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The use of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and other assisted reproductive technologies is on the rise. In the United States alone, around a million babies are born every year with their use. IVF, an innovation of Reproductive Medicine, presents patients with the opportunity to become parents who may never be able to do so. It also provides patients with choice and control over their reproductive timeline and decisions.

IVF is the fertilization of an egg outside of the body in a lab to create an embryo. This embryo is later transferred into a uterus. IVF can be used for all kinds of fertility issues. It can also be used to treat male infertility. Male factor is the cause in 50 per cent of the cases.
The reasons for female infertility are either age-related or medical conditions. These conditions include endometriosis, fibroids, blockages in the fallopian tubes, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), or other problems with the ovaries.

IVF can also be used by people who are not infertile. These are people who have had multiple miscarriages and want to test the embryos for a chromosomal abnormality. Parents who carry a gene for a disorder can test the embryo for a disease using IVF. Same-sex couples or people without a partner and women who want to freeze their eggs can also benefit from this procedure.

Working Of IVF

The process of IVF entails the following:

Medications and Monitoring

Patients take birth control pills or estrogen patches to get the ovaries ready. The patient is administered one to three injected medications per night for 10 to 12 days. In a normal menstrual cycle, one egg grows. The injections stimulate the eggs to produce multiple eggs.
Another medication prevents your body from releasing the eggs too soon. This enables the doctor to retrieve them at the best time. Patients should undergo bloodwork and ultrasound monitoring during this stage. A “trigger shot” matures the eggs in the ovary at the end. It gets them ready for retrieval.

Egg Retrieval

The patient will undergo egg retrieval about 35 to 36 hours after the trigger shot. It is a surgical procedure done under IV sedation that can take about five to ten minutes.
The procedure is done through the vagina. An ultrasound probe guides a needle connected to a light suction device. This device withdraws the eggs from the ovaries. The eggs are then frozen for future use or brought to a lab for fertilization.

Fertilization

The eggs are then mixed with sperm from a partner or donor. If sperm mobility or counts are low, one sperm is directly injected into each egg.

Embryo Transfer

An embryo can be transferred “fresh” three to five days after a retrieval, or frozen and then thawed and transferred in a subsequent cycle. A thin catheter is inserted into the cervix during the transfer. A syringe attached to the catheter carries the embryo. It is then injected into the uterus.
Pregnancy is normally determined after 10 to 14 days through a blood test. IVF procedure does not make a pregnancy high risk. Carrying multiples or underlying medical issues like high blood pressure are considered high risk.

Effectiveness Of IVF

Nothing is assured when it comes to IVF. However, every patient and scenario are different. The success rates are largely dependent on age. It is a wide range.
The highest rates of success for a live birth can be between 55% and 65% per embryo transferred for patients under 35, ranging down to under 5% for patients who are doing IVF in their early 40s.

Common Side Effects

Side effects like bloating, fatigue, and mild cramping are common after the procedure. The IVF medications can have side effects. Some patients may feel more anxious, moody, and teary, and others feel great and don’t notice a difference.

Risks Of the Procedure

Chances of risks are often negligible. They may further include bleeding and infection from the egg retrieval. Ovarian torsion, or twisting of the ovary is also likely. It can also lead to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. With this condition ovaries tend to over-respond to the medications and become swollen.

Cost of IVF

IVF can cost between $15,000 to $30,000 per cycle depending on the location. Insurance coverage for IVF varies significantly. It largely depends on the particulars of your plan and your location.

The ever-increasing demand for reproductive medicine has opened a new career option for aspiring medical aspirants. Enroll in a reproductive medicine course and explore the world of clinical embryology. This specialty plays a major role in the egg retrieval process and ART procedures such as in vitro fertilization. Embryologists are responsible for everything from the collection of eggs to the preparation of sperm samples, the freezing of sperm, and the thawing of embryos.