In IVF treatment (in vitro fertilization), there are two types of hormone treatment to choose from when the woman's ovaries are to be stimulated to mature many eggs. One contributing factor to the treatment failing in many cases is that healthcare to some extent has to guess which treatment suits the woman best, notes laboratory researcher Ida Hjelmér.
"Approximately 75 percent of all attempts fail and up to 20 percent of women experience side effects, some so severe that they need to seek acute care. The selection of hormone treatment is a contributing factor", she says in a press release from Lund University.
The result of a study with 1,466 women who underwent IVF treatment indicates that genetic tests can make a significant difference.
"We see a relative increase of 38 percent in the number of pregnancies and more born children among the women who received hormone treatment that matched their genetic variation compared to those who did not receive it", says Professor Yvonne Lundberg Giwercman in the press release.
She is also the CEO of a company that develops the test. The goal is for it to be available at the beginning of next year.
