Intralipid Infusion: A Possible Solution to Failed Implantations and Early Miscarriages

After my last miscarriage, my doctor tested me for blood clotting problems. The tests came out negative. That was not necessarily good news because we still had no explanation for the failed pregnancy. Implanting a perfect, genetically tested embryo in a healthy uterus did give me the best possible chance of getting pregnant, but it did not help me stay pregnant. I had officially joined the list of women with multiple unexplained miscarriages.

My doctor had a hypothesis: Perhaps my autoimmune system was acting abnormally, causing the embryos to get rejected. I could undergo testing to see if the natural killer (NK) cells activity in my body is elevated, but regardless of the result, my doctor said he would still recommend an intralipid infusion therapy to suppress the NK cell activity during the critical weeks of my next frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle.

Intralipid infusion is a noninvasive procedure with which an emulsion of soy oil, egg yolk, glycerine, and water is administered intravenously several times during an infertility treatment cycle. Doctors/scientists appear divided regarding its usefulness in helping women with in vitro fertilization (IVF) failures or early miscarriages. My doctor himself has no opinion on the subject and had used it in only three other cases with mixed success. In my case, he recommended it simply because we had no other alternatives.

In terms of side effects, I am not expected to feel anything more serious than nausea or flu-like symptoms. (Note: Had I been allergic to peanuts, eggs, soya, or any of the other ingredients of the intralipid infusion, this procedure would not have been an option.) My first infusion is next week (exactly a week before my next FET) and is supposed to last about 2.5 hours, after which I will be able to drive myself home. 

In terms of cost, the procedure is not cheap, but compared with the total cost of IVF, the $450 that my clinic charges per infusion is only a drop in the bucket.


UPDATE #1: I've been experiencing a severe bout of insomnia since the day of the infusion. It's exactly a week after the first therapy, but falling asleep and staying asleep are not getting any easier.

UPDATE #2: If you are wondering about the outcome of this IVF cycle, I am happy to report that it was successful. I do not know if the intralipid infusion was what tipped the scales this time, but I was able to safely carry to term a healthy baby boy. I will be doing intralipid infusion with my next IVF cycle as well.