Is there a vitamin alternative to laser hatching of Zona pellucida ?

Question # 2

i'm doing an IUI in two days & wanted to know if there is an oral supplement or vitamin or food that will help in naturally thinning (or making less rigid) the outer zona pellucida.  i'm 48 yrs old & want to combat the more rigid ZP that older women have...

i had one IVF last year with assisted hatching (5 eggs retrieved... 4 were viable.... 3 were fertilized & those 3 embryos were implanted) ...but it failed

because i only have two mature follicles this time, my doctor wants to do an IUI, so i was hoping that i could take an oral supplement or vitamin or food that would thin or soften the outer layer of the zona pellucida (because it's probably more rigid since i'm 48 years old) since laser-hatching is not an option.

i don't have children because i'm the youngest of 9 children so my parents were both elderly when i was born & i had to take care of them after they had strokes (they both had high blood pressure) & so i delayed having children.  my boyfriend & i have tried to conceive over the past two years but without success.  hopefully this upcoming IUI will be successful.

Answer : 

Unfortunately , nothing can be done to reverse the aging of your eggs - you cannot thin it's outer covering with any vitamins.

I wish you lots of good luck. That's so nice of you to put your parents' needs first and supporting them. I love your optimism , and may your wish get fulfilled soon.

Although , I answered carefully in a way which doesn't hurt her hope and optimism , I felt guilty for not telling her the truth.

The chance of her getting pregnant and having a healthy baby with her own eggs is almost close to zero. I am sure she is aware of the scientific statistics , yet , she is trying her level best to fight the odds. Women like her amaze me. I wonder what I would have done if I were in her shoes !  What's the right move for a woman in her situation ? Should they move on to donor eggs , or try conceiving with their own eggs - until they produce eggs and embryos ?

According to scientific data , women after the age of 42 , have only 5 % chance ( perhaps , even less ! ) of taking home a healthy baby. After 45 , the chance of having a healthy baby with their own eggs is almost nil. Even though they produce eggs ,  the chance that all their eggs are genetically abnormal is extremely high.

Reference : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25017405

But , what if ,  a woman after 45 years old luckily finds that one good embryo which will become her much desired baby ? Such happenings are not unheard of . Please read this article : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26327892

This is exactly why  you must trust your gut feeling when deciding whether to continue IVF with your own eggs or to call it quits. Apart from considering financial , physical and emotional discomforts , please listen to your gut feeling too and decide for yourself.

But , if someone asks my opinion , as a biologist , as a person who values scientific evidence , I would say it is insane to continue with your own eggs if you are above 45 years. But , always remember , that there are a lucky few who have beat all the odds ! If your gut feeling says you could be one too , give IVF with your own eggs a few tries.

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If you need to talk to me , write to me to manjupadmasekar@yahoo.com