In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a multiple series of procedures to assist with the conception of a child. With the growing demand for assisted reproductive treatments in India, there is an increasing rate of IVF centers opening at every nook and corner of the cities. These IVF centres are very helpful in examining your infertility issues and suggesting the most suitable fertility treatment besides IVF.
Before going for IVF as a fertility treatment, we would recommend you to go through this article and have a better insight about IVF treatment. This article will also help you understand the outcomes of IVF treatment and what are the things you must keep in mind.
1. How Common is IVF These Days?
Various health issues have led to the rise of infertility among couples, almost affecting one in six couples. For them, IVF has made a whole lot of difference. Infertility is generally related to either woman or man 80% of the time and rest 20% is when both face it.
Some fertile people pursue IVF for other reasons too, like same-sex couples, single women, single man, those carrying a genetic disease and those creating a saviour sibling. Today, 1 in 50 babies are now born using IVF.
2. What Preparations Are Needed Before Starting IVF Journey?
In-vitro fertilization, or IVF, occurs when eggs are removed from a woman's ovaries, fertilized outside the body and then again placed inside the womb. The treatment process can be lengthy, the woman's body is medically stimulated so that more eggs can be collected.
This involves medication and visits to the clinic for scans/check-ups. It continues for weeks before the egg collection takes place. After the procedure, which usually takes only an hour, patients must come back to the clinic for the embryo to be transferred. After that another round for a pregnancy blood test. In total, treatment can take up to 4-5 weeks.
3. What Are The Other Treatments Options?
Although IVF is the most common type of IVF, this is not the only treatment available or the most appropriate treatment. There are also other, forms of assisted reproductive treatments like Blastocyst or ICSI.
ICSI is where sperm is directly injected inside an egg to achieve fertilization in women whose eggs have thicker covering shell. The advantages of these treatments are that they are carried out within the cycle, without halting the menstrual cycle and restarting it again. IVF centres in India also provide egg and sperm donation facilities, so if required a couple can accept that aid too.
4. What Are The Hidden Costs in The Treatment?
IVF is not always expensive. The cost of the treatment depends upon the cause of infertility, the type of intervention needed and the protocol used. Depending upon the patient, the fertility treatment and medicines required would differ and the cost would vary accordingly.
Patients may mistake the cycle cost for the entire cost of treatment. The cycle cost only covers scans, egg collection, embryology and embryo transfer. However, because treatment is generally tailored to your circumstances, the costs for blood tests, medication and additional techniques are not included in this price and will vary from patient to patient. Make sure you request your clinic for a full breakdown of costs and consider any extras required.
5. What is The Best Suitable Age For IVF?
In women, the decline in fertility begins at around 35 and accelerates through the 30s and 40s. So by the early 40s, it is much more difficult to conceive and there is a much-reduced chance of treatment succeeding after 45. This is due to the decline in both the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries over time.
Although men's fertility remains more stable, it also declines over time, with declining testosterone levels meaning that fewer sperms are produced. This doesn't mean that men's sperm don't acquire mutations over time they do, sperm gradually declines in quality and quantity.
Success is higher in younger women, so even when a woman has an embryo transfer, say in her 40s with embryos that were created when she was in her 30s, her chance of success is that of a woman in her 30s.
6. What is The Procedure of IVF Treatment?
The success rates of IVF are around 35% on average, meaning that most patients will have to undergo many treatments before achieving a successful pregnancy. With new techniques, success rates are constantly improving, but only by a small percentage.
While starting a fertility treatment keep in mind that you are starting a course of treatment rather than cycles. This prepares you mentally if multiple treatments are required. You should ask your doctor to give you an individual estimation of success both in a single cycle and over a course of treatment.
Conclusion:
As per the article if you are planning to undergo IVF than this is for your advantage to understand that your chances of having a healthy baby using IVF depend on many factors, such as your age and the cause of infertility.
If more than one embryo is transferred to your uterus, then IVF can result in a pregnancy with more than one fetus i.e., multiple pregnancies. It is highly recommended to avoid smoking and drinking alcohol when planning a pregnancy. Exposure to pesticides, any kind of chemicals and radiation should be avoided as much as you can.
Medicines should not be taken without prior consultation from a medical expert. Always emphasize that you eat freshly cooked homemade food. Always remember a fertility doctor is the best person in helping you to understand how IVF works, the possible risks and whether this method of treating infertility is right for you.