Starting a family is the dream of many Americans across the country, however, sometimes for reasons out of their control, they are unable to start the process.
Thanks to modern medicine, these dreams can now become a reality with the aid of IVF treatments.
What IVF Is
IVF, otherwise known as In Vitro Fertilization, is one of the most effective and common ways in which to treat infertility. Many Americans struggle conceiving, due to a number of issues both on the male and female side.
Such issues could be endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, ovulation disorders and other various issues. The IVF treatment aims to work around theses issues, helping create embryos outside of the body before transferring them back in, helping start pregnancy.
A cycle of IVF can take anywhere between four and six weeks, however some women won’t have the first stage of treatment, due to medical reasons.
How The Process Works
With IVF, you’ll have to schedule appointments each month, to cause an IVF cycle. The ovaries will be stimulated via medications, allowing multiple eggs to be surgically removed. Then a semen specimen will be retrieved from the male and they will be sent off together.
Once examined, providing both the eggs and sperm are of decent quality, they will then be combined together to create an embryo. This is known as insemination and is caused by injecting eggs with individual sperm cells, helping achieve fertilization.
Once fertilized, the embryos will be incubated for up to a week. Monitored the whole time to determine success rate. If the embryos are successful, then they will be transferred into the uterus for continuation. Any remaining viable embryos will be frozen for future use.
Essentially, the entire process can be boiled down into four stages. Ovulation induction, egg and sperm retrieval, fertilization and embryo transfer.
Of course, there are risks associated with the procedure, as there is with any medical treatment, but most patients will come out without difficulty.
To see what options are available to you, contact the Fertility Center for all things In Vitro Fertilization talk. They will be able to talk you through the process, costs and any general queries you may have.
How It Can Help You
If you and your partner have been struggling, then it’s worth getting both looked at beforehand, to help provide more information for both you and your doctor. Of course, women may also be interested in IVF treatments for other reasons aside from issues within the body.
Sometimes, some women will use surrogacy with a friend or person in order to help create a baby without their body being used. This could be due to a number of factors, but the treatment will still be IVF. For example, some older women may not be able to have a healthy birth, or at least be less likely to be successful.
Success rate for IVF depends on a number of factors, the most important ones being the cause of infertility in the first case, and the women’s age. You can use an estimator to get a general idea, but you’re best speaking to your specialized doctor for more information and advice.