Egg collection for IVF in Ho Chi Minh City. Ms. My, 33 years old, was infertile for 5 years due to premature ovarian failure. Now she has a child thanks to egg collection for IVF. In the past two years, Ms. My's menstrual cycle has gradually become less frequent and shortened from 5 days to 1-2 days. Testing at the Reproductive Support Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City (IVF Tam Anh, Ho Chi Minh City), recorded that Ms. My's AMH ovarian reserve index had seriously decreased to 0.4 ng/mL (the average level for women under 38 years old is 2-6 ng/mL). Ultrasound at the beginning of the cycle only shows about 4 follicles. Dr. Nguyen Thi Thach Thao advised My and her husband to have in vitro fertilization (IVF) as soon as possible because the ovarian reserve continues to decrease over time, and the ability to create embryos is increasingly low. Ms. My collected eggs accumulated over many cycles, then used these eggs for fertilization at the same time, increasing the chance of creating embryos. In the first cycle, Ms. My only obtained one mature ovum. Doctors adjust the regimen and add hormones to increase ovarian response. Through the next two cycles, she obtained a more satisfactory number of mature oocytes, bringing the total number of oocytes to 14. The embryologist thawed the oocytes collected in the first two cycles, and at the same time filtered and used fresh oocytes in the third cycle. The husband's semen samples are taken and the healthiest sperm are selected to be injected into the cytoplasm of each ovum. After fertilization, all embryos are cultured in a Time-lapse system integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) that continuously monitors division milestones and changes in the embryo. Image data assists specialists in evaluating the development process to select potential embryos. As a result, Ms. My had 3 good quality day 5 embryos and one day 6 embryo. Before transferring the embryos, Dr. Thao treated Ms. My to suppress endometriosis for two weeks. When the endometrium reached the appropriate thickness, the doctor performed embryo transfer, and she became pregnant the first time. My and her husband welcomed their healthy son into the world at 40 weeks gestation, weighing 3 kg. The remaining embryos are continued to be frozen for future birth plans. Dr. Thao said ovarian reserve usually begins to decrease after age 30 and faster from about age 35. The cause can be genetics, pelvic surgery, autoimmune disease, endometriosis or stressful lifestyle, staying up late, chemical exposure... About 60% of infertility treatment cases at IVF Tam Anh HCMC are due to low ovarian reserve. The method of oocyte collection or cumulative embryo collection in many cycles has helped many people have the optimal number of ovules and embryos, increasing the chance of conception. Dr. Thao recommends that women have their reproductive health checked early if there are signs of abnormal menstruation or vaginal dryness, hot flashes, mood changes... However, deterioration of ovarian reserve can occur silently and without obvious symptoms. Therefore, women who do not plan to have children should proactively examine and evaluate ovarian reserves, and consider freezing eggs to preserve future fertility. Nguyet Nhi * Character name has been changed
