PRP , despite the slowing down of operations caused by COVID-19 pandemic .”
Alpha is the first centre in Malaysia to offer ovarian PRP , a newly pioneered procedure where platelet-rich plasma is injected directly into the ovaries of women who suffer from a variety of ovarian conditions or poor egg quality .
The centre is also one of very few worldwide that have run field testing for the development of an artificial intelligence embryo selection system . In an IVF cycle , an embryologist will assess and select the best-formed , most viable embryo that ’ s most likely to develop into pregnancy . However , since this is done manually , the process is imperfect , even though the approach is guided by an international scoring standard .
Now , using the newly launched artificial intelligenceenhanced embryo selection system , which uses machine learning to identify the best embryos through their appearance at a microscopic level , the process is faster and more accurate and helps reduce the number of IVF cycles required .
Another breakthrough technology for embryo screening used by Alpha , but not available in many other countries , is high-definition direct human leukocyte antigen ( HLA ) typing using next-generation sequencing , which allows for much more accurate genetic analysis of embryos than the conventional method .
High-definition HLA can identify with certainty which embryos are suitable for implantation into the mother ’ s womb . In addition , the embryo will have a higher chance of resulting in a successful full-term pregnancy , since fewer cells need to be taken from the embryo for analysis .
“ We like to be first with techniques and technologies like these because we understand how important it is for parents to conceive but also how necessary it is for them to feel confident that the pregnancy will be successful and the resulting baby will be healthy .
“ One of the most exciting things about fertility treatment is how quickly new technology becomes available , and I always make sure we invest in the latest , most reliable equipment ,” said Dr Lee .
The last year and a half has been a challenge for all healthcare operators , not least for Alpha . Since fertility treatment is ideal for patients who fly in from abroad , complete the treatment , and hopefully deliver their child
back at home , the Kuala Lumpur centre has typically catered to couples across Asia , in particular those from Indonesia and China .
Nevertheless , Alpha IVF continues to receive health travelers that arrived via special channel and of 40 patients who were seen by Alpha ’ s Specialists since November 2020 to August 2021 , 35 underwent frozen embryo transfer , and 32 achieved pregnancy , making a pregnancy success rate of 91.4 % for this category .
But when borders closed for much of the last year , many couples were forced to wait until the region returned to normality before they could access fertility treatment . Now Alpha ’ s specialists are bracing for a new wave of patients seeking their help .
“ We ’ re excited about returning to normal and welcoming more of our overseas patients , and more broadly , finding out what ’ s in store for the next decade ,” said Dr Lee .
“ We want to embrace all challenges by delivering the best possible treatments to our patients by sticking to our core values of excellence , innovation , quality , and integrity . n
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com OCTOBER 2021
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