IVF: What Is It That Nobody Tells Me?

IVF is In-Vitro Fertilization, wherein fertilization of egg by a sperm occurs outside the body of woman.  A snapshot of steps in IVF is as follows.

1. Ovaries are stimulated with hormones to produce more eggs
2. Eggs released from ovaries are extracted by laparoscopy
3. Under high power microscope, egg is injected with a good quality sperm from husband
4. Fertilised egg is grown inside an incubator under controlled micro-environment
5. In 2-3 days it grows into an embryo, which is transferred into uterus for implantation

Before embarking upon a wonderful journey of assisted parenthood, a couple should know realistic expectations, inherent advantages, disadvantages and risks of IVF.

Success Rate Of IVF Cycle

This is the first question in a couple’s mind. Will I conceive with IVF? You might ask a question to your fertility specialist ‘what is the guarantee of IVF?’ Know that a fertility specialist claiming 100% success is lying. Although every IVF cycle cannot succeed, improved IVF technologies have shown significantly improved success rates. Women with favourable factors have IVF success rates of 40% or higher, while others have per-cycle success rates of 20-35%. Knowledge of realistic success rate prevents frustration. Variation in success rate is due to following determinants of IVF

1. Wife, including poor quality of eggs
2. Husband
3. IVF Specialist
4. Embryologist
5. IVF Lab
6. Quality Check of Lab

In addition to this, IVF cycle can fail due to stress, emphasising the need for strong moral and psychological support by husband, family, counsellor and fertility specialist.