Fertility IQ-Endometrial Receptivity Analysis/Array (ERA) At a Glance How It is Important If You are Trying for IVF?
- Understanding Endometrial Receptivity Analysis or Array
- How is the ERA Test Done?
- Who Can Benefit from an ERA test?
- How Does ERA Work?
- Can ERA really increase your IVF success chances?
ERA-Endometrial Receptivity Analysis is one of the most common words coming across while considering infertility treatments these days. You may often hear terms such as ERA biopsy or ERA testing or just ERA while pursuing the fertility journey. The ERA is foretaken as the latest revolutionary technique that can increase IVF cycle success chances manifold.
What is an ERA, how it works, and can it really push your IVF treatment towards success? Continue reading to know answers.
Understanding Endometrial Receptivity Analysis-(ERA)
Endometrial receptivity is a complex process that provides the embryo the optimal conditions to attach, invade and complete all the stages of implantation and begin developing into a fetus.
ERA- Endometrial Receptivity Analysis is a genetic test used to analyze the expression of genes for evaluation of proper development of endometrial lining to allow an embryo to implant. This procedure uses the latest available technology in this respective field to analyze the expression levels of complete 236 genes which are hybridized with RNA ribonucleic acid for accessing the accurate time transfer of the embryo in the uterus for promotion of successful implantation & pregnancy.
The research done in this segment shows that 1 in 5 women has a unique window of implantation. Endometrial receptivity analysis offers a hope to find the women with altered implantation windows and helps in leading to a successful pregnancy by adjusting the medication timings. ERA test allows personalized embryo transfer timing depending on the individual’s results which could help the fertility specialists in IVF protocol.
In other words, an ERA is a molecular diagnostic test that aids in investigating the receptivity of the endometrium.
As per the latest reports, the ERA test has been found to enhance the pregnancy rates by 73% worldwide in personalized transfers.
How is the ERA Test or ERA Biopsy Done?
To start with, a tissue sample of the uterine lining is taken using a biopsy. This procedure doesn’t require anesthesia and is usually conducted in the doctor’s office. Before taking an ERA biopsy, the patient is given progesterone supplements for five days. Progesterone is one of the key hormones that play a significant role in making the endometrium receptive to an embryo.
During an IVF cycle, progesterone is administered five days before implantation, so collecting the tissue sample can be considered as a mock cycle. Once the patient’s sample tissue has been collected, the entire genes within are analyzed. ERA test then predicts whether the uterus will be receptive on the day that the embryo would have been transferred.
If the ERA test determines that the uterus is receptive, then the embryo can be transferred as planned in the upcoming IVF cycle. However, if the endometrium is detected as non-receptive then progesterone timing would be altered so as to allow fertility specialists to transfer the embryo only at an ideal point when the uterus is receptive to it.
Who Can Benefit from an ERA test?
ERA is something that needs to be discussed with your fertility doctor to determine whether it is suitable for you and fits your infertility journey or not. As per the latest studies in the field of infertility treatment, it is estimated that around 25% of the women with recurrent implantation failure are supposed to have a displaced window of implantation, where the ERA test could positively help the women through their fertility journey.
However, the ERA test is generally recommended for:
- Couples who have had three or more unsuccessful IVF cycles.
- Women with recurrent implantation failures
- Women with unsuccessful embryo implantation with high-quality embryos
How Does ERA Work?
The ERA test measures the receptive profile of the endometrial or uterine lining for 5 days, after starting the progesterone support. The patient has to take both estrogen and progesterone medications till the ERA test biopsy day, that is on day-5 when the embryo transfer subsequently takes place. It is the ideal time when the endometrial tissue primes itself for implantation and the report generally comes within 1 or 2 weeks after the ERA biopsy.
The ERA Testing gives 3 potential results:
- Pre-receptive—the uterine lining is not yet ready to receive an embryo and also implantation is less likely to happen.
- Receptive—the uterine lining is ready to receive the embryo and is more likely to implant.
- Post-receptive—the lining has already reached the optimal implantation stage but no longer in that stage and the embryo is less likely to implant.
Based on the test results, the fertility specialists will adjust the scheduled embryo transfer to account for the changes.
Can ERA really increase your IVF success chances?
An ERA biopsy test could never guarantee a successful future pregnancy but always helps determine the ideal time for embryo transfer and to achieve early success. It can maximize the possibilities of a successful conception in the patients pursuing FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer). ERA testing cannot be appropriate for everyone but it has certainly proved to be a boon for some patients who were unable to find success.
If you are planning for IVF treatment or have recurrent implantation failures for an extended period, you may use this method once as per the guidance of an infertility specialist. The ERA is fairly informative for your next IVF cycles.
MotherToBe fertility center has been providing the best fertility care by improving IVF outcomes with personalized embryo transfer.
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