Scientific research at Brussels IVF
Research and clinical studies at Brussels IVF
Next-level IVF care pathway
Contrary to popular belief, IVF is no guarantee for pregnancy.
If you are looking for a second or maybe even third opinion, you probably have already undertaken several ART attempts without a positive outcome. At our centre, we have years of experience and ongoing research to maximise the chances of success for prospective parents.
We are happy to review any additional options beyond conventional IVF with you that we can explore together. Because your desire to have a child deserves every chance of success.
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Brussels IVF is a department of the University Hospital of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
This means we conduct ongoing research into various aspects of fertility medicine. Our centre performs more than 2,200 artificial inseminations, 5,500 oocyte retrievals, and 7,000 embryo transfers every year. As such, we have access to an extraordinary amount of knowledge, both in our clinic and in the lab. We thus recognise and treat specific challenges that are less frequent in smaller centres more often. Various study protocols and research projects may also be relevant to your situation.
For whom?
This care pathway was developed for prospective parents seeking specific support or tailored counselling, usually after several unsuccessful IVF/ICSI treatments. In vitro fertilisation is a routine treatment, which has been offered in many fertility centres for several years already. Unfortunately, this routine treatment is not always a guarantee that prospective parents will soon be able to hold their own little bundle of joy. Every body is different and sometimes you need just a little more help.
For years, Brussels IVF has been focusing on improving this ‘routine’ and fine-tuning treatments to make them more comfortable and efficient for patients. We also work in specific niches of reproductive medicine, both in terms of the care we provide and of scientific research. As such, we have acquired unique expertise over the years.
We also use this expertise for prospective parents who find it more difficult to conceive or whose success rate with IVF/ICSI is reduced. We offer consultation, advice, adapted treatment, possibly within a study protocol, and care and support during this difficult process.
You can contact us yourself or you can get a referral from your GP or gynaecologist or also from another IVF specialist.
Improving the quality of gametes and embryos
When we talk about ‘oocyte quality’ or ‘sperm cell quality’, we are referring to the normal external characteristics of the cells under a microscope and the normal genetic or chromosomal composition of sex cells. If there is a flaw in the oocyte, there is a good chance that it will not develop further into a (good) embryo and/or will not lead to a successful pregnancy.
As every woman is born with her full oocyte count, age is a determining factor in the number of available follicles and their genetic quality. The chances of a genetic abnormalities in oocytes increase with age, in other words. We know that at age 30, about 1 in 3 of a woman’s oocytes presents abnormalities. At the age of 45, this increases to 4 in 5. A woman’s oocyte count in the ovaries also decreases significantly, often from the age of 35.
As men continue to produce sperm throughout their fertile life, age is less of a determining factor for male fertility. That said, genetic sperm quality also decreases over time, albeit to a lesser extent compared with oocyte quality in women.
Unfortunately, we are unable to influence the intrinsic or genetic quality of oocytes and sperm. However, you yourself can try to adopt or maintain a healthy lifestyle to promote this. Smoking and alcohol consumption, for example, are detrimental to our sex cells.
Eat a varied diet so your body gets all the nutrients it needs. Match your calorie intake to your actual consumption. Sufficient exercise is tremendously important in this context.
We, meanwhile, will suggest an alternative medication protocol to stimulate the ovaries (and follicle maturation) during any subsequent treatment. By closely monitoring you, we try to improve the quality of the mature oocyte. If another protocol does not improve embryo quality, there is the possibility of an assisted natural cycle, i.e., without (much) stimulation.
Scientific research
Brussels IVF distinguishes itself with its Next-Level IVF care pathway by looking beyond the routine treatments. As a university, we continuously conduct research on various aspects of reproductive medicine. This includes basic research into embryonic development as well as clinical studies into medication protocols, and aspects that can make treatment more pleasant for patients. Several studies are also ongoing with the aim of improving oocyte and embryo quality. If an ongoing study could potentially be relevant for your treatment, your doctor will discuss this with you. You will then receive guidance from a specialist study counsellor during your pathway.
Scientific research is part and parcel of Brussels IVF’s DNA.
It is also partly due to this scientific drive that our centre has played a pioneering role – often in conjunction with the Medical Genetics Centre (CMG) at UZ Brussel – in the development and improvement of reproductive technologies since its inception in 1983.
