Going through an In Vitro Fertilization process can be overwhelming and nerve-wracking. The extensive process involves a series of medication, blood tests, and imaging tests to rule out possible obstacles. While IVF could be a final resort to other women, it could be a priority, especially if you are using cryopreserved eggs. New York City IVF experts at New York Fertility Institute offer customized care to their patients, designed to overcome their fertility roadblocks and help them realize their dreams of being parents.
What are IVF basics you should know before you go for the procedure?
Before you go through with In Vitro Fertilization as a technique to help you conceive, your gynecologist will equip you with IVF basic information to fully understand what you are up to. In Vitro is a Latin word translating to ‘within the glass’ meaning that the whole procedure takes place outside your body. The procedure prompts your doctor to harvest several of your eggs with a vaginal ultrasound-guided needle. The specialist then places your eggs in a petri dish containing cleansed sperm cells harvested from masturbation.
Your doctor’s expectation is, some of your eggs will get fertilized and turn to embryos. Your gynecologist will then select a desired number of embryos and transfer them to your uterus, where your doctor expects they will attach to your uterine wall.
How long does the IVF process take?
IVF happens in various steps and it may take you several months to complete the process. While it might take the first instance to work out in a different person, you could need more than one attempt for you to get pregnant. Your gynecologist will prescribe fertility medications for several months to trigger your ovaries to produce several mature eggs ready for fertilization.
During ovulation induction, the professional will request various ultrasounds and blood tests to check out your hormone levels and trace your egg production. When your eggs mature, the gynecologist will retrieve them through minor surgery. Once out of your body, your doctor will mix the eggs with sperm cells and store them in a special container for fertilization.
A few days later, your gynecologist will transfer the embryos directly to your uterus using a thin tube. Pregnancy will occur once the embryos attach themselves to your uterine lining. Your doctor could also prescribe or give you progesterone shots in the first few weeks to increase embryo survival chances in your uterus.
Why will your doctor recommend IVF?
Your gynecologist will recommend IVF as the last resort after your other conception methods have failed. Usually, your doctor will first prescribe fertility medications or intrauterine insemination. Alternatively, you can opt for the procedure if you are at a higher risk of transferring a genetic disorder to your child. Suppose you have a risk of genetic disorders, your gynecologist will request lab tests to check out for genetic defects before injecting you with an embryo without genetic abnormalities.
IVF will be necessary if you have:
- Unexplained infertility
- Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids
- Minimal ovarian function
- Reduced fertility, especially if you are over 40 years old
- Previous tubal sterilization
- When your doctor is using previously cryopreserved eggs
IVF can be draining both financially and emotionally and you could suffer anxiety throughout the process. Talking to a professional about your fears could be helpful when feelings of discouragement come about. Do not let the whole IVF process overwhelm you when you can contact the professionals and discuss your reproductive worries.
