Process of IVF | How Long Does IVF Take?
For couples trying to have a baby but facing challenges, there’s a special treatment called in vitro fertilization (IVF). This blog delves into the detailed process of IVF, the steps involved, success rates, and the duration of the treatment journey.
Furthermore, it explores avenues for IVF treatment in Nepal, where advanced medical expertise meets compassionate care to support couples on their journey to parenthood.
What is In vitro fertilization (IVF)?
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an infertility treatment for people having trouble getting pregnant. In IVF, the mature eggs from ovaries and sperm are combined for fertilization in vitro to make embryos. Then, the embryos are cultured for a few days and placed into the woman’s uterus.
IVF is the best treatment for infertile couples and falls under assisted reproductive technology(ART). Couples can use their own eggs and sperm or use donor eggs, sperm, or embryos. The chance of having a healthy baby with IVF depends on how old the woman is and why she is having trouble getting pregnant.
Who should undergo IVF?
A couple can go for IVF if they have tried to conceive for at least 12 months without success when a woman’s age is under 35.
For a woman over age 35, if they have tried to conceive for at least 6 months without success, can go for IVF treatment.
Here are others some reasons you should go for IVF treatment:
- Blocked Fallopian Tubes or Tubal Ligation: When the fallopian tubes are blocked or tied, preventing sperm from reaching the egg or the fertilized egg from reaching the uterus, IVF can help bypass this issue.
- Advanced Maternal Age: Women over 38 years old may have a harder time conceiving naturally due to age-related fertility decline. IVF can assist in overcoming this barrier.
- Low Egg Quantity or Quality: If a woman has fewer eggs or if the quality of her eggs is lower than usual, IVF can help by retrieving and fertilizing the eggs outside the body.
- Severe Endometriosis: Endometriosis, where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, can affect fertility. IVF can help by directly fertilizing the eggs in the laboratory.
- History of Failed Ovarian Stimulation: If a woman has undergone multiple unsuccessful cycles of ovarian stimulation to produce eggs for fertilization, IVF may offer a more direct solution.
- Male Infertility or Past Vasectomy: IVF can help overcome male infertility issues by directly fertilizing the eggs with sperm in the laboratory. It’s also a solution for men who have had a vasectomy.
- Unsuccessful Inseminations: If other fertility treatments like inseminations have failed without a clear reason, IVF may be the next step to explore.
- Other Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions like primary ovarian insufficiency, where the ovaries stop working before age 40, or the absence of a functioning uterus, may require IVF for conception.
IVF is suitable for individuals or couples who have specific fertility challenges that make natural conception difficult or impossible. It’s important to consult with a fertility specialist who can evaluate your situation and recommend the best course of action.
Success Rate of IVF
Success rates for IVF can vary based on different factors, with age being a big one.
For women under 35, IVF tends to be more successful because they’re often more fertile. Around 32% of women under 35 who’ve never been pregnant before can expect success with IVF. If they’ve had a child before, the success rate goes up to about 37%. In their twenties, the chances of IVF working are even higher, around 34%. Research suggests that about 40-43% of embryo transfers result in a successful pregnancy for women in their twenties.
However, for women over 40, the success rates drop. For instance, for a 40-year-old, there’s about a 20% chance of IVF working and only a 14% chance of a live birth. As women get older, these numbers decrease further. For example, for women aged 45 or older, the chance of success with IVF is only around 3%.
Another important factor affecting IVF success is the number of embryos transferred. It’s generally recommended to transfer only one embryo to minimize the risks associated with multiple pregnancies. Surprisingly, the success rates for both single and double embryo transfers are similar, with around 45% success for single embryo transfers and about 42% for double embryo transfers.
So, in simple terms, IVF success rates are higher for younger women and decrease as women get older. Transferring a single embryo is generally safer and just as effective as transferring multiple embryos.
How long is the IVF process from beginning to end?
IVF usually takes about 6-8 weeks. It involves meeting with a doctor, taking medicines to help the ovaries produce eggs, getting the eggs removed, fertilizing them, putting the embryos back, and then checking if pregnancy happens. This last step usually takes place 5 days after fertilization. Remember, IVF can be different for everyone, and sometimes it takes more than one try to get pregnant.
