Answering Your Questions About the Invitro-Fertilization (IVF) Process

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Fertility Clinics like ours offer IVF (or In vitro fertilization) treatment using assisted reproductive technology. Although it’s used less often than other treatment options, IVF supersedes natural fertility success rates and thus can be very appealing. So let’s dive into a discussion on in vitro fertilization.

Why You Might Want To Use IVF

  • You are a woman who has had ovarian failure, fibroids in the womb or other ovulation issues.
  • You have Endometriosis where the tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus (endometrium) grew outside of the uterus.
  • You have blocked (or impaired) fallopian tubes.
  • You or your partner has an unwanted genetic disorder that could be passed to potential offspring.
  • Your fallopian tubes have been taken out surgically.
  • Your male partner is experiencing high sperm motility, low sperm count or another infertility issue.
  • You are interested in treatment with the highest success rates.

IVF Success Rates

The success rate for IVF depends on a few criteria, such as the maternal age, lifestyle, history of reproduction, medical conditions such as endometriosis, and the main reason(s) for your infertility. In vitro fertilization treatment comes with a higher price tag and is a more invasive treatment so looking at ways to boost success is worth considering.

  • Sufficient rest
  • Minimizing stress
  • Avoid smoking, drinking and recreational drug use
  • Balanced nutrition rich in vitamins and minerals
  • Taking prescribed prenatal vitamins daily
  • Staying well hydrated with water

The IVF Process

Here is an overview that can help you better understand how IVF works. For women, you will be given medications to stimulate and encourage egg production. More eggs equal a  higher chance that some will properly develop and mature.  During the cycle, your hormone levels will be checked, and the ovaries containing egg follicles will be viewed by ultrasound every few days.  This verifies the medication is working as planned. Once the eggs reach a certain size, a trigger shot is given to induce final egg maturation.

Next comes egg retrieval. The eggs are retrieved from the ovarian follicles through a minor surgical procedure.  Some women, whose eggs are not healthy or are depleted, may turn to donor eggs and are still able to complete an in vitro fertilization cycle.  The eggs are then prepared for fertilization.  Sperm is also collected or thawed on day of egg retrieval.  ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) may be done to inject a sperm into each viable egg or through traditional fertilization, the eggs and sperm are placed in a dish where sperm can penetrate the eggs on their own.  The embryologists,  determine fertilization and monitor cell division as the embryos grow.  On day 5, healthy embryos will either be transferred to the uterus or cryopreserved for future Frozen Embryo Transfers.

Does IVF Work?

The good news is, IVF assisted reproduction technology has come far regarding improvements and success rates have risen over this last several decades. In vitro fertilization success rates are reported and tracked by Center for Disease Control and Prevention:  https://www.cdc.gov/art/index.html

Also, you can review the success rates for Autologous In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Success Rates Jan 1, 2019 – Dec 31, 2019 Preliminary Data: https://www.sartcorsonline.com/rptCSR_PublicMultYear.aspx?ClinicPKID=2533

Our Utah Fertility Center has been helping women and men looking to conceive. We have various locations around the state so that you can find a convenient location near you. We welcome you to give us a call at 801-785-5100 to learn more!