Related articles
Countries
What is IVF?
In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is the most common Assisted Reproductive Technology procedure. In-Vitro Fertilization is a method in which egg cells are extracted from the ovaries, fertilized by sperm in a laboratory, cultured into early embryos, and then transferred into the woman’s uterus so that she may continue to carry out the term of her pregnancy safely and successfully. IVF is often done in conjunction with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a method in which a single sperm is injected into the center of the cytoplasm of the egg to increase the chances of fertilization. ICSI procedure, only one egg and one sperm is needed to produce one embryo.
Treatment Stages
1. Medication: The woman (recipient) will be prescribed medication to help control when her eggs are produced. Medications will also be prescribed to increase the egg supply.
2. Keeping track of the woman's progress: To keep track of the recipient’s progress, the clinic will monitor her eggs by vaginal ultrasound scans. They will also do blood tests to chart the rising levels of estrogen produced by her eggs, which will help keep track of how the eggs are maturing.3. The woman will receive a hormone injection to help the eggs mature 34-38 hours before the eggs are due to be collected.
3. Collecting the woman’s eggs: Eggs are usually collected by the guidance of an ultrasound, which usually takes about 30 minutes. The doctor will insert a thin needle through the vagina into each ovary. The eggs will then be drawn into the needle. More often than not, eggs are collected by laparoscopy (a small telescope with a light attached). This procedure involves making a small incision in the stomach and extracting the eggs with a fine needle, as before.
4. Collecting the man’s sperm: Around the same time that the eggs are collected, a sperm sample will be taken from the male partner and stored for a short time. The sperm will be washed and spun, and then the healthiest sperm will be selected to fertilize with the egg. If donor sperm is being used, the sperm will be taken from the freezer and prepared in the same way.
5. Fertilization: Once the sperm and egg are collected, the sperm is injected into the egg through the process of ICSI. A thin, hollow needle is pierced through the cell membrane, and is loaded with a single sperm. The sperm is then injected into the cytoplasm of the oocytes to allow fertilization.
6. When to transfer the embryo: The embryo transfer can occur 1-5 days after fertilization occurs, depending on factors that the couple will discuss with the embryologist, such as low sperm count and embryo development. Same day embryo transfer, in which the embryos are transferred about 4 hours after fertilization, is becoming more common, since it allows recipients to undergo the procedure on an outpatient basis. Although embryologists are also recommending that the recipient wait until day five to transfer the embryo, which is known as the blastocyst stage. The blastocyst transfer has also become quite common as it increases chances of successful implantation and decreases the likelihood of multiple pregnancies.
7. Insemination: This process is the last stage of the IVF procedure. It is usually painless and does not require any anesthesia. The embryos are transferred into the uterus through the cervix with a catheter. Typically 2-4 embryos are transferred into the uterus to increase the chances of pregnancy. If done successfully, the patient can go home and should rest for the remainder of the day. A pregnancy test will be given 12-15 days after the embryo transfer. If the IVF is successful, a normal pregnancy can be carried out. Success Rates: Many factors are to be taken into consideration when calculating the overall success rate of IVF procedures. IVF success rates depend on the age of the woman, the number of embryos transferred and cryopreserved, the recipient’s response to drugs, and the clinic. So, pregnancy rate per cycle can range from 10-50% for women under 35. Success rates slightly decline with older age groups.
Complications: possible displacement of the embryos into the cervix, resulting in a lost embryo, or in the fallopian tubes, resulting in tubal (ectopic) pregnancy; multiple pregnancies. If IVF is successful, a normal pregnancy will be carried out. If IVF with ICSI results in an unsuccessful pregnancy or no pregnancy, different methods of IVF should be considered, such as Egg Donor IVF, Sperm Donor IVF or Embryo Donor IVF.
Pain Factor: The last step, transferring the embryo may cause mild bleeding and cramping.
Recovery: After the procedure, the patient should return home to rest for the remainder of the day, and should avoid strenuous activities for the next three days.
Length of stay in country: 21-25 days, 14 if treatment commences in home country.
Coping with infertility: We understand that anticipating the results of IVF can be grueling and stressful on couples, and the possibility of an unsuccessful outcome can be overwhelming. In spite of this, it is important that couples maintain a healthy and clear psyche. Plenty of rest and avoiding stress are highly recommended before, during and after your trip. Keep in mind that you are traveling, which can add more stress on the body. Drink lots of water and try to obtain ample Vitamin D from the sun and fresh air to conquer jetlag.
Choose Visit and Care: Why should you go through the hassle of dealing with several different parties to make reservations and appointments with a doctor when we can handle all of that for you without it costing you a penny more than what you would pay if you were to do everything yourself directly. What is our incentive? We get paid by hospitals and clinics when we refer customers to them. In our agreement with the hospitals and clinics we work with, it states that our customers will not be charged any extra fee by a hospital or clinic, in order to compensate for our fees to them. So, if a procedure costs you 500 dollars when you arrange it through the hospital directly, it will also cost you 500 dollars when you arrange it through Visit and Care. Our goal is to connect our customers to top English-speaking medical professionals in their destination of choice. If you have any inquiries or would like to learn about a procedure that is not listed on our website, please feel free to contact us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We will return to you with an answer as soon as possible.
Our service and benefits include:
• Assistance in communicating with top medical professionals about your medical condition, before and after your procedure.
• Assistance booking hotels at discounted rates
• Optional airport pick-up and drop-off arrangements
• Optional tours around your destination city
• 24-hour, 365-day contact with us in case of any unforeseen emergencies or difficulties. Even though you are away from home, as a Visit and Care customer, you are never alone.
|
