Latest news with #YvonneLundbergGiwercman
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
A one-hour mouth swab may make IVF more successful—here's what hopeful parents should know
For many families, IVF is a journey filled with unknowns—and often, heartbreak. The physical toll, the emotional rollercoaster, and the financial cost can be overwhelming. But new research from Sweden offers a glimmer of hope, introducing a simple tool that could make this process more effective—and a little gentler. A recent study from Lund University has found that a quick, non-invasive mouth swab could help doctors personalize hormone treatments for IVF, potentially boosting success rates by up to 38%. That could mean 110 more babies born for every 1,000 women treated—offering not just data, but dreams made real. IVF, or in vitro fertilization, involves stimulating the ovaries to produce eggs, which are then retrieved, fertilized, and implanted into the uterus. It sounds straightforward—but anyone who has walked this road knows how complex it really is. One of the biggest challenges? Finding the right hormone treatment for each woman's unique biology. Hormone treatments are used to help eggs mature before retrieval. But not all women respond the same way. And when the hormones aren't the right fit, the chances of a successful pregnancy drop, and side effects rise. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, while IVF births are on the rise in the U.S.—with more than 95,000 babies born via IVF in 2023—up to 75% of IVF cycles still end in failure. That's a staggering statistic, and one that researchers have been working to change. The Lund University study looked at the genetic data of 1,466 women undergoing IVF at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, Sweden. They discovered that a woman's genes can actually predict how well she'll respond to different hormone treatments. One gene in particular—the FSHR gene, which plays a key role in egg maturation—was found to influence outcomes. Women with a certain variation in this gene did better with biological hormones, while those without it had better results with synthetic ones. This led researchers to create a test: a simple mouth swab that analyzes these genetic markers and gives a clear result in just one hour. The test uses colors—pink or yellow—to indicate the most suitable hormone treatment. Related: This woman's reaction to her friend's pregnancy reveal sheds light on the hidden grief of infertility For families struggling with infertility, this development could be life-changing. Matching treatment to genetics helped increase IVF success by 38%. That's not just a number—it's more babies, more happy endings, and fewer cycles of emotional and physical strain. 'Our hope is that this will reduce the risk of suffering for women, increase the number of successful treatments and cut costs for taxpayers,' said Yvonne Lundberg Giwercman, CEO of the company developing the test. Related: Why we need National Infertility Awareness Week more than ever If you're considering IVF—or supporting someone who is—this new swab test might be a key part of the journey in the near future. It's expected to be available by 2026, and could become a standard part of IVF preparation, helping doctors offer more tailored and compassionate care. It's a step forward that doesn't just bring new science—it brings new hope. And for every parent holding on to the dream of a child, that hope means everything.
India Today
14-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
New saliva test aims to reduce IVF side effects and improve pregnancy rates
A simple saliva test can help improve the chances of IVF, according to a new study by Swedish findings, published in peer-reviewed Frontiers in Endocrinology, has found that a genetic test could reduce harmful side effects for women undergoing fertility by Yvonne Lundberg Giwercman from Lund University, the research highlights how personalised hormone therapy, based on a woman's genetic makeup, can lead to more successful About 15% of couples of reproductive age struggle with infertility. A growing number of people are postponing parenthood, leading to a sharp increase in assisted reproduction methods like IVF treatments come with challenges. The procedure involves hormone therapy to stimulate egg production, but nearly 75% of IVF attempts to 20% of women experience side effects, some requiring emergency care.'A major issue is that doctors currently have to guess which hormone treatment is best for each woman,' said Ida Hjelmr, the study's first author and a laboratory researcher at Lund find a solution, the team analysed the genes of 1,466 women undergoing discovered that women with a specific version of the FSH receptor gene responded better to biological hormones, while others did better with synthetic matching treatment to genetic type, success rates improved significantly.'We saw a 38% increase in births among women who received hormone therapy that matched their gene variation. That's 110 more babies for every 1,000 women treated,' said make this process faster and more accessible, the team developed a simple oral swab test that shows the ideal hormone treatment within an hour, visible as a pink or yellow test is expected to be available by early 2026, said Giwercman, who is also the CEO of the company that developed the oral swab researchers have applied for a patent and launched a company, Dx4Life AB, to bring the product to hope the test will lead to more successful IVF outcomes while reducing health risks and healthcare Watch
