PhD defence Linda Barbara Philomène Maria Stevens Brentjens

Keywords: IVF, Implantation, Endometrium, Sex steroids

"The impact of local steroid metabolism on endometrial receptivity"

One of the most difficult aspects of IVF treatment is the failure of embryo implantation. Even when a high-quality embryo is transferred, the reasons for implantation failure often remain unclear.

Previous studies have shown that sex hormones are important for successful implantation. Researchers of the MUMC+/UM looked at how the uterus locally processes these hormones to create a supportive environment for implantation.

The study included both women undergoing regular IVF treatment and those with so-called repeated implantation failure. This latter group had experienced an average of seven failed embryo transfers.

Notably, women with repeated implantation failure still had a significant chance of achieving pregnancy. Within one year of attending the specialised clinic at Maastricht UMC+, 40.5 percent of them became pregnant.

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