, finding that while studies show improvements in pregnancy outcomes, the quality of the data is low and “insufficient to recommend nutrient supplementation.”
A 2024 meta-analysis combined the results of 12 studies comparing the use of artificial oocyte activation (AOA) on IVF outcomes. They found that there were increases in fertilization and live birth rates, but only in patients with a history of fertilization problems.
A 2024 meta-analysis combined the results of 12 studies comparing different IVF trigger shots, including hCG, GnRH agonist, and dual and double triggers. Triggers showed variable outcomes, highlighting the need for a personalized medicine approach.
Researchers, in a 2024 study, have discovered that mutations in genes that code for specialized proteins called kinesins could lead to increased risk of aneuploidy and accelerate the aging process.
A 2024 study compared cumulative live birth rates for patients aged 40 to 48, finding that increasing age led to decreasing chances of birth.