World’s first IVF baby, Louis Brown was born in 1978. Her birth revolutionized the field of IVF. Since then, millions of babies have been born all over the globe through this technique.
So, IVF is now a widely practiced technique to help infertile couples fulfill their parenthood dreams. But still, whenever a couple needs to go for IVF, they become skeptical, they have many questions nudging them. In case you have been advised an IVF, here are the answers to your all such queries from one of the best IVF specialists in Chandigarh.
Q. What is IVF?
A. IVF stands for in vitro fertilization. In vitro means outside the body and fertilisation means the fusion of egg and sperm. So, IVF is a process where egg and sperm are fused or combined outside the body, in a laboratory dish. Further, the fertilized eggs are developed in embryos. Then, one or more of these embryos are transferred into the woman’s uterus where it is hoped they will implant and produce a pregnancy. So, this is IVF process.
Q. Who should consider IVF? Why do people get IVF?
A. Well infertility is on rise. At Vivant Clinic, the best IVF center in Chandigarh we find that nowadays, it’s quite a significant problem. Almost 1 in 8 couples who are trying to get pregnant have trouble conceiving. It’s not that every such couple needs IVF. Treatment varies case to case. At our IVF center in Chandigarh, we always prefer simpler less invasive treatments first. But still there are couples who need to resort to IVF.
These are the couples with factors like
- Tubal factor infertility
- Multiple IUI failures
- Prolonged infertility
- Male factor infertility
- Advanced Maternal Age
- Third party reproduction cases: IVF with ovum donation or surrogacy
- Genetic reasons: IVF with PGS PGD
Let’s take up these reasons to go for IVF in detail.
1. Tubal factor infertility
This is the first and commonest reason to go for an IVF. It is the case when tubes are either absent, blocked or damaged. We know that IVF bypasses the fallopian tubes. As normally fertilisation occurs in the fallopian tubes whereas in IVF fertilisation happens in an IVF lab. So, IVF is the treatment of choice for women with tubal factor infertility.
2. Failed IUI cycles
IVF is offered in all other cases of infertility, where simpler less invasive fertility treatments like ovulation induction and IUI have failed. These can be the patients with endometriosis or ovulation disorders or unexplained infertility.
3. Male factor infertility
Next, IVF candidates are the couples with severe male factor infertility i.e. when sperm counts or sperm motility is quite low. Infact, IVF is also an option for men with azoospermia (when there are no sperms in semen). Yes, in many of such azoospermia cases we are able to extract sperms directly from epididymis or testes by techniques like PESA, TESA , TESE. And, these extracted sperms are utilised by IVF-ICSI. So, IVF ICSI technique is a big boon for all such couples
4. Advanced reproductive age
Patients with advanced reproductive age, as time to conception is critical and pregnancy rates with other therapies are low.
5. Prolonged infertility
Then IVF procedure is also offered to the patients with prolonged infertility where the couple is trying to conceive since many years.
6. Third party reproduction cases
IVF with ovum donation or surrogacy There are some special cases where we need to go for third party reproduction like IVF with ovum donation or surrogacy. IVF with egg donation is done in the cases of ovarian insufficiency that is when ovaries are depleted of eggs i.e. there are no eggs in the ovaries. So, the only way out is taking eggs from donor and doing IVF.
7. Genetic reasons
IVF is also offered to some patients for some genetic reasons. Like when either one or both of the parents have some inherited genetic disease and they wish to avoid passing it on to their child. In such cases, IVF is combined with preimplantation genetic diagnosis. This means that the embryos are tested for the disease, and only those without the disease are transferred to the uterus. This advanced option is available at Milann Fertility, which is the best IVF center of Chandigarh.
Q. How is IVF done? What are the steps of IVF?
A. At Milann, the IVF centre in Chandigarh, IVF procedure is done under 7 key steps.
STEP ONE- Doctor consultation and cycle planning
The IVF process starts with consultation with infertility specialist and cycle planning. Here, your case is assessed thoroughly and further treatment plan, treatment calendars are made
STEP TWO –Ovarian stimulation
Here, specialized hormonal injections are given to stimulate the ovary to form multiple eggs. We need multiple eggs to increase the IVF success rates.
