Stem Cell IVF Treatment

Everything You Need to Know About Stem Cell IVF Treatment

Uses | Types | Sources | Procedure | Technique | Advantages | Cost

Stem Cells: What they are & How they help?

In essence, the stem cells are considered to be the raw material of one’s body. They have the capability of producing more functional cells under a specific circumstance. The newly-produced cells of the same are known as daughter cells of the parental stem cell.

In most cases, the daughter cells become a specialized cell, which has a particular function. However, in rare circumstances, these cells can turn into another stem cell as well. Thus, they will have the natural capability of producing a brand new type of cell.

As mentioned before, the stem cells do have the potency of creating a brand new type of cell. Thus, the doctors are, now, considering them to be an effective alternative therapeutic agent for people who are suffering from infertility. But, how is it going to work for them?

For starters, these cells tend to have a higher potential for creating differentiation. Thus, through laboratory experiments, the doctor can differentiate them into embryonic, ovarian, endometrial, or mesenchymal stem cells.

These cells can further be differentiated to create oocytes and spermatozoa in vitro and used clinically. However, the procedure is still at the earliest stage of its origin. Thus, the specialists will need to do much more researches to find actual proof of the same.

Till then, it can only be considered as nothing more than a vague conception of a form of medical advancement.

Types of stem cells

The stem cells are generally classified into various categories. Some of these are as follows –

• Embryonic: This type of stem cells usually originates from human embryos, which are around 3-5 days old. A doctor can harvest them during in-vitro fertilization or, IVF, to cure the issue of infertility. The fertilization procedure of the same requires a laboratory environment instead of the body of a woman. These cells can create almost any type of functional cell in one’s body.
• Non-Embryonic: These cells usually originate from either a developed organ or a tissue in your body. Therefore, in most cases, they participate in the job of repairing the same tissue or organ when it is damaged. For example, hematopoietic stem cells generally stay in the bone marrow and help in producing new WBC, RBC, and any other type of blood cells. They can treat mild damage to the bones as well.
• Induced Pluripotent: These types of stem cells are created in a laboratory by scientists. They have a higher potential and can differentiate into almost any type of body cell. Due to this reason, doctors are currently trying to use it for curing infertility-related problems.

Sources of stem cells

The stem cells are available throughout the human body. You can find the same in the –

• Amniotic fluid
• Umbilical cord
• Bone marrow
• Allograft
• Adipose tissue

Treatment Options For Infertility

Stem cell therapy procedure

The stem cell therapy procedure is much more common in the treatment of cancer, especially blood cancer. It is usually performed during the transplantation of an individual’s bone marrow. However, in recent years, the doctors are trying to implement it in treating infertility too.

Nonetheless, the procedure or the techniques used in it are quite vague. Therefore, providing a thorough explanation of the same becomes a little bit difficult. But, in the below section, we have tried to clarify a few things in this aspect. So, check them out!

• Stem Cell Treatment for Male Infertility: In essence, the stem cell treatment for male infertility is done through the procedure of spermatogenesis. The process helps haploid spermatozoa in developing from germ cells to the testis tubules. It begins through the mitotic division of stem cells and aids the testes in growing more sperm cells than usual. This way, the sperm count of the human being arises by quite a mile. Thus, the effect of infertility starts lowering gradually as well. If everything goes in the right direction, then the couple might start conceiving within the next few years.
• Stem Cell Treatment For Female Infertility: The stem cell therapy can be beneficial for the female community who are having trouble with infertility as well. It can help in creating oocytes generation and ovarian cell production. This way, their overall fertility level can increase massively. Furthermore, it can also repair the tissues of the uterus and help the organ to produce healthy cells in a proper manner. This way, the women can get rid of their infertile state and pave the path of motherhood.

Technique used in stem cell treatments

There are several specific technologies, which can be used in stem cell treatment. Some of them are –

• Suspension Technology: the iPSCs tend to draw much more attention than the normal cells due to their therapeutic advantage. To obtain the induced Pluripotent cells from them, you will need to opt for the suspension technology.
• Inhibitor Differentiation Method: Unlike the suspension technology, this method is primarily used for creating mesenchymal cells. You can get them through this procedure from the fat or bone marrow cells.

Advantages of stem cell technology & What offer to IVF patients

The prime usage of stem cell therapy is much more prominent in the scene of treating blood cancer. However, nowadays, doctors are using it for curing cardiovascular diseases as well. It helps them in reverting the scar tissues back and reinvigorating the health of the heart. It can also help in healing incisions and wounds pretty quickly.

In IVF, this procedure can quicken the efficiency of the treatment by quite a mile. For the male community, it can cure the issue of sperm production by repairing the tissues. Conversely, for the female, it can aid in improving the health of the uterus and making it much more effective.

Cost of stem cell therapy/treatments

In general, stem cell therapy in India can cost almost anywhere between USD 6,300 to USD 7,200. However, it might change or alternate depending on the state or the healthcare centre you have opted for.