Is IVF Safe for the Baby?- Everything IVF You Need To Know in 2023

What is IVF?

A series of complicated treatments known as in vitro fertilization (IVF) are used to help with fertility, prevent genetic issues, and aid in child conception.

In terms of assisted reproductive technology, IVF is the most successful method. The process is possible with the use of the couple's own sperm and eggs. A known or unknown donor's eggs, sperm, or embryos may also be used during IVF. A surrogate, a woman who has had an embryo implanted in her uterus, may occasionally be employed.

What are the 5 stages of IVF?

The procedure mainly includes 5 main steps

• Ovarian Stimulation : Your doctor will give injectable hormones or other treatments to stimulate the ovaries to create multiple eggs rather than the single egg that typically develops each month, whether you are utilizing your own eggs or those from an egg donor.

• Egg Retrieval : Egg retrieval is often done as an office-based procedure at your doctor's office about 36 hours later. Because waiting much longer than 36 hours increases the likelihood of ovulation and the loss of some or all of the eggs, the timing of the egg retrieval is crucial.

• Sperm Retrieval: On the morning of the procedure, you will be asked for a semen sample if you are using a partner's sperm. Sperm from donors can also be used. Or in some circumstances, the sperm can be obtained beforehand and frozen.

• Embryo Development : Your medical team must wait up to 20 hours after the sperm and egg have been joined to assess whether fertilization has occurred. Before moving on to step five, the fertilized eggs may then be allowed to develop in the lab for up to six days.

• Embryo Transfer : You will return to your doctor's office for the embryo transfer two to five days after the eggs are removed, depending on your particular circumstances. Prior to the appointment and throughout the duration of the first trimester, you will continue taking hormones to strengthen the endometrium, the lining of your uterus.

Can you travel during IVF?

There is no proof that travel affects the success rates of IVF.

You can fly without worrying if you're anxious about it right after your embryo transfer. The likelihood of conception after an IVF cycle is unaffected by air travel.

What are the disadvantages of IVF?

• Multiple Pregnancies: If more than one embryo is implanted into your uterus through IVF, your risk of having multiple children rises. Compared to pregnancies with a single fetus, pregnancies with multiple fetuses have a higher risk of early labor and low birth weight.

• Premature Delivery : According to research, there is a tiny chance that a baby produced via IVF would be premature or have a low birth weight.

• Miscarriages : When fresh embryos are used for IVF, the rate of miscarriage is similar to that of women who conceive naturally and ranges from 15% to 25%; however, the rate rises with maternal age.

• Birth defects : No matter how the kid is conceived, the mother's age is the main risk factor for the development of birth abnormalities. It is necessary to conduct more research to establish whether particular birth abnormalities may be more likely to occur in offspring created through IVF.

• Stress: Financially, physically, and emotionally taxing, IVF use can be Your spouse and you can get the support you need to get through the ups and downs of infertility treatment from therapists, family, and friends.