Ms. Thu visited the Center for Reproductive Assistance, Tam Anh General Hospital Ho Chi Minh City (IVF Tam Anh TP HCM), for an examination. Doctor of 1st Degree Nguyen Thi Thach Thao noted that Ms. Thu suffered from endometriosis, which significantly hindered natural conception. Her uterus also had a uterine fibroid measuring 3x4 cm; while not large, it was close to the uterine lining and could impede embryo implantation if it grew larger. Her husband, Mr. Tuan, 40, experienced erectile dysfunction and difficulty with ejaculation, reducing the chances of conception.

Additionally, both carried the Thalassemia gene for congenital hemolytic anemia, but with different gene variants. The embryos were at risk of carrying heterozygous genes, which would not manifest the disease, thus preimplantation genetic screening was not required.

The ISO 5 standard "lab-in-lab" system at IVF Tam Anh optimizes all conditions for embryo culture. *Thanh Luan*.

Doctor Thao prescribed an ovarian stimulation protocol for Ms. Thu, resulting in the retrieval of 9 mature eggs. Her husband's sperm sample was successfully collected on the second attempt. Embryologists performed in vitro fertilization and cultured the embryos in a standard incubator system, yielding 3 day-5 embryos, all of which were cryopreserved.

Doctor Thao administered an injection to Ms. Thu to inhibit the growth of fibroids and endometriosis, then developed a protocol to prepare her uterine lining for the transfer of one day-5 embryo. Ms. Thu is currently 10 weeks pregnant, and the fetus is developing healthily. Her husband received medication from doctors at the Andrology Unit, IVF Tam Anh TP HCM, to improve his erectile dysfunction, along with guidance on nutrition, lifestyle changes, and stress reduction.

According to Ministry of Health statistics, the infertility rate in Vietnam is approximately 7.7%, affecting one million couples. Female infertility accounts for about 40%, similar to male infertility, with the remaining 20% attributed to both partners or unknown causes.

Doctor Thao stated that female infertility can stem from various uterine or ovarian conditions, genetic abnormalities, or gene mutations. In men, common causes include male hormonal imbalances, erectile dysfunction, varicocele, and testicular atrophy complications from mumps. Couples who have not conceived after one year of marriage should seek early examination and treatment to increase success rates and improve their quality of life. From 2021 to 2024, the cumulative pregnancy rate at IVF Tam Anh TP HCM averaged 80.1%.

Hoai Thuong