IVF supporting Motherhood dreams!

Motherhood is a beautiful feeling and science has worked wonders for numerous couples to help them experience this blissful phase. Did you know that more than 27 million couples in India suffer from infertility? While there are many different treatments, an increasing number of couples now consider IVF for their infertility treatment be it in Hyderabad or other cities of the country and around the world. While the procedure can make your dream of conceiving and birthing a baby a reality, not having a clear idea of what to expect from it and whether it will work or not, can be stressful. IVF is promising but is no cakewalk either. One needs to be patient and committed to this process.

Related Read: 10 tips to reduce belly fat after pregnancy

While consulting an IVF clinic or a hospital, the best way is to talk about the procedure in detail, success ratio’s, other clinical symptoms. This post will talk about some basics of IVF to help you get an idea of what it is and how does it work.

What exactly is IVF (In-Vitro fertilization)

IVF is a form of assisted reproductive technology in which the eggs from the female ovaries and sperm specimen from the male is taken out and manually fertilized in the laboratory. After the fertilization, the fertilized egg starts developing into an embryo. The embryo(s) so formed by integrating the two is then re-implanted into the female’s uterus in a bid to make her pregnant. IVF is an excellent solution for a female who is unable to conceive due to reasons as Low egg count, blocked /damaged fallopian tubes, low sperm count, abnormal sperm in males, Hormonal imbalances, Endometriosis, PCOS and similar reproductive issues in males or in females.

What is the success rate of IVF procedure?

Though the procedure is highly scientific, it needs to be perfectly timed and ought to be foolproof. From suppressing the natural menstrual cycle to Ovarian stimulation for production of eggs to egg retrieval, its immediate fertilization and transfer of the viable embryo, this is a very timed mechanism. And for success many factors are responsible. 

Factors like age of the women, Egg and sperm quality, type of fertility problem, previous pregnancy (Multiple miscarriages), lifestyle habits, fertility clinic, affect the success rate of an IVF procedure.

The success rate of IVF is about 40% in women less than 35 years old. However, it falls dramatically to about 15% in women above 40. A qualified gynecologist with experience in infertility treatment and a hospital with the latest technology and equipment, proven track record, can increase the chances of success of IVF treatments. Fertility experts play a very important role in the IVF process.

Cycles required in IVF :

Since IVF success depends on the large no of factors, one person might need many treatment cycles to be able to carry an embryo successfully. And this is the reason why IVF is time-consuming and needs a full commitment. The whole procedure from suppressing the menstrual cycle to implanting an embryo and monitoring the implantation can take between one month to 2 months. And hence it is very important to know about IVF, various success rates, to keep you out of that stress. Most women need multiple rounds of this cycle before they become successful. It has been researched that the chances to conceive anytime close to 3 cycles increase up to 40-60%, while the chances of conceiving in the first cycle itself are close to 20-30% only. Again, these percentages vary a lot basis the age, real infertility issue and the experience of the doctor.

Due to the hormonal fluctuations (a result of hormone injections), you could experience drastic mood swings, abdominal bloating (due to Ovarian hyperstimulation), breast tenderness. This procedure needs strong emotional support from the partner.

Are there any major risks to the mother or the baby with IVF?

There is no evidence which suggests that IVF results in any kind of risk for the mother or the baby. As a matter of fact, chromosomal problems are less common with the IVF as compared to a normal pregnancy. However, some studies suggest that IVF babies generally have more complications at birth. But experts agree that these complications are not really because of the IVF procedure but infertility issues in women.

Few common concerns a woman undergoing IVF may have is :

• Miscarriage is one of the concerns, which depends upon the maternal age and the frozen embryo.
• Side effects from the medications during the treatment can be another factor. 
• Complications during the Egg Retrieval process
• Multiple births, if more than one embryo is implanted in the uterus
• Ectopic Pregnancy in around 2-5% women (Pregnancy where fertilized egg implants in Fallopian tube, where it cannot develop into an embryo)

Though this is a lengthy process, thousands of couples in India and millions around the world have been benefitted from IVF. IVF comes as a boon for people with infertility issues.

Don’t give up on your desire to have a baby. It’s a wonderful experience and all you may need is a strong support and someone who has deep knowledge and experience of IVF.

Talk to your doctor about your health factors and how can they affect your successful pregnancy chance.

Hope this post was helpful in letting you know the basics about IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization). I would like to hear your experiences and thoughts in the comment section.