STEP THREE – oocyte retrieval or egg retrieval
Here, the eggs formed during ovarian stimulation are taken out of the body by a special needle under ultrasound guidance
STEP FOUR- Fertilization
Here, fertilization of the eggs with sperm and growth of the embryos in the IVF lab
STEP FIVE-Embryo transfer
Here, one or more embryos are transferred into the uterus
STEP SIX- Luteal phase support
This includes certain medications especially progesterone hormone to support the growth of the transferred embryos.
STEP SEVEN- Pregnancy test
This is done after 2 weeks of embryo transfer by a simple blood test HCG. This completes an IVF cycle.
Q. What are the side effects of IVF Treatment? What are the disadvantages of IVF?
A. Serious complications from IVF medicines and procedures are rare. As with all medical treatments, however, there are some risks. Most important that worth a mention are risk of OHSS and risk of multiple pregnancies.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
Here, your ovaries become enlarged, swollen and painful. Most symptoms of OHSS (nausea, bloating, ovarian discomfort) are mild. They usually go away without treatment within a few days after the egg collection. Severe OHSS cases are rare less than 1 percent. Here large amounts of fluid can build up in the abdomen (belly) and lungs. (This can cause very enlarged ovaries, dehydration, trouble breathing, abdominal pain). So, we try to keep our clinics OHSS free by utilising various preventive strategies like choosing antagonist protocol, adjusting dosage trigger and if required we split the cycle. Freeze all embryos and transfer embryos in the next cycle.
Multiple births
IVF increases the risk of multiple births if more than one embryo is transferred to your uterus. A pregnancy with multiple fetuses carries a higher risk of early labour and low birth weight than pregnancy with a single fetus does.
Q. What is the cost of IVF
A. At Vivant Clinic, the best IVF centre in Chandigarh, the basic cost of IVF (IVF price) is approximately 1 lakh. The additional costs include cost of injections, cost of embryo freezing, blastocyst transfer and ovum donation (if needed).
Q. How long does IVF take to get pregnant?
A. In case of IVF with self-eggs, one cycle of IVF procedure is completed within 2 months, starting from day 2 of your periods. In the initial 10-11 days eggs are formed and further retrieved outside your body. The embryos are formed and saved in the lab. In the next cycle uterine lining is prepared and embryos are transferred back to uterus. By 2 weeks of embryo transfer, you get your pregnancy result.
Q. How much does IVF hurt? Is IVF a painful procedure?
A. If you are worried about pain with the injections, take relief as these injections are given under the skin over tummy or thighs rather than deep into the muscle. So, these injections are not much painful.
If we talk about the IVF procedures, there are 2 procedures involved : egg retrieval and embryo transfer involved. Egg retrieval is done under anesthesia as it is slightly painful if done without anesthesia. So anesthesia will keep you pain free. Second procedure is embryo transfer which is a simple pain free procedure.
So, overall we can say that subcutaneous injections and anesthesia during egg retrieval keep you at ease during the IVF Process at Milann IVF center in Chandigarh.
Q. Is IVF done under anesthesia?
A. There are 2 key IVF procedures : egg retrieval and embryo transfer. At Milann, best IVF centre in Chandigarh the egg retrieval procedure is done under anesthesia. Embryo transfer is usually painless , does not require any anesthesia.
Q. What is the expected success rate of IVF?
A. The result of IVF depends on a number of factors like your age, ovarian reserve, endometrial health, associated conditions like fibroids endometriosis etc. Additionally the success rates depend on the clinician and laboratory conditions.The overall success by Dr Shikha Sardana at Milann Fertility ( Best IVF center in Chandigarh) is 60-70 percent which is at par with success rates of IVF centers in the west. The success rates that she is providing in IVF cases make her one of the best IVF doctor in Chandigarh/ best infertility specialist in Chandigarh.
Q. Are IVF Babies safe?
A. IVF procedures don’t pose any harm to the babies. Studies have proven that IVF babies are as healthy as naturally conceived ones.
Q. Can you choose gender with IVF?
A. As per Government of India Guidelines, gender selection is not allowed. So, it is not done at any IVF center in Chandigarh or any IVF center in India
So this is all about the basics of IVF procedure.