Process of IVF - Step By Step
A comprehensive guide to In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), a process that helps couples struggling with infertility achieve pregnancy. It involves fertilizing an egg with sperm outside the body and then transferring the resulting embryo(s) to the uterus for implantation and pregnancy.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of each IVF stage:
Initial Consultation and Testing
Evaluation
A thorough review of your and your partner’s medical history through physical exams by a Gynecologist. This initial assessment helps identify potential causes of infertility.
Fertility Testing
A semen analysis will assess your partner’s sperm count, motility (movement), and morphology (shape). For women, hormone testing, a pelvic ultrasound, and an HSG X-ray might be used to evaluate egg health, ovulation function, and potential uterine blockages.
Ovarian Stimulation (2-3 weeks)
Goal
The goal of Ovarian stimulation is to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs(oocytes) in one IVF cycle, significantly increasing the chances of successful fertilization.
Medications
Once we have a personalized treatment plan, you’ll likely take fertility drugs to stimulate your ovaries. These medications, often gonadotropins like FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone) and LH (Luteinizing Hormone), help develop multiple follicles, each containing an egg. Other medications might regulate ovulation timing.
Monitoring
Regular ultrasounds and blood tests will track the growth of follicles (fluid-filled sacs containing eggs) and adjust medication dosages for optimal egg development.
Side Effects
You might experience bloating, mood swings, and mild pain from injections. These are usually temporary and manageable. We’ll discuss ways to minimize these side effects.
Egg Retrieval (30-45 minutes)
Maturity Check
After your eggs mature, we’ll schedule a simple surgical procedure under light anesthesia for egg retrieval.
Retrieval Process
A thin needle guided by ultrasound will be used to retrieve eggs from the follicles( fluid-filled sacs) in your ovaries.
Sperm Collection
On the same day, your partner will provide a semen sample for fertilization. In some cases, if sperm collection through ejaculation is not possible, sperm retrieval techniques like testicular aspiration or surgical sperm extraction (TESE) might be considered.
Fertilization (1-3 days)
The Fertilization Process: this is the stage where eggs and sperm meet to create an embryo, which happens within a carefully controlled laboratory environment.
There are two main methods used to achieve fertilization during IVF:
Conventional Fertilization
In conventional fertilization methods, collected Sperm and eggs are combined in a vitro(in glass or test tube) to achieve natural fertilization.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
In the ICSI process, single selected sperm is directly injected into a mature egg using a microscopic technique for increased fertilization rates.
Embryo Culture and Development (3-5 days)
Close Monitoring
Over the next 1-3 days following insemination, embryologists closely monitor the fertilized eggs (now called embryos) for cell division and development.
Embryo Selection
If fertilization is successful, we’ll choose the healthiest embryos with the best chance of implantation for transfer.
Embryo Transfer (15-20 minutes)
Preparing for Implantation
We might use medications to prepare the lining of your uterus for optimal embryo implantation.
Transfer Procedure
A thin, flexible catheter is inserted through the cervix (opening of the uterus) to gently place the chosen embryo(s) into your uterus. This is a painless procedure, often performed with minimal sedation or none at all.
Luteal Phase Support (2 weeks)
Hormonal Support
Progesterone supplements may be prescribed to mimic the natural hormone environment and support the early stages of pregnancy after embryo transfer.
Pregnancy Testing (10-14 days after transfer)
Confirmation Time
A blood test will detect the presence of a pregnancy hormone (hCG) to confirm successful implantation and pregnancy.
How to get IVF treatment in Nepal?
Struggling to start a family can be tough, but IVF offers hope for couples facing infertility. In Nepal, Sishu Fertility Clinic provides advanced IVF treatment with experienced doctors, high success rates, and financial assistance. Additionally, Counseling sessions, VVIP services, and round-the-clock support are available.
IVF, also known as test-tube baby treatment, is recommended for severe infertility issues. It involves fertilizing eggs and sperm outside the body and offers hope for couples struggling to conceive. Many people from different countries choose IVF in Nepal at Sishu Fertility Clinic due to its advanced technology and lower cost as compared to others.
If you are having trouble conceiving naturally, contact Sishu Fertility Clinic for a safe and secure IVF treatment in Nepal.
Sishu Fertility Clinic is best fertility clinic in Nepal aim to provide infertility treatment solution for couples with help of excellent team of Doctors, Gynecologist and Fertility experts.