Brussels IVF is also a member of a network of research and treatment institutions and/or promotes and facilitates international cooperation. Our centre is a co-founder and long-standing active member of ESHRE, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.
Add-ons
These days, the sky is (almost) the limit in fertility treatments. In addition to ‘conventional’ IVF and ICSI, add-ons are offered all the time. These additional interventions or medications may increase the chances of pregnancy. But often the beneficial effects of the add-on are not proven at all. In exceptional cases, they may also come with risks.
If you have already done an internet search, you will be aware that there is a lot of information available online. But often it is much more difficult to verify whether the information on the internet is correct as well as scientifically proven. Moreover, a generalised approach is complicated because a fertility treatment is a very individualised process.
If you have any questions, please always discuss them with your treating doctor. They can give you scientifically based advice and check whether a particular add-on does is actually relevant for your specific situation.
More info here.
Would you like to make an appointment for a consultation?
For this, it is best to contact us by phone (+32 2 477 66 99). A member of our Contact Centre will help you make an appointment with the appropriate specialist by asking you a few specific questions. Please provide all relevant medical information and results of examinations already carried out elsewhere via info@brusselsivf.be. This will ensure that your doctor has the necessary data available during the consultation.
Common questions about Next-level IVF answered:
What are my prospects of success at Brussels IVF?
Although your individual chance of success is difficult to predict, your doctor will always try to make as accurate an estimate as possible. This is done based on your preliminary examinations and what we learn from previous attempts. In general, we can only say that IVF and ICSI are definitely worth trying in many situations. However, how a body reacts is very individual. Many centres express their success rate very generally as 'chance of pregnancy' or 'chance of continuing pregnancy'. This means that a pregnancy loss is sometimes not included and so the figures look prettier. Furthermore, the success rate is sometimes expressed 'per embryo transfer'. This can also give a flattered picture of the success rate, because patients who did not receive a transfer - but had started a treatment cycle - are not included. In other words, patients with a worse prognosis - e.g. because of a low number of oocytes the egg retrieval, failure to conceive, poor embryo development - are not visible in the figures For this reason, we work with a cumulative representation of the success rate: i.e. the success rate per treatment cycle and across six cycles. This provides a more honest estimate of the success rate. Firstly, because no selection is made on the basis of a more favourable medical profile and, secondly, the effect of the number of attempts is factored in. It is expected that if 100 women, under 36 years of age, start IVF / ICSI, 47 will give birth after their first treatment cycle. If those who did not give birth after the first cycle start a second cycle, 63 of the original 100 will have given birth. After the third treatment cycle, 74% will have given birth. And so on.
Prof. Dr. Herman Tournaye
What can I do myself to increase my success rate?
You yourself can try to adopt or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Smoking and alcohol consumption, for example, are detrimental to our oocytes and sperm. Sufficient sleep, rest, and reducing stress - where possible - can all be beneficial. Eat a varied diet so your body gets all the nutrients it needs. Match your calorie intake to your actual consumption. Sufficient exercise is tremendously important in this context. Check our ‘What can I do myself?’ brochure for more tips and advice.
Dr. Caroline Roelens
Good to know
The keyword is ‘tailor-made care’. Whether this consists of an adapted medication protocol, a study, add-ons in the clinic, an adapted procedure in the lab or additional guidance, it will entirely be dependent on your situation and needs.
Is IVF treatment successful for everyone?
We find that we are unable to fulfil the dream of about 10% of the prospective parents who turn to us for assistance. While reproductive medicine can give nature lots of nudges, unfortunately there are no guarantees. The medical aspect of fertility treatment is only one side of the coin. The psychological impact of an unfulfilled desire for children, as well as the lack of control over the outcome of a pathway, carry just as much weight in the capacity of prospective parents to bear the burden. A team of psychologists is available before, during, but also after treatment. Even if the result that you were hoping for failed to materialise, we are also on hand to lend support as you make the decision to stop trying to conceive. If you don’t feel comfortable receiving such counselling at our fertility centre, we recommend that you discuss this with a psychologist closer to home or get a referral from your GP. Talking to other people in the same situation may also be helpful.