Alhaya Fertility Centre (“Alhaya”), part of Alpha IVF Group Berhad (“Alpha IVF Group” or “the Group”), today announces what is believed to be Southeast Asia’s first successful pregnancy following In-Vitro Activation (IVA) treatment, marking a breakthrough in reproductive medicine and reinforcing the Group’s position at the forefront of advanced fertility innovation in the region.
While several fertility centres have recently begun offering IVA treatment, successful pregnancy outcomes remain extremely rare due to the complexity of the procedure and the severe fertility conditions often associated with eligible patients. This achievement therefore represents far more than the introduction of a new fertility technology; it provides one of the region’s earliest real-world clinical successes demonstrating IVA’s potential to help selected patients conceive using their own eggs.
The successful case involved a 33-year-old woman diagnosed with unexplained Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), also known as premature menopause, a condition where ovarian function declines or stops 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 couple had been trying to conceive for more than five years since their marriage in 2021 and had nearly lost hope after previously being informed elsewhere that the patient was believed to be entering the early stages of menopause. Seeking a second opinion and hoping to explore advanced fertility options despite the discouraging prognosis, the patient subsequently sought treatment and consultation at Alhaya.
Further fertility investigations revealed extremely severe ovarian decline. Her Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) level was recorded at 41.2 mIU/ml, significantly higher than the normal level of approximately 7.0 mIU/ml, while her Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) level was critically low at below 0.07 pmol/L compared to the normal level above 10 pmol/L. These findings indicated severely diminished ovarian reserve, suggesting that only a very minimal number of eggs may still have remained within the ovaries, making the possibility of natural conception exceedingly low.
The patient was treated under the care of Dr Wan Syahirah Yang Mohsin, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist from Alhaya, who is experienced in advanced reproductive treatments including IVF, ICSI and In-Vitro Activation (IVA), particularly for patients with premature ovarian insufficiency and severely diminished ovarian reserve. Dr Wan Syahirah first guided the patient through ovarian stimulation to assess whether any remaining follicles could still respond and grow. Although the stimulation cycle did not result in follicular development, the findings further confirmed the severity of the patient’s ovarian condition before IVA treatment was subsequently performed in July 2025.
IVA is an advanced fertility technique pioneered in Japan by Professor Kazuhiro Kawamura, internationally recognised as the global pioneer of IVA treatment. The procedure is designed to activate dormant follicles that may be present in the ovaries of selected patients with POI or severely diminished ovarian reserve.
In a remarkable outcome, the patient later conceived naturally seven months after undergoing IVA treatment, with the pregnancy now progressing well and approaching 12 weeks. The successful natural conception within the expected biological response timeline following IVA treatment is regarded as a highly encouraging milestone in reproductive medicine and among the strongest clinical outcomes involving IVA treatment reported in the region to date.
“For many couples, being told that the chances of pregnancy are extremely low can be emotionally devastating, especially after years of trying to conceive.”- Dr. Wan Syahirah
“This case is especially meaningful because the patient had almost completely lost hope after previously being informed she was approaching early menopause. Seeing her return naturally pregnant seven months after IVA treatment was an incredibly emotional moment for both the couple and our medical team. More importantly, it demonstrates real clinical success and highlights the future potential of IVA treatment in helping selected patients facing severe fertility challenges.” – Dr. Wan Syahirah Yang Mohsin, Consultant O&G and Fertility Specialist, Alhaya Fertility Centre
“After five years of trying to conceive and being told our chances were extremely low due to Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), even with IVF and adoption suggested as options, we had almost lost hope.”
“We eventually came to Alhaya Fertility Centre and met Dr. Wan Syahirah, who introduced IVA treatment and supported us throughout the journey. We were in disbelief when we later found out that I had conceived naturally after the treatment, and we are truly grateful for giving us hope when we thought there was none left.” – Siti Robiah Arshad, Patient treated at Alhaya Fertility Centre following IVA treatment.
Alpha IVF Group first introduced IVA treatment in Malaysia on 21 February 2024 in collaboration with Professor Kawamura, ahead of broader adoption within the local fertility industry. Since introducing the technology, the Group has performed twelve (12) IVA cases, with this case now becoming the programme’s first successful pregnancy outcome.
Beyond its medical significance, the breakthrough is particularly meaningful within Malaysia and other Muslim-majority countries, where egg donation is generally restricted or not widely practised. For many women diagnosed with POI, IVA may therefore represent one of the few opportunities to potentially conceive using their own eggs and experience pregnancy naturally.
The milestone further reinforces Alpha IVF Group’s commitment to advancing fertility innovation and translating cutting-edge reproductive science into meaningful real-world patient outcomes, while giving renewed hope to couples who may once have believed parenthood was no longer possible.
