---
title: "Intralipids"
date: 2025-12-22
author: "Dr Alfred Murage"
featured_image: "https://hsfckenya.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Intralipids.png.webp"
categories:
  - name: "Female Infertility"
    url: "/resource-library/articles/category/female-infertility.md"
  - name: "Treatments and Services"
    url: "/resource-library/articles/category/treatments-and-services.md"
---

# Intralipids

Intralipid solutions are soybean oil-based intravenous (injected into the blood through the veins) fat emulsions, which also contain egg yolk among other ingredients. Intralipids are mainly used for parenteral (provided to the body through other means other than the mouth or gut) nutrition to provide calories in specific medical conditions. Intralipids are also known to modify immune response and have anti-inflammatory effects. The immune-modulating effects have drawn interest in fertility treatments.

Intralipid infusions have been used in some in vitro fertilisation ([IVF](https://hsfckenya.com/treatments/in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf/)) settings, mainly for patients with recurrent implantation failure or recurrent pregnancy loss, based on the theory that changing the immune response through intralipid injections may improve the womb environment, particularly receptivity of the uterine wall (endometrium) for embryo implantation. It is proposed that intralipid treatment alters the immune response in the uterus to make it more welcoming to embryo implantation and sustain pregnancy.

**Further Reading:** [In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)](https://hsfckenya.com/treatments/in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf/)

However, the scientific evidence supporting routine or targeted use of intralipids in IVF is weak. Most available studies are small, inconsistent, and with limits in methodology. High-quality randomised controlled studies have not shown clear or reproducible improvements in implantation, clinical pregnancy, or live birth rates. Authorities in fertility care, such as the [European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE)](https://www.eshre.eu/) and the A[merican Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)](https://www.asrm.org/), do not recommend intralipid therapy outside of research settings.

While intralipids are generally considered low risk, their use adds cost, complexity, and potential for false reassurance without proven benefit. There is also a risk of allergic reactions, gastrointestinal, infectious and metabolic effects, amongst others.

At present, intralipid therapy should be regarded as experimental, and patients should be counselled transparently about the lack of strong evidence supporting its effectiveness in IVF. This is the view we hold at [Harley Street Fertility Centre Kenya](https://hsfckenya.com/). We do not routinely recommend use of intralipids, but we will consider their use in highly selected cases. On the converse, we have incorporated [embryo glue](https://hsfckenya.com/resource-library/articles/dr-alfred-murage/introducing-embryo-glue/) in our routine IVF practice, to enhance embryo implantation into the endometrium for better success rates.

![Intralipids](https://hsfckenya.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Intralipids-.png "Intralipids")