IVF: Turning Parenthood Dream into Reality

20 March,2024

Getting pregnant is one of the most blissful things that can happen to a couple. Holding your baby is among the best feelings you can ever experience. It also gives you a sense of responsibility and purpose in life. But not everyone can feel this joy. Infertility has become a growing concern today.

Thanks to medical advancements, couples facing fertility issues can also become parents. IVF is one technique in which egg and sperm fertilize outside the body. Once the embryo forms, a gynecologist specializing in IVF procedures implants it into the woman's uterus. 

If you and your partner are looking for viable chances of becoming parents, you have landed in the right place. This blog aims to educate you about IVF and how it helps couples suffering from fertility issues get pregnant. 

What is IVF?

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a widely used ART (assisted reproductive technology) designed to help couples struggling with infertility. It has led to countless successful pregnancies. The process involves a series of steps to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.

• Stimulation: The first step involves giving the woman medications to stimulate her ovaries. The drugs help the woman produce multiple mature eggs, which differs from a natural cycle where only one egg is released monthly. The IVF specialist closely monitors the woman's progress throughout this stage through blood tests and ultrasounds.
• Egg Retrieval: Once the eggs reach maturity, the healthcare professional will retrieve them with a minor surgical procedure. An ultra-fine needle is inserted through the vaginal wall to access the ovaries. 
• Sperm Collection: A sperm sample is collected, typically from the woman's partner. The sperm is processed in a lab to extract healthy, motile sperm from the seminal fluid.
• Fertilization of Egg and Sperm: Fertilization is the next step, where the mature eggs and processed sperm are combined. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection is a relatively new technique in which the doctor directly injects a single sperm into an egg.
• Embryo Transfer: The fertilized eggs then develop into embryos in the laboratory over several days. The physician then chooses one or more healthy embryos for transfer into the woman's uterus. 

Following the embryo transfer, the woman is monitored for signs of pregnancy. Ten to fourteen days after the transfer, a blood test helps confirm whether the procedure was successful.

What are the Various IVF Techniques?

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) encompasses several techniques aimed at assisting couples to achieve pregnancy when natural conception is problematic. The choice of which IVF technique to use depends on the specific fertility issues, patient history, and fertility specialists' recommendations. 

The standard IVF procedure involves collecting mature eggs from the woman and fertilizing them with sperm in the lab. The fertilized embryos are then placed into the woman's uterus.

Some of the other IVF techniques are:

• Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI): The procedure is applicable when male infertility issues are a concern. ICSI involves injecting a single good-quality sperm directly into an egg to achieve fertilization.
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) involves placing washed and prepared sperm directly into the woman's uterus. The technique increases the chances of fertilization.
• Donor Eggs or Sperm: When one partner has infertility issues that are difficult to resolve, donor eggs or sperm can be used. It involves fertilizing the woman's egg with donor sperm or using a donor's eggs, depending on the situation.
• Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET): If multiple embryos are created during IVF, you can freeze some for later use. FET allows the thawed embryos to be transferred to the uterus in a subsequent cycle, increasing the chances of pregnancy.
• Blastocyst Transfer: Instead of transferring embryos at an earlier stage, some IVF specialists allow embryos to develop into blastocysts (a more advanced stage) in the lab before transferring them. It improves the chances of successful implantation.

Why is IVF Needed?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medically advanced assisted reproductive technology designed to address various conditions and circumstances that hinder natural conception. Here are some scenarios where IVF is needed:

