Infertility treatments are hit and miss at best, but one organization has taken it upon itself to rethink the process and create a system that may be more reliable. Dubbed The Augment Treatment, it focuses on improving women's own eggs by using mitochondria from some of her stronger eggs to "replace that lost energy."
Developed by Massachusetts-based OvaScience, this infertility treatment currently exists in Canada. Although it costs an extra $25,000 on top of the regular price of IVF treatment, Dr. Robert Casper, a reproductive endocrinologist at the Toronto Center for Advanced Reproductive Technology, says new mitochondria "haven't been subjected to mutations and other problems." The price of the infertility treatment might be too steep t make it mainstream just yet, but it opens up doors more more creative thinking and possibilities.
What's Driving This Trend
- Augment Treatment
- Augment Treatment by OvaScience is a promising trend in infertility treatments that uses mitochondria from stronger eggs.
- Mitochondrial Replacement
- Mitochondrial replacement is another promising trend in the field of infertility treatments that swaps unhealthy mitochondria for healthy ones in embryos.
- Genetic Screening
- Genetic Screening is an important trend in fertility treatment that helps identify genetic disorders that could affect the baby's health before conception.
Who This Affects Most
- Healthcare Industry
- The healthcare industry can benefit from disruptive innovation opportunities that can bring down the cost of fertility treatments and make it accessible to a wider range of people.
- Biotechnology Industry
- The biotechnology industry has significant opportunities in developing and improving existing infertility treatments that can help people conceive naturally.
- Pharmaceutical Industry
- The pharmaceutical industry can play a vital role in funding research and development of more effective and affordable infertility treatments.
