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Things you need to know before going for IVF
For couples trying to conceive through fertility treatments such as IVF, the process can be a tiring job. IVF treatment can take a toll on the life of the couple financially, emotionally, and physically.
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Females who are considering IVF must know it clear that they might get successful results in 1 cycle and if unfortunate, they might have to undergo several repeated cycles.
Here are a few things every couple need to know before going for IVF:
- You are not alone in this battle.
Infertility is a very common phenomenon that affects around 1 in every 6 couples. The reason for infertility in couples can either be a health issue associated with either the men or the women or a combination of problems in both the individuals. IVF is the most common form of fertility treatment for such couples. Even fertile people pursue IVF in cases such as - same-sex couples, single women, women with genetic disorders etc. More than 8 million babies have been born by using IVF treatment since the first time IVF came into practice.
- IVF can be very time consuming
A full course of IVF usually takes 4-8 weeks depending on the way the body reacts to the injections and medications. You need to follow a lot of tips and precautions during this time. In the first phase of IVF, medications are given to suppress the natural menstrual process. This process takes almost 2 weeks. The next process is ovarian stimulation which is continued for 8-12 days. During this process, 1-3 shots are injected to stimulate the ovaries to produce more eggs. The IVF specialist then triggers a shot to prompt egg release and will see you again in about 36 hours of the egg retrieval process. The collected eggs are fertilized with healthy sperm and left to grow for the next 5-6 days. Finally, one developed embryo is implanted into the uterus of the woman. The doctor will call you to check your pregnancy after 2 weeks.
- IVF can be stressful
By the time the doctor recommends IVF fertility treatment, it is obvious that you have already experienced a lot of stress and anxiety associated with infertility. But once the process begins, your stress is only going to increase multifold. Several patients who have undergone IVF, have rated the process more stressful than, or almost as stressful as any other major events of life. Many couples have also reported that huge expenses, side effects of medications, and uncertainty of the outcomes can make the whole process very stressful for the couple.
- Age matters in IVF
When it comes to IVF, age plays an important factor. The success of IVF is higher in females of younger age. The fertility rates in women start declining by the time the woman crosses 35 years. This makes it difficult for women to conceive once she reaches her 40s. By the time she is 45, there is a much reduced chance of success of the treatment. This happens primarily due to the decline in the number of eggs in the ovaries. Although the fertility rate of men remains more constant compared to that of women, it also declines over time. Just the egg count in women declines over time, the sperm count in men also gradually declines in both quantity and quality.
- Do your homework before picking a doctor
Once your IVF treatment begins, be prepared for a long term journey with the specialist and team. Try to do your research and homework and find out every detail about the doctor and the clinic.
- Ask them about their availability.
- Find out about their medical experiences and years of practices.
- Check the environment of the clinic. What medical instruments do they use?
- Is the team friendly and supportive?
- Are the team members willing to help you and answer your doubts, no matter how small they are.
The question here is - are you looking for just a doctor or someone who can extend a warm gesture towards you when things get tough.
- IVF success rates can be misleading
There is no one particular success rate for IVF. There are no tailored success rates for patients of IVF. Success rates advertised at the majority of the clinics or hospitals are misleading. Understand that the results shown on the website or banner are only cherry-picked. The National Institute for Health Research Doctoral Research Fellow said: “Our study shows that success rates are advertised on 67% of IVF clinic websites, and many of these may be highly misleading, because clinics can cherry-pick their results from a dizzying array of options. If you are considering IVF at any clinic, try to find out the success rates of positive pregnancy tests, clinical pregnancy tests, and live births.
- You are more likely to have multiple pregnancies with IVF
It has been seen that fertility treatment can often result in multiple pregnancies. Although not very common, IVF also can result in twins, triplets, or quadruplets. This usually happens due to high dose fertility drugs which are injected through IUI process. Many clinics in recent times have started operating with the str9ong policy of 'single embryo transfer' in order to reduce multiple births.
- IVF shots can cause side-effects.
IVF shots are often found to cause side-effects like breast tenderness, cramping and abdominal bloating. With the onset of the treatment, your body will be pumped with hormones. While these side-effects are not severe nor lasts for long, they can be troublesome and irritating. The IVF shots can also cause bruising the sites which later can lead to itching and dryness. The bruising is ideally noticed in the stomach or thigh. IN some rare cases, IVF can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome which occurs when fertility drugs can cause a woman to produce many eggs. Side effects in that case can include - nausea, vomiting, dizziness, weight gain, swelling on the abdomen etc.
- IVF can take a toll on your relationship.
Undergoing IVF treatment can not only impact the female but both the partners in the relationship. Infertility often leads to separation and divorces among couples. But even after starting IVF treatment, there is not much difference for the couples. Many couples seem to quit the process when the treatment begins to act like a stressor on their marriage.
- Do not lose hope
The battle is tough, and there is no short cut to the positive outcomes of IVF. The odds of achieving a pregnancy through IVF is low. But, you can always consider the other options such as donor eggs or donor embryos. This means that your dream of nurturing a baby can still come true.
If you would like to find out more about IVF treatment, you can reach out to the best infertility specialist at Pristyn Care for a detailed diagnosis and treatment.
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