In the journey of in vitro fertilization (IVF), unexpected challenges may arise. When your body is detected with SSA antibodies showing a strong positive result, it undoubtedly brings significant concerns. These antibodies may lurk in some corner of your body, silently affecting your health and potentially influencing the IVF process. In this article, American IVF experts will delve into the impact of this situation on the IVF process and whether egg retrieval can be performed first.

Can eggs be retrieved when SSA antibodies are strongly positive?

Anti-SSA antibodies are autoimmune antibodies that are typically negative in normal individuals. A strong positive result indicates a high concentration of anti-SSA antibodies in the patient’s body, suggesting the possibility of a connective tissue system disease. In patients with connective tissue system diseases, the presence of anti-SSA antibodies increases, leading to positive or strongly positive results. While many connective tissue diseases may elevate anti-SSA antibodies, it is most crucial in conditions such as Sjögren’s syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus, often used as the immunological basis for diagnosing these two diseases and assessing their severity. Strong positivity usually indicates a potential diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome or systemic lupus erythematosus, and the condition may be severe.

In the IVF process, if SSA antibodies are strongly positive, IVF experts consider it acceptable to proceed with egg retrieval. For young women not in a hurry to conceive, it may be advisable to undergo treatment before officially entering the IVF cycle for potentially better overall outcomes. However, in certain cases, doctors might recommend egg retrieval before proceeding with further treatment. For instance, in older women or those with declining ovarian function, the quantity and quality of their eggs may have already been affected. In such cases, doctors may suggest retrieving eggs first, preserving them, and then addressing the SSA antibody issue with additional treatment.

However, during periods of strong positive SSA antibody presentation, doctors typically recommend postponing embryo transfer. This is because the presence of SSA antibodies may negatively impact the embryo, affecting the cells and molecules required for implantation and disrupting the implantation process. Additionally, the uterine lining of patients positive for anti-SSA antibodies may also be affected, leading to abnormal embryo implantation. Therefore, IVF experts advise patients with strongly positive SSA antibodies to undergo egg retrieval first, followed by preservation. During this period, disease treatment can be administered, and once the condition stabilizes, the subsequent IVF process can be pursued.