Infertility and IVF.
Infertility is not an uncommon condition. Infertility is defined as an inability to become pregnant after a man and woman attempt to conceive for one year or more, despite regular unprotected, penetrative, vagina intercourse. There are many reasons why couples are unable to conceive naturally. A diagnosis of infertility often leads to a lot of confusion. Thanks to ever-evolving advanced reproductive technology, which has brought solutions to infertility which is very common. Depending on the cause, your specialist will help find the right treatment for you.
Advanced reproductive technology loosely referred to as IVF has come a long way in more than 40 years since the very first IVF baby was born. IVF is now one of the most successful ways for those who struggle with fertility to realize their dream of conceiving a child. Due to the success of IVF, it has become extremely popular with more and more couples and individuals seeking out all the information they can find about the process
What is IVF?
Today, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is practically a household word. But not so long ago, it was a mysterious procedure for infertility that produced what were then known as “test-tube babies.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a type of assistive reproductive technology (ART). It involves retrieving eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm. This fertilized egg is known as an embryo. The embryo can then be frozen for storage or transferred to a woman’s uterus.
IVF can use:
- Your eggs and your partner’s sperm
- Your eggs and donor sperm
- Donor eggs and your partner’s sperm
- Donor eggs and donor sperm
- Donated embryos
Your doctor can also implant embryos in a surrogate, or gestational carrier. This is a woman who carries your baby for you.
In vitro fertilization is a highly successful treatment for infertility. Countless couples, and individuals, worldwide have had successful IVF treatment and produced babies. What’s more, fertility specialists utilize IVF as a treatment to overcome many different infertility diagnoses.
Why IVF
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a treatment for infertility or genetic problems. IVF helps people with infertility who want to have a baby. Sometimes, IVF is offered as a primary treatment for infertility in women over age 40. IVF can also be done if you have certain health conditions. IVF may be an option if you or your partner have:
- Blocked or damaged fallopian tube
- Ovulation disorders: If ovulation is infrequent or absent, fewer eggs are available for fertilization.
- Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus implants and grows outside of the uterus often affecting the function of the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes.
- Uterine fibroids. Fibroids are benign tumors in the uterus. They are common in women in their 30s and 40s. Fibroids can interfere with implantation of the fertilized egg.
- Previous tubal sterilization or removal. Tubal ligation is a type of sterilization in which the fallopian tubes are cut or blocked to permanently prevent pregnancy. If you wish to conceive after tubal ligation, IVF may be an alternative to tubal ligation reversal surgery.
- Impaired sperm production or function. Below-average sperm concentration, weak movement of sperm (poor mobility), or abnormalities in sperm size and shape can make it difficult for sperm to fertilize an egg.
- Unexplained infertility. Unexplained infertility means no cause of infertility has been found despite evaluation for common causes.
- A genetic disorder. If you or your partner is at risk of passing on a genetic disorder to your child, you may be candidates for preimplantation genetic testing — a procedure that involves IVF. After the eggs are harvested and fertilized, they’re screened for certain genetic problems, although not all genetic problems can be found. Embryos that don’t contain identified problems can be transferred to the uterus.
- Fertility preservation for cancer or other health conditions. If you’re about to start cancer treatment such as radiation or chemotherapy that could harm your fertility, IVF for fertility preservation may be an option. Women can have eggs harvested from their ovaries and frozen in an unfertilized state for later use. Or the eggs can be fertilized and frozen as embryos for future use.
- Women who don’t have a functional uterus or for whom pregnancy poses a serious health risk might choose IVF using another person to carry the pregnancy (gestational carrier). In this case, the woman’s eggs are fertilized with sperm, but the resulting embryos are placed in the gestational carrier’s uterus.
What are IVF success rates?
Success rates for IVF depend on a number of factors, including the reason for infertility, reproductive history, Lifestyle, quality of eggs and sperm, your age and expertise.
Am I too old for IVF?
There is no IVF qualification “rule” that says you must be under a certain age to have IVF but the fact is that your age and IVF success are closely linked. A person’s health status is also considered in taking a decision to embark on IVF.
Are there any side effects or risks with IVF?
Like most medical procedures, there is a potential risk although this is quite small. The vast majority of side effects are minor and pass shortly after the procedure is done and additional hormone medications are stopped.
Is IVF Painful?
Each patient has a different response to the IVF process, and what may be considered painful to some may not be painful to others. Some parts of the process such as injections or egg retrieval can cause some discomfort, but you should never be in an extreme amount of pain. Experiencing severe pain can be a sign of a complication, and it is important to remember that complications associated with IVF are rare and can usually be treated effectively.
Men and IVF
Learning you have a low sperm count can be discouraging, but it doesn’t have to stop you from welcoming a healthy baby. IVF for male infertility is sometimes the best treatment option. When the semen analysis is abnormal and identifies a male factor, it’s important to look for the cause. If the low sperm count appears to hormone-related, caused by an infection or related to a male anatomic abnormality, treatments can be instituted. If these do not work, or if it is a more severe case of male infertility, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is usually the treatment of choice.
Common Questions About IVF
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a solution that can assist couples having difficulty to conceive take the first steps on the path towards parenthood. If you are faced with infertility, you may be wondering if IVF is right for you.
Below we’ve identified 10 common questions about IVF that we often hear from patients
- What exactly is IVF?
