Understanding In Vitro Fertilization From IVF Success Rates To IVF Costs

A form of assisted reproductive technology that is universally accepted as the treatment for infertility is in vitro fertilization. In fact, it's the only established treatment for this condition and accounts for 35% of successful pregnancies. IVF success rates are high with around 66% of patients who have undergone this procedure achieved pregnancy and the latter 34% is mainly due to discontinuation of treatment. With these statistics, it’s no wonder that more and more couples are looking into the possibilities this treatment offers. However, only less than five percent of couples who are infertile resort to this.

What is IVF infertility treatments?

IVF is one of many infertility treatments, the process of IVF is when one or more mature oocytes are removed from a woman’s ovary by laparoscopy and fertilized by exposure to sperm under laboratory conditions outside the woman’s body. About 40 hours after fertilization, the laboratory-grown fertilized ova are inserted into the woman’s uterus, where ideally one or more of them will implant and grow.

When is IVF most useful?

IVF is most often recommended for couples who not been able to conceive because the woman has blocked or damaged fallopian tubes. It is also used when the man has oligospermia or a low sperm count, because the controlled, concentrated conditions in the laboratory require only one sperm. IVF may be helpful to couples when an absence of cervical mucus prevents sperm from travelling to or entering the cervix, or antisperm antibodies cause immobilization of sperm. In addition, couples with unexplained infertility of long duration may be helped with IVF. A donor ovum, rather than the woman’s own ovum also can be used for the woman who does not ovulate or who carries a sex-linked disease that she does not want to pass on to her children.

How does IVF in vitro fertilization work?

Before the procedure, the woman is given an ovulation-stimulating agent such as GnRH, clomiphene citrate (Clomid), or human menopausal gonadotropin (Pergonal). Beginning about the 10^th day of the menstrual cycle, the ovaries are examined daily by sonography to assess the number and size of developing ovarian follicles. When a follicle appears to be mature, the woman is given an injection of hCG, which causes ovulation in 38-42 hours.

A needle is then inserted intravaginally, guided by ultrasound, and the oocyte is aspirated from its follicle. Often, many oocytes ripen at once and perhaps more than one may be removed. The oocytes are incubated for at least 8 hours to ensure viability. In the meantime, the husband or donor supplies a fresh semen specimen. The sperm cells and oocytes are mixed and allowed to incubate in a growth medium.

After fertilization of the chosen oocytes occurs, the zygotes formed almost immediately begin to divide and grow. By 40 hours after fertilization, they will have undergone their first cell division. The fertilized eggs are examined and, if normal, a chosen number (usually two if the woman is younger than 35 years of age; up to five if she is older than 40) are transferred back to the uterine cavity through the cervix by means of a thin catheter. An hour of rest is recommended after this procedure.

It makes sense that there is an increased risk for multiple pregnancy with this procedure because there are multiple fertilized eggs being implanted into the uterus. However, there are instances when a lack of progesterone may lead to improper or no implantation at all. In this case, the woman may be given progesterone in order to facilitate implantation. A routine serum pregnancy test as early as eleven days after the transfer may be done in order to monitor this zygote implantation.

Once pregnancy is established, the woman’s prenatal care is the same as that for any pregnancy. Research has shown that, because the couple was so committed to the procedure, they adjust to pregnancy and parenthood well.

IVF success rates and side effects

Although IVF programs do not result in increased birth defects, about 25% of pregnancies can end in spontaneous abortion. This treatment does pose a risk for multiple pregnancy however. In case the couple decides for selective termination, health care practitioners may be able to extract extra gestational sacs, ensuring only two remain. This is done by intra-abdominal injection of potassium chloride into the gestational sacs chosen to be eliminated. There is also an increased risk for maternal infection if bacteria is introduced at any time during the transfer but cases like this are rare.

Studies have shown that those babies who were conceived through IVF are every bit as healthy as their normally conceived counterparts.

IVF Costs – Is IVF readily available?

The cost of IVF can be expensive, so the couple who decides to go for this procedure must be ready with the financial and emotional obligations that come with it.

It is also only available in specialized centers. If you are interested in obtaining more information on in vitro fertilization cost, you should contact a fertility clinic directly for a confidential consultation.