In vitro fertilization or IVF, as it is more commonly known, is the process by which eggs and sperm are brought together in a glass under laboratory conditions. This is so that the sperm can fertilize the egg. Literally speaking, the term IVF simply means ‘fertilization in a glass’ or you may have also heard another term associated with this procedure like ‘test tube babies’.

During the IVF process, the eggs are extracted from the woman’s ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a specialized laboratory or clinic. Once the egg is fertilized, the embryo is placed back into the woman’s uterus so that she can begin the pregnancy.

Before a woman can begin IVF treatment with her own eggs, she must undergo a series of hormone treatments to help control ovulation. This is when the body produces eggs on a regular basis, so hormone treatment is given to reduce the unpredictable chance of ovulation. If the eggs are produced when they are not needed, this could ruin that particular IVF procedure. Hormone treatment itself is usually administered in one of two ways, GNRH agonist or GNRH antagonist.

The GNRH agonist controls ovulation by shutting down the woman’s pituitary. For 2 weeks, the woman is closely monitored before the eggs are retrieved. While she is at home, the woman’s partner will inject her with more stimulating hormones that will encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs than normal. This is called superovulation.

The GNRH antagonist is used in a similar way but lasts longer than 5 days in which follicle stimulating hormone is injected so that the eggs can begin to superovulate.

The eggs are then collected approximately 36 hours after this procedure. Guided by ultrasound, a doctor will remove them using needle aspiration. After this, the man’s sperm is collected through masturbation. If there is a problem and the man is unable to ejaculate, the sperm is collected directly from the testicle through a surgical procedure. The eggs and sperm are then placed in a dish under special laboratory conditions. They are then carefully incubated and monitored for up to 120 hours. The best and most suitable fertilized eggs are then taken and transferred to the uterus via a catheter that is inserted directly into the cervix. Any embryo that successfully embeds itself in the uterus could result in a pregnancy and give birth to a baby or babies.

Why have this type of treatment?

An IVF procedure may be used if a woman or man has a problem with their body’s reproductive systems. For example, a woman’s fallopian tube may be blocked or completely absent, meaning eggs cannot travel to the uterus naturally. She may have other unexplained infertility problems that have lasted for a long time and, due to her age and personal situation, she may try using IVF to get pregnant. But isn’t it just a woman’s health problem that can lead to the use of IVF? It is also commonly used if a man has a low sperm count and is also used if other artificial insemination procedures have been unsuccessful.

The benefit of this type of treatment is that it can still be successful even if the woman has no fallopian tubes or they are blocked beyond repair. Even if a woman cannot produce her own eggs, IVF treatment can still be done. Another benefit of having this treatment is that a couple can test for a potential disorder that could be inherited during embryo transfer.

In the United States, the cost of receiving such a treatment can range from $10,000 to $20,000, but the success of the procedure can depend on many factors, including age, health, and pregnancy history. Statistics state that around 40% of women under the age of 35 get pregnant successfully through IVF treatment, however, when a woman is over the age of 35, the procedure can be much less successful. Also, a woman who has already had children naturally is much more likely to have success with IVF treatment than a woman who has not. However, the advantage of having a natural birth begins to diminish as women age from 30 to 40 years.

What are the risks?

One of the main risks associated with IVF is that it can increase the chances of hyperstimulation of the ovaries, which can lead to multiple pregnancies. Hyperstimulation occurs in about 2% of all women using IVF treatment and almost 40% of IVF treatment births resulted in the production of twins or a larger number of babies. However, doctors should be able to advise the woman about multiple pregnancies and, in turn, decide how many embryos should be transferred. Depending on the age and condition of the woman, a decision may be made to limit the number of transferable embryos to increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy and survival with one baby. Many IVF procedures are not only physically demanding on the woman, but can also be emotionally difficult.

As mentioned, a woman’s chances of successfully conceiving drop dramatically as she ages. Women aged 40 and over can have a 4-10% chance of success, so it is important to be very careful about the financial implications, as one cycle of IVF treatment can cost up to $20,000, which, if unsuccessful, can be a lot of money to spend on such a procedure. However, a successful pregnancy can often be worth more than anything else to a couple who have tried and failed to conceive in the past. Prices can also often vary depending on the private health clinic and it is important that people considering IVF speak in detail with the clinic before undergoing such treatment. Sometimes there may be an additional charge incurred for additional treatments, injections and medications, so it is important to fully understand the financial implications of such a treatment.