What You Should Know Before Trying IVF

It's a Long Process

IVF isn't a quick fix by any means. There are a lot of things you'll have to do before you get to the stage where you're actually undergoing the procedure. Firstly, you'll need to talk to your doctor and discuss whether it's right for you. Then, you'll have to go through the IVF process itself. You'll need to spend 10-12 days taking fertility medication to increase the amount of eggs you produce. At this time, you'll also be spending a lot of time at your doctor’s office getting blood work and ultrasounds done. Then, you'll have the eggs removed while you're under general anaesthetic. These will be combined with your partner's sperm in a lab. Once this is done, the embryo (or multiples thereof) will be implanted in your uterus. Two weeks later, you'll go back to your doctor again for a pregnancy test to see if it worked.

You'll Need to Improve Your Own Health

If you want to undergo IVF treatment, you'll need to be in good overall health. Your doctor will inform you of what you'll need to do, but most commonly, candidates are asked to reduce alcohol intake, stop smoking, and, sometimes, lose weight before they start. If you're undergoing IVF pregnancy at a medical centre such as Guy's and St. Thomas’ Private Healthcare, they'll help you do this so you can get started as soon as possible.

There Will Be Side Effects

As you'd imagine, increasing your hormone production will lead to some side effects as you go through the IVF process. For example, you'll find that you're more emotional during the medication stage of the cycle. You may also experience pressure, bloating or cramps in the pelvic area, and discomfort from fertility injections. If you experience any of these, your doctor will be able to help.

You May Be Able to Select the Sex of Your Embryo

With some IVF treatments, you'll be able to get the embryos tested for several different things before they're implanted. When this is done, you'll also be told the sex of the embryos. Some services will allow you to select the sex you want, while others will simply transfer the best quality embryos to increase your chances of becoming pregnant.

It May Not Always Work

There's no 100% chance that your IVF treatment will result in a pregnancy. If you don't get pregnant from the first round, don't lose hope. You can try again, and the chances are getting better all the time with research into fertility.

Now that you have the basics of IVF under your belt, you can go to your doctor and get the ball rolling. They'll be ready to support you every step of the way.