This method maximises the success of IVF treatment in women with reduced egg reserve. In this treatment option, both the mother's own eggs and the eggs taken from the donor are used. If the eggs of the expectant mother are significantly less and their quality is low, then tandem cycle is definitely the right choice. The aim of this treatment option is to prevent a negative results of IVF, and to give a chance to the mother's own eggs. Thus, there is no need for two different cycles (trials).
Treatment begins like any other IVF trial. The expectant mother is given a chance to develop her eggs. On the other hand, the donor (who will donate) for donation is given medication to develop the eggs and both cycles are simultaneously followed up on. Cracking injection is performed to both the expectant mother and the donor at the same time. Egg collection is done on the same day and all the eggs are fertilised with the sperm of the partner. In this treatment option, the treatment continues even if the mother-to-be has no eggs or the egg(s) are not fertilised . If the mother-to- be has sufficient quality and number of embryos (fertilised eggs), the embryos obtained from the donor may not be transferred. They can be frozen and stored for later use if needed. In case of a possible failure, the frozen embryos are thawed and transferred to the expectant mother. If the mother-to-be's own embryos are few in number and not of sufficient quality, the embryo(s) obtained from the donor are transferred as supplements. In this way, the highest level of pregnancy is achieved. If the mother-to-be's own embryos transferred into the uterus result in failure, this does not affect the success of other embryos. The tandem treatment works the same way in male factor infertility cases. In cases with azoospermia or severe sperm anomalies, tandem cycle can be performed with donated sperm. Generally, prospective fathers gave sperm samples before and either no sperm was found or pregnancies could not be obtained with the sperm that was found. Since sperm cannot be obtained with the TESE procedure (searching for sperm with biopsy from the testicles), the probability of obtaining sperm in the next TESE is very low. In this case, while preparing for the second TESE, donor sperms suitable for the couple are kept ready by making a request to the sperm bank. In cases where viable sperm cannot be obtained in the father-to-be or healthy embryos cannot be formed with the obtained sperms, the remaining eggs are fertilised with donor sperm. In this way, the egg growing and collection process will not be wasted. If the embryo(s) created with the father-to-be's own sperm are not of high quality, one or more of the embryos created with the donor's sperm are transferred to the mother's womb at the same time, and a continuing pregnancy at the highest level is achieved. Tandem cycle therapy provides a second chance in one go.