About IVF
IVF
‘ In Vitro Fertilisation ‘ simply means the union of egg & sperm outside the body. This union results in the formation of embryos, which are then transferred into the uterus.
Candidates for IVF
Damaged tubes
. Severe endometriosis
. Recurrent IUI failures
. Unexplained infertility
. Premature ovarian failure
. Advancing age
. Absent or damaged uterus with functional ovaries (through surrogacy)
Technique of IVF
(1)Ovarian stimulation – involves stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple eggs with the help of fertility drugs which are usually in the form of injections. Monitoring is done with the help of ultrasound and hormonal measurements.
(2)Egg retrieval – Once the eggs are mature, egg retrieval is done. This is a minor surgical procedure, which is performed in the operation theater under short anaesthesia. A needle is passed under ultrasound guidance through the vagina into the ovaries and eggs are collected in test tubes. Patient does not feel any pain and can go home in 2-3 hours after procedure.
(3) Fertilisation process – The process takes place in the IVF lab. It involves the artificial fertilisation of eggs obtained during the egg retrieval with the previously prepared semen sample. After 16-18 hours, eggs are examined under the microscope to see how many have fertilised.
IVF fails ? How many chances can I take ?
01
You can go through IVF as many times as you wish. It depends on your physical, mental and financial status. However, we advise upto a maximum of 4 cycles.
In this procedure, the embryos are placed into the uterus through a thin flexible catheter under ultrasound guidance. It is a short procedure which does not require any anaesthesia and the patient can go home usually after ½ hour.
IUI
Intrauterine insemination ( IUI ) is an infertility treatment that is often called artificial insemination. In this procedure, the woman is injected with specially prepared sperm. Usually, the women is also treated with medicines that stimulate ovulation before IUI.
IUI is often used to treat :
. Mild male factor infertility
. Women who have problem with their cervical mucus.
. Couples with unexplained infertility.
ICSI
ICSI stands for Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection and is indicated for male factor infertility in which sperm count, motility or normal morphology is low. It is also utilised in cases where sperms are obtained from epididymis or testes through FNAC or biopsy. ICSI involves the injecting of sperm directly into an egg. The treatment and incubation are exactly the same as in IVF. The only difference is that the laboratory process is more complex and requires more sophisticated technology.
Is rest required after embryo transfer ( ET ) ?
01
No, rest is usually not required after ET. Light activity is advised for 2-3 days after the transfer and then normal activity can be resumed
When is the pregnancy test done ?
01
The pregnancy test can be done from day 12 of the ET but since the sensitivity is low, majority of the centers carry out the test on or after day 16. Both urine and blood samples are collected for the same.
FET
01
FET means frozen embryo transfer. Extra frozen embryos from a previous cycle are thawed and then transferred into the uterus during a natural or medicated cycle in which the lining of the uterus is prepared for transfer.
Risks involved in IVF ?
01
. Risk of multiple pregnancy (due to multiple embryo transfer). . OHSS (Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome) : This occurs when women respond to treatment by producing an excessive number of eggs which leads to fluid collection in the abdomen. This can cause nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distension. If OHSS develops, we sometimes recommend cancelling the cycle in order to avoid taking any risks. If it occurs, it can usually be managed on an OPD basis but occasionally one may need to be admitted in the hospital for a few days.