IVF method – A Clinical Innovation

Not every woman’s womb is fertile but yet infertile conditions cannot stop them from having children and thanks to medical advancement and clinical innovations. In-Vitro Fertilization is one such innovation which gave a chance of fertility for infertile wombs. Reproductive methods other than normal reproduction are called Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) and IVF technology is one of them. Unlike the normal fertilization, in IVF, fertilization is manually done in a laboratory between collected sperm samples and extracted eggs. The embryo which is formed after fertilization is then transferred to the uterus. The process follows carrying the embryo for the reproductive period and giving birth. Babies who are born through IVF treatment are called test tube babies.

IVF is used to treat fertility in patients having certain issues like male factor infertility in men, ovulation disorders in women, women without fallopian tubes, Genetic disorders in an individual, and other unexplained infertility cases. IVF process is not completely the same for every patient. There are multiple IVF processes to assist patients with different complications. Some of those processes are Natural Cycle In-Vitro Fertilization, Mild Stimulation In-Vitro Fertilization, and others. Processes also differ in the transfer of the embryo to the Uterus and they are Fresh Embryo Transfer, Fresh Blastocyst Transfer, Frozen Embryo Transfer and Assisted Hatching. All these processes are recommended to patients according to their condition of infertility.

Just like any other medical procedure, even IVF process is associated with few risks. Sometimes, multiple pregnancies increase the risk of premature births and low birth weight in babies. There is also a chance of miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies in some cases. There is a rare condition of Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS), in which there is an excessive accumulation of fluids in the chest and abdomen regions. OHSS causes severe pain and breathing problems. Some very rare physical side effects include headache, fatigue, bloating and mood swings. Generally, there is only a fifty percent chance per IVF treatment in patients under 30 years of age. However, the success rate can be improved by certain like quitting smoking, maintaining proper BMI, eating a balanced healthy diet and minimizing alcohol intake.

Whether or not recommended by a certified medical practitioner, choosing IVF treatment to give birth is a very personal decision. One should consider legal and emotional issues in the necessity of using donated eggs, sperm and embryos or a surrogate. Not every couple is comfortable in using donors for IVF and not every family is socially supportive in IVF treatment especially with donated sperms or eggs. Financial, physical and social stresses cannot be neglected while choosing to have an IVF treatment. However, statistics World Health Organizations (WHO) report a heavy proportion of infertile couples choosing IVF treatment and trained doctors are making IVF treatment a huge success. This clinical innovation is now easily accessible all around the world with professionals ready to treat the infertile couples and gift them with happiness they have always dreamed of.

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