Cytoplasmic transfer is an advanced IVF technique that may be considered in carefully selected cases, particularly where egg quality or embryo development remains a concern. While it is not part of routine IVF treatment, it may offer an additional option for selected patients following a comprehensive fertility assessment. This page explains how cytoplasmic transfer works, who may benefit and how it fits into an individualised fertility treatment plan.
We have already discussed what ‘Egg donation’ or Oocyte donation is. Mitochondrial or cytoplasmic transfer attempts to make use of best of both worlds by taking only the donated “Cytoplasmic” part of donor eggs. By doing so, we are transferring the healthy mitochondria from the good quality donor eggs to the recipient eggs, who often, due to advanced maternal age or for some other reason, have ‘tired’ or basically inefficient mitochondria that are unable in pursuing their duties to the developing embryo. The noteworthy fact here is that since we are not transferring any of the donor nucleus (the part where chromosomes or DNA lies), the resulting embryo from cytoplasmic donation, is essentially the genetic product of the husband and wife only. The entire genetic makeup of the embryo will be of the couple only and the baby will be entirely their genetic offspring.
Already close to hundred babies have been born out of this technique throughout the world. In cultures or religions not permitting egg donation, or where the wife is desirous of having her own baby, in spite of having poor quality eggs, this is one new technology that could be thought of.
Just as how in donor egg treatment, here also the donor lady is screened of all infectious and hereditary conditions by a panel of blood tests. Only the healthy cytoplasm of the donor egg is taken and is injected into the recipient cytoplasm at the time of ICSI.
Couple who can specifically benefit from cytoplasmic transfer include those with repeated implantation failure (repeated failed IVF cycles), advanced age patients who wish to go with their own eggs, female patients with known mitochondrial conditions, and those who develop poor quality fragmented embryos repeatedly.
Janini IVF, the best ivf treatment center in Delhi , whose scientific director is Dr. Rutvij Dalal , the best ivf specialist, is pioneering in offering this option to couples in North India who have faced a failed IVF cycle and are advised to go for egg donation elsewhere, particularly if they wish to have their own genetic offspring.
Here, at Janini IVF, incorporating the best infertility doctor in Delhi, we are extremely careful and judicious in using donor cycles to only those couples who do not seem to have any other reasonable option to have their own baby. We want every couple who come to our clinic to take home a healthy baby who belongs to them not just emotionally but also genetically!
There is no single established success rate for cytoplasmic transfer in IVF. Research into the technique remains limited, and your chances of pregnancy will depend on your individual fertility factors as well as the treatment itself.
It is understandable to want a percentage before considering an additional IVF procedure. However, factors such as your age, ovarian response, previous IVF history, fertilisation and embryo development can all affect the outcome of a cycle.
This is why cytoplasmic transfer is considered individually rather than as a treatment that can guarantee a particular improvement in IVF success.
Yes. Cytoplasmic transfer is a specialised technique, and the available evidence about its effectiveness and long-term outcomes is more limited than it is for established treatments such as IVF and ICSI.
The procedure involves transferring a small amount of cytoplasm from a donor egg into the patient's egg. Cytoplasm contains components including mitochondria, which is one reason the technique requires careful clinical consideration.
If cytoplasmic transfer is being considered as part of your IVF treatment, your fertility specialist should discuss what is currently known, the limitations of the evidence and what these may mean for you before you decide how to proceed.
Yes, age may be one of the factors considered, but there is no single age at which cytoplasmic transfer automatically becomes suitable or unsuitable.
Your fertility specialist will look at your wider fertility picture, including factors such as ovarian reserve, how your ovaries responded during previous IVF cycles, fertilisation and how embryos developed.
If you are wondering whether your age makes cytoplasmic transfer an option, an individual review of your fertility and previous treatment history will give you a more meaningful answer than age alone.
Doctors consider your fertility history and, where available, what happened during previous IVF cycles before deciding whether cytoplasmic transfer may be relevant.
This may include looking at your age, ovarian reserve, response to stimulation, the number and maturity of eggs collected, fertilisation and embryo development.
If you have experienced an unsuccessful IVF cycle, this does not automatically mean that cytoplasmic transfer will be recommended. There can be many reasons why IVF is unsuccessful, so understanding what happened in your previous cycle is an important part of deciding what should be considered next.
If you have had IVF before, your previous IVF and embryology reports can help your fertility specialist understand what happened during the cycle and whether cytoplasmic transfer is relevant to discuss.
Useful records may include:
Don't worry if you do not have every document. The Janini IVF team can review the records you have and advise whether any additional information would be helpful.
Yes. If you live outside India, you can begin by discussing your previous IVF treatment with Janini IVF before travelling.
Your previous IVF and embryology reports can be reviewed as part of this process, helping the team understand your treatment history and whether cytoplasmic transfer is relevant to discuss in your case.
This can also help you understand the possible next steps before making plans to travel to India for IVF treatment.
Yes, international patients can discuss IVF with cytoplasmic transfer with Janini IVF before planning treatment in India.
If you have already undergone IVF in your country of residence, your previous treatment and embryology records can be reviewed before you travel. This helps the team understand what happened during your earlier treatment and whether cytoplasmic transfer is relevant to consider as part of your next IVF cycle.
If it is appropriate for your treatment plan, the team can then guide you through the next steps and what you will need to plan for your treatment in India.
How long you need to stay in India will depend on your individual IVF treatment plan and which parts of your cycle need to take place at Janini IVF.
Some consultation, record review and treatment planning can begin before you travel. Once your treatment plan has been established, the team can explain which stages need to take place in India and give you a clearer idea of how long you should plan to stay.
If you are travelling internationally for treatment, discussing the timeline before booking your trip can help make the process easier to plan.
Advanced fertility treatments such as cytoplasmic transfer are recommended only when they are likely to add value to your individual treatment plan. Every fertility journey is different, and every recommendation should be based on a detailed understanding of your diagnosis and treatment history.
Book a consultation with Janini IVF to discuss whether cytoplasmic transfer may be appropriate for your fertility journey.
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