Top 5 IVF and Fertility Facts!
In Vitro Fertilization, commonly known as IVF, is one of the effective techniques available to help people with fertility issues have a baby. IVF is a big step and there is indeed a lot of information out there separating the what, when, where, whys, and how’s can be confusing.
As there are several resources dedicated to IVF, but they could feel overwhelming and there could be many medical/science/acronym based terms that make a reader’s head spin. To that end, we are trying to simplify such terms for you and here we have given a list of relevant IVF and fertility facts that you might not know:
1. The age of eggs matters
You may already know that advanced maternal age impacts fertility. The older woman gets, the fewer eggs she will have and egg quality also starts to decline. That said, most people think that IVF is the magic solution, creating an embryo can transfer it into the uterus to achieve pregnancy, in fact that is not all the case.
The IVF success rates are dependable on multiple factors, one of them is egg quality. While reviewing IVF success rates, paying attention to live birth rates, you will notice a sharp decline from women in their 20s with infertility issues Vs women in their 30s &40s, even without any infertility factors. And this is one of the key reasons to recommend older women consider the use of donor eggs if they have already undergone multiple failed IVF-cycles using their own eggs.
2. IVF Cycles take much longer than Menstrual Cycles
Initially, IVF cycles could seem complicated with regard to steps, but they are simple in terms of duration. It involves intense fertility medications that are synchronized to the menstrual cycle and the question is how long it will take?
Generally, there are several steps involved before & after the IVF cycle syncing dates, that means an average IVF cycle takes about 4-6 weeks from the start of the treatment to determine whether viable embryos were created or not. It takes another 4 to 6 weeks to sync the acycles again to transfer the embryos, then the patient needs to wait for two weeks to find out whether it worked or not.
That is an average of almost 3 months per cycle from start to finish and most couples need to repeat cycles before they are successful.
It will probably take multiple IVF cycles to get pregnant depending on the fertility complications and care that you take during treatment.
3. Men are also affected by a biological clock too
There have been many evidence-based studies where both men and women have biological clocks and they start to tick in their mid thirties. However, the fall in male fertility is a much slower process as compared to women.
4. IVF takes a toll on your mental & emotional health
Couples who are diagnosed with infertility and get pregnant through IVF in the first round are considered as an anomaly. Most couples have to undergo as previously mentioned on an average of three or more IVF cycles. The whole process takes its toll on both mental & emotional health, can affect relationships, and fertility treatments as well.
Work on the emotional health of yours and your partners’, take therapies, and you can also join a support group. Find the support you need and share your feelings to combat your emotional struggles. Doing so you would benefit from giving yourself the holistic health support you deserve.
5. You may need IVF treatment even if you conceived in the past without help of any treatments
Many couples conceive their first child without any aid of fertility treatments and it would be shocking for them when they can not get pregnant again, few months, a year or more. And this is referred to as secondary infertility. About 30% infertility diagnoses are related to secondary infertility accounts.
This is why it is important to consult a doctor or a fertility specialist if couples have trouble in getting pregnant after twelve consecutive months of trying.
While IVF may not be the right option for everyone, this technique offers options to couples who otherwise will not be able to have a family. Mainly, understanding various treatment options available is the best-step towards combating fertility problems.
MotherToBe fertility specialists and staff are dedicated to making your IVF journey transparent and successful as possible. Consult us to learn more about IVF facts along with other fertility treatments!