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common type of assisted reproductive technology (ART), used to create an embryo by bypassing certain causes of infertility, such as mild sperm abnormalities in men, and fallopian tube or ovulation irregularity in women.
During IVF, a woman’s eggs are surgically retrieved and then fertilized in a laboratory by mixing with a partner (or donor’s) sperm. The fertilized egg, or embryo, is left to grow for two to five days, and is then surgically transferred back into the woman’s womb.
- How long should I wait before consulting a fertility doctor?
In general, patients will seek advice from a fertility doctor after one year of trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant. The chances of a fertile couple conceiving a child in any given month (called the natural pregnancy rate) is around 20 to 25%; resulting in roughly ninety percent of couples becoming pregnant after one year of trying to conceive.
It’s recommended that the remaining 10 percent of couples consult a fertility specialist. In particular, women over thirty are encouraged to undergo a fertility treatment evaluation, after six months of attempting to conceive. And it may be beneficial for women over forty to meet with a fertility doctor shortly after deciding to try and have a child.
- Am I a candidate for IVF?
There are a number of factors involved in determining if a patient is suitable for IVF treatment. Appropriate candidates often include couples who may experience:
- Low sperm counts
- Endometriosis
- Problems with the uterus or fallopian tubes
- Ovulation disorders
- Sperm unable to penetrate or survive in the cervical mucus
- Other health or unexplained reproductive issues
The only way to know for sure if in vitro fertilization is right for you is to undergo a complete exam and consultation with a fertility expert.
- How successful is IVF?
According to national statistics from the Center for Disease Control, the average IVF success rates using one’s own eggs begins to drop around age thirty and dips rapidly in the mid 30s and early 40s, due to lower egg quantity and quality.
In addition to age, success rates with IVF vary with respect to one’s height, weight, infertility diagnosis, sperm count, and reproductive history, such as the previous number of pregnancies, miscarriages and births.
- How long does IVF take?
The in vitro fertilization process can last anywhere from four to six weeks prior to egg retrieval. The embryo(s) will then be implanted between two to five days afterwards. Not all patients are successful on their first IVF attempt; in fact, it’s not uncommon for patients to go through multiple IVF cycles before finally becoming pregnant.
- Are there any restrictions while undergoing IVF?
Yes. Your doctor will recommend that you adhere to the basic guidelines below during the IVF process and into your pregnancy.
Smoking: It’s recommended that both partners stop smoking at least three months before beginning an IVF cycle, and before ovulation induction begins. The effects of tobacco have been shown to be toxic and harmful to a woman’s eggs.
Drinking: Alcohol should be avoided at the outset of IVF treatment, until one’s pregnancy test, and if pregnant, until the birth of the child.
Medications: It’s important to inform your doctor if you’re taking any prescription or over-the-counter medications. Some medicines can interfere with the prescribed fertility medication, or embryo transference, and others may not be safe to take before surgery.
Vigorous exercise: Intense physical activities like aerobics, weightlifting and running are prohibited during ovarian stimulation and until the results of one’s pregnancy are known.
Supplements: Herbal supplements are completely prohibited during the IVF process.
- What happens if I become pregnant?
Once a pregnancy is confirmed, you’ll see your fertility doctor for continued blood testing, and eventually an ultrasound to confirm that the pregnancy is progressing smoothly. Once the fetus’ heartbeat has been verified, you’ll be referred to an obstetrician for the rest of your pregnancy.
- If I’m not pregnant, when can we try again?
Normally, patients are asked to wait for one or two full menstrual cycles before resuming another IVF cycle. Certain additional tests may be needed that could delay subsequent IVF cycles.
- Will IVF significantly increase my chances of having twins or triplets?
This is a very common question asked by couples considering IVF treatment, and the answer depends on several factors. You and your doctor will decide the number of embryos to be implanted into your uterus. If a single embryo is transferred, then it would be impossible to have a multiple pregnancy. However, given the uncertainty of the embryo successfully implanting into the lining of the uterus, many women choose to transfer multiple embryos into the womb; especially those women who may be unable to afford additional IVF cycles.
Interestingly, one’s chances of giving birth from multiple embryo transfers are only slightly higher than with transferring a single embryo, although the odds of having twins or triplets will increase significantly.
- Are there any side effects associated with IVF?
Fertility medications can cause mood swings, headaches, hot flashes, abdominal pain, and bloating. In very rare cases, fertility medication may induce ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS)
IVF can be ideal for couples who have tried conventional infertility treatments, but have failed to conceive. IVF can also help solve certain male infertility factors as well.
Why Choose Nisa as Your Fertility & IVF Clinic
We have 23 years of IVF success stories
We believe that when choosing a fertility program like this, one factor commonly looked out for is a team with experience and compassion that literally holds your hand through your journey and also contributes to your well-being. Our team of experts works together with you in a comfortable and private setting making use of modern treatments and innovative technology to make the best choice in achieving a successful pregnancy and growing your family.
The first IVF live birth from Nisa IVF was born in February 1998. Her case was examined and certified by a committee set up by the Federal Government of Nigeria. So far, over 7000 babies have been born through IVF and other related technologies. The team at Nisa Premier Hospital takes the time to explain each step of the in vitro fertilization process. We want to make sure that each patient fully understands the distinct phases of the treatment process before they commit to IVF.
Contact us to schedule a consultation and learn more about in vitro fertilization. Call 08174210027, 08174209999, 08174209990