Hans India
14-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
Swab test breakthrough could revolutionise IVF success rates: Swedish scientists lead the way
In a major breakthrough for reproductive medicine, Swedish researchers have developed a simple oral swab test that could significantly improve the success rates of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The innovation, led by a team at Lund University, aims to personalise IVF treatment by identifying the most suitable hormone therapy for each woman—within just one hour. IVF typically involves stimulating a woman's ovaries to produce multiple eggs, which are then retrieved, fertilised in a laboratory, and implanted into the uterus. However, selecting the appropriate hormone therapy—biological or synthetic—to trigger egg maturation has long posed challenges. The wrong choice not only reduces the chances of a successful pregnancy but may also cause severe side effects that could require intensive care. Traditionally, determining the best hormone treatment required complex and expensive genetic mapping. The new swab test, however, offers a quick and cost-effective alternative. With results visible to the naked eye in either pink or yellow, the test determines which hormone therapy is most compatible with a woman's genetic makeup. 'Our hope is that this will reduce the risk of suffering for women, increase the number of successful treatments, and cut costs for taxpayers,' said Professor Yvonne Lundberg Giwercman, who led the study. 'Our goal is for the test to be available by the start of 2026.' The study, published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, involved 1,466 women undergoing IVF treatment across Sweden. Of these, 475 participants were randomly assigned one of the two hormone therapies, while the remainder served as controls. Researchers used gene sequencing to identify a specific variant of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene that influences response to treatment. Women with this particular gene variant responded better to biological hormones, while others had more success with synthetic alternatives. With this test, clinicians can now tailor treatment plans more effectively, potentially increasing the chances of pregnancy while reducing medical risks. This new advancement is a hopeful sign for couples struggling with infertility and marks a pivotal shift toward personalised reproductive care.
Hans India
13-05-2025
- Health
- Hans India
A simple oral swab test before IVF likely to boost success rate
Swedish researchers have developed a simple oral swab test, which can help boost the success rate of the in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure. IVF treatment involves stimulating the woman's ovaries to mature many eggs, which are then retrieved and fertilised with sperm in the laboratory before being returned to the uterus. There are two different types of hormone treatments to choose from for egg maturation: biological or synthetic. Besides the risk of serious side effects, the therapies sometimes require women to go into intensive care -- and many attempts at IVF fail. Selecting which therapy is best for the woman has become a major challenge. While mapping genes is costly and takes time, the new simple oral swab test within an hour shows which hormone therapy is most suitable. 'Our hope is that this will reduce the risk of suffering for women, increase the number of successful treatments, and cut costs for taxpayers. Our goal is for the test to be available by the start of 2026,' said Yvonne Lundberg Giwercman, professor at Lund University. A total of 1,466 women undergoing IVF treatment in Sweden were included in the study, and 475 were randomised to two different hormone treatments while the rest were controls. Using gene sequencing, the team mapped the action of the gene follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which is known to play an important role in egg maturation. The study identified that women with a particular variant of the FSH receptor (FSHR) gene that mediates the action of the hormone responded best to the biological hormone treatment, while others benefited from receiving the synthetic type of hormone. To decode the genetic profile, the team turned to the oral swab test, which proved to be significantly efficient. Within an hour, it produced results that can be seen with the naked eye as a pink or yellow colour. By knowing the woman's genetic profile in advance, we can increase the number of successful pregnancies, said Giwercman, in the study published in the journal Frontiers in Endocrinology.
