If you are struggling with fertility issues, your doctor may have recommended tryingin vitro fertilizationor IVF.
If you are at the beginning of your IVF journey, you may be wondering what to expect.
We spoke to a few fertility experts to provide a complete guide to each stage of the fertility process.
What is IVF?
IVF stands for in vitro fertilization, which translates to mean fertilization outside of a living organism.
According toForbes, the entire IVF process usually costs between $15,000 and $30,000 in the US.
Plus, for many people, multiple rounds of IVF are required before a successful pregnancy.
In fact, six rounds of IVF have been shown to be the most successful (viaRRC).
It’s also important to consider the risks associated with IVF.
AsHFEAnotes, risks include multiple births, fertility drug side effects like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, and birth defects.
It’s also possible that IVF might lead to higher blood pressure during pregnancy.
Be sure to speak to your doctor about which bang out is safest for you.
While this may seem counterintuitive, it can help to regulate your periods and make ovulation more regular.
“In IVF, we have needed to recruit about eight eggs per live birth.
The hormone stimulates the pituitary gland to release hormones that stimulate the ovaries.
GnRH is usually given through a series of injections but is sometimes taken orally.
One2021 studyshowed that a GnRH antagonist could help to improve the chances of live birth in women with endometriosis.
Egg removal
Egg removal takes place during the ovulation phase of your menstrual cycle.
‘The needle traverses your vaginal wall.
Depending on the ovarian stimulation technique, it takes 10-30 minutes to retrieve the eggs.”
“Be very gentle with your body.
Your uterus may feel very heavy during this time.”
Sperm is collected through masturbation into a test tube.
Sperm collection is usually done in a doctor’s office but can sometimes be done at home, too.
Usually, fertilization will be done through one of two methods.
“In traditional IVF, the inseminated eggs grow in the embryology lab in an incubator.”
The other method is called ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and was developed to treat male factor infertility.
The process involves manual fertilization by injecting one sperm into each egg in the laboratory.
In both types of fertilization, the embryo typically matures in the lab.
However, a new unit called the INVOcell allows the embryo to develop in the woman’s body.
“The inseminated eggs are placed in the INVOcell in a woman’s vagina,” says Carpenter.
“The woman’s natural body temperature, pH, and motion are used to incubate the eggs.
Knowing that fertilization is taking place can be stressful for many couples.
Like the egg removal process, the embryo transfer is painless and simple.
“The embryo transfer is a very gentle, almost painless process,” Carpenter says.
This decision will be up to you.
In other words, venture to keep your mind off of the wait.
She suggested using the positive reappraisal technique to keep the mind and body calm.
‘The positive reappraisal technique involves actively thinking about any positives about fertility treatment itself,” she wrote.
Taking extra care of your body and your pregnancy is very important after IVF.
In some cases, it might be possible to try the embryo transfer phase again.
In other cases, you may need to start from scratch.
