Alhaya Fertility Centre, part of Alpha IVF Group Berhad, has reported what it says is believed to be Southeast Asia’s first successful pregnancy following In-Vitro Activation (IVA) treatment.
The patient conceived naturally seven months after the procedure. According to the centre, the patient had previously been diagnosed with Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), a condition in which ovarian function declines significantly before the age of 40. Globally, POI is estimated to affect approximately 3.7% of women of reproductive age and is often associated with severe fertility challenges due to critically diminished ovarian reserve and reduced egg quality.
The 33-year-old patient had been trying to conceive for more than five years before seeking treatment at Alhaya, the centre said. She later sought a second opinion after being told elsewhere that she may have been entering the early stages of menopause.
Further fertility investigations showed severely diminished ovarian reserve. Alhaya said the patient’s follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level was 41.2 mIU/ml, compared with a normal level of approximately 7.0 mIU/ml, while her anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level was below 0.07 pmol/L, compared with a normal level above 10 pmol/L.
The patient was treated under the care of Dr Wan Syahirah Yang Mohsin, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist at Alhaya. Ovarian stimulation was first carried out to assess whether any remaining follicles could respond and grow. As no follicular development was observed, IVA was subsequently performed in July 2025.
IVA is an advanced fertility technique pioneered in Japan by Professor Kazuhiro Kawamura. It is designed to activate dormant follicles that may remain in the ovaries of selected patients with POI or severely diminished ovarian reserve.
Alhaya said the patient conceived naturally seven months after the treatment, and the pregnancy is now approaching 12 weeks.
Alpha IVF Group introduced IVA in Malaysia on 21 February 2024 in collaboration with Professor Kawamura. The Group said it has performed 12 IVA cases to date, with this being the first successful pregnancy outcome from the programme.
Alhaya said the development is particularly relevant in Malaysia and other Muslim-majority countries, where egg donation is generally restricted or not widely practised. The centre added that IVA may offer selected patients the possibility of conceiving using their own eggs.
Dr Wan Syahirah Yang Mohsin said the case highlights the potential role of IVA treatment for selected patients facing severe fertility challenges.
Siti Robiah Arshad, the patient treated at Alhaya Fertility Centre, said she and her husband had nearly lost hope after years of trying to conceive.
