What is IVF Treatment- How Does it Work?

Earlier, IVF was a complicated and expensive process. But today, it has become an essential tool for treating various infertility cases.

It is the most common and successful method of assisted reproductive technology. A million babies have been born through this procedure which speaks to the success of this treatment procedure.

But things are not always good and easy as they may sound. So, this blog will help you understand what IVF in detail is –

What IVF is?
Who can Benefit from the treatment?
What does one require to get the best outcome from IVF?

What is IVF?

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is one of the popular infertility treatments. It is the process of conception where human eggs are fertilized with sperm in a laboratory. It involves many complex procedures. Several days after fertilization, the fertilized egg, an embryo, is placed inside a uterus. And pregnancy appears when this embryo implants itself into the uterine wall.

Why is IVF Performed?

There can be many reasons for choosing IVF infertility issues when one partner has an existing health condition or genetic problems. Some people try IVF after other fertility methods have failed or if they are older than 35 years of age. It may also help couples of the same sex and gender diverse (LGBTIAQ+) community start a family or single people who want to become parents.

There can be several other reasons for choosing IVF, which may include the following: –

Problem with Fallopian Tubes
Low Sperm Count
Problem with the Uterus
Problem with Endometriosis
PCOS or other ovarian conditions
To avoid the risk of passing on inherited genetic disorders to your children

What is IVF Treatment Procedure?

Depending on the clinic, the technique of treatment may differ. However, the following are the steps that are common for all: –

1. Superovulation

Firstly, females are provided with fertility drugs to encourage superovulation or stimulation. These fertility medications contain stimulating hormones follicle that instructs the body to produce more eggs than usual. The more eggs a female produces the more possibilities for the fertilization success rate with Treatment.

Women are asked to take up ultrasound and blood tests weekly during the drug consumption process to maintain their hormone levels.

2. Retrieving the Egg

The doctor injects a hormonal injection a day before removing the eggs. Then with a minor surgical procedure known as follicular aspiration or egg retrieval, all the eggs are collected from the female body. This process involves ultrasound guidance to insert a thin needle through the vagina and into an ovary. The needle has a suction device that sucks the egg quickly without causing pain.

In some cases, surgeons provide anesthetic medicine if the patient demands it. Yet, women are expected to have cramps that last for a day or two.

3. Sperm Collection

Sample sperms are collected from either donor or partner during the egg removal process. The collected sperm is then inserted into a spin cycle to determine the healthiest ones.

4. Insemination and Fertilization

Insemination is the process of combining sperm and the best eggs. This process usually takes a few hours to fertilize an egg. But sometimes, doctors inject it directly into the egg, and this process is known as an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

5. Embryo Transfer

After collecting the egg, a woman is subjected to another medication to prepare the uterus layer to receive the embryo.

Once the fertilized egg becomes an embryo and reaches the blastocyst stage, many fertility centers offer preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). This technique is used to screen an embryo for chromosomal abnormalities or aneuploidies.

Then the surgeon keeps the embryos in the uterus after 3 to 5 days of fertilization. And to increase the possibility of at least one development, they transfer one or two best embryos. It enters the uterus through the vagina.

When the embryo sticks to the uterus lining, it is also known as implantation. A pregnancy starts, and embryo growth continues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Suppose you are considering this treatment and want to get the best outcome,
then you should make these changes. You must include:
● Eating a balanced diet.
● Drinking plenty of water.
● Exercising daily.
● Having good sleep hygiene.
● Cut back on daily caffeine intake, and
● Quit smoking

IVF takes time as it is a complex process that involves multiple steps. It can be expected to last up to four to six weeks, including when a person takes fertility medication until they are tested for pregnancy.

The success rate of IVF treatment varies from person to person as it depends on many factors such as age, cause of infertility, quality of sperm, etc. You can ask the doctor or the IVF clinic about your success rate. Younger women have a higher chance of success, and it decreases with age.

IVF is expensive and time-consuming. It’s hard to give the exact amount because the cost depends on many factors, such as health history, plan for treatment, and the treatment center itself. It costs also include the costs of medicines, tests, and day surgery. You may also need to take leave from work while you have treatment.

Like other medical procedures, IVF has some risks and possible side effects.
Such as: –
● Nausea and Vomiting
● Bleeding
● Cramping
● Headaches
● Bloating
● Breast Tenderness

IVF can be difficult both for the person having the procedure and also for the family. It affects physically and mentally both. Many people suffer from depression and anxiety while IVF treatment. So always talk to the doctor about your feeling and concern so that they can offer support through the process.

There are several risks involved in IVF, including the risk of not getting pregnant, which is emotionally a painful situation. Females becoming pregnant through IVF are more likely to experience these complications during them pregnancy: –
● Miscarriage
● Multiple births
● Premature Delivery
● Having a child with a congenital disorder

Take care of yourself and lower your stress level. IVF treatment can be challenging, so it’s better to follow these and increase the chance of success.

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