• Infertility: IVF is commonly indicated for couples grappling with infertility, defined as the inability to achieve pregnancy after a prolonged period of unprotected intercourse. Infertility can stem from factors like fallopian tube obstructions, male factor infertility, anovulatory disorders, or unexplained infertility.
• Advanced Maternal Age: IVF can be recommended for women of advanced maternal age, typically above 35, as fertility naturally diminishes with age due to a decrease in the quality and quantity of oocytes.
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): Women with PCOS frequently encounter irregular ovulation patterns, undermining fertility prospects. IVF provides a controlled environment for oocyte retrieval and fertilization.
• Male Infertility: IVF is a recourse for cases of severe male infertility typified by low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or abnormalities in sperm morphology. Techniques like Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) are instrumental in addressing these male factors.
• Genetic Disorders: Couples who are at a high risk of transmitting hereditary genetic disorders to their offspring can opt for pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) during IVF. PGT allows the screening of embryos to identify and select those free from congenital anomalies before implantation.
• Fertility Preservation: Individuals facing medical conditions such as cancer that necessitate treatments detrimental to fertility can choose IVF to freeze oocytes or embryos before undergoing therapy, preserving the potential for future conception.

What is the Cost of IVF Treatment?

IVF is a complex procedure. It can be expensive if success is not yielded from the first cycle. IVF is available in various countries, but the success rate and cost vary significantly.

The IVF experts in India are highly experienced and well-versed with the latest advancements in the field. They provide high success rates for the treatment at affordable rates. The cost of IVF in India ranges from USD 1,200 to USD 4,200. There can be price variations due to multiple factors like the patient's age, medical history, fertility issues, and number of IVF cycles.

• The cost of natural cycle IVF is around USD 1,000, including consultations, ultrasound, oocyte pickup (egg retrieval), intracytoplasmic sperm injection, and embryo transfer.
• The cost of IVF with cryopreservation is around USD 2,200, including consultations, ultrasound, stimulation injections, oocyte pickup, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, embryo transfer, and six months of freezing.

What is the Success Rate of IVF?

In Vitro Fertilization is one of the most successful ways of getting pregnant if someone suffers from fertility issues. Women aged 28 and younger have over 60% chance of being blessed with a child after one IVF cycle. 

The success rate declines with advancing age. Other factors that influence the chances of a successful IVF cycle are the quality of sperm, egg, and embryo, lifestyle factors (smoking, alcohol consumption), cause of infertility, and reproductive history. 

The age-wise success rate of IVF is as follows.

• Age 28 and Younger: 60%
• Age 28 to 31: 55%
• Age under 35: 50%
• Age 35 to 37: 40%
• Age 37 to 40: 25%
• Age 40 and above: 10%

The success rate of IVF procedures reduces significantly with age. Hence, it is advised for couples facing fertility issues to get the treatment started right away for better outcomes.

What are the Potential Complications of IVF?

No medical procedure comes without risks. Certain complications can occur during IVF. Some of these are:

• Psychological and Emotional Stress: IVF procedures can provoke psychological and emotional stress, encompassing anxiety, depression, and strain on individuals and couples undergoing fertility treatments.
• Multiple Pregnancies: IVF elevates the likelihood of multiple gestations, such as twins or triplets, owing to the transfer of multiple embryos.
• Medication Side Effects: Fertility medications employed in IVF can instigate side effects such as mood swings, headaches, and discomfort at the injection site.
• Infection or Bleeding: As with any medical intervention, there is a marginal risk of infection or bleeding, most notably concerning egg retrieval and embryo transfer processes.
• Ovarian Torsion: Although rare, ovarian torsion is a potential complication characterized by the torsion or twisting of the ovary around its vascular structures. This can impair the blood supply to the ovary and provoke pain and tissue damage.
• Ectopic Pregnancy: IVF pregnancies carry a marginally increased risk of ectopic implantation, where the fertilized embryo lodges outside the uterine cavity. 

Rigorous medical monitoring and vigilant communication with the healthcare team are imperative for minimizing and managing these potential complications during IVF. If you select one of the best IVF hospitals, the likelihood of these complications is generally low.

The Bottom Line

Infertile couples face a lot of stress as a family. Their inability to conceive creates a traumatic situation for them. ART or assisted reproductive technology helps such couples to get pregnant. IVF is the most widely used ART. The procedure's success rate is over 60%, making it one of the best treatments for less fertile couples wanting to start their own family.