If a couple has

• Tubal blockage or damage
• Infertility of more than 5 years due to any cause
• Low egg reserve or ovarian failure
• Endometriosis if other treatments are not working/ not suitable
• Repeated unruptured follicles (LUF)
• Pelvic tuberculosis
• Previous repeated ectopic pregnancy
• Prolonged unexplained infertility
• Failed tuboplasty
• Low sperm count or motility but not severely low
• more than 3 to 6 unsuccessful cycles of IUI they should move on to IVF.

Cost of IVF cycle varies from case to case and is between 1.2 lakhs to 2.0 lakhs inclusive of injections and consumables.

Absolutely not. The only pain, if any, is due to certain injections (progesterone).

If there is no time crunch, one assessment cycle is done before the actual treatment. This is in order to assess the ovaries and uterus, especially the uterus lining (endometrium). This involves 2 to 3 visits. Another 4 to 5 visits are required over 15 to 20 days during the actual cycle.

As per the new ART law passed in December 2021, the age of the female partner should be between 21  to 50 years and of the male partner between 21 to 55 years.

Success rates varies with the profile of the couple, i.e. their age, egg and sperm parameters, thickness and quality of endometrium, etc. Success rates have improved markedly over the years and are in the range of 50 to 60% for most couples at a good center. Cumulative pregnancy rates go even higher i.e. pregnancy rates including transfer of all frozen embryos available.

Natural miscarriages occur in 15-20% of all pregnancies, whether conceived naturally or with treatment. Slightly higher miscarriage rates with IVF are due to higher age of the partners & underlying disease in the uterus or abnormalities in eggs or sperms.

If the female partner has very poor ovarian reserve (either due to advanced age or disease/ surgery of the ovaries), the only option may be to take eggs for IVF from a younger woman. If the husband’s sperms are normal, they are to be used.

• If the female partner’s uterus is extremely damaged
• she has had repeated implantation failures
• repeated miscarriages especially due to loose cervix (cervical incompetence) where cerclage has also failed
• medical diseases (example of the heart, lungs etc) which makes pregnancy risky

X/Y sperm selection is a myth. The only way to determine sex of embryos is by biopsy & PGT which is strictly not allowed by the Indian law. However PGT is done to detect genetically abnormal embryos if genetic diseases run in the family.

• When husband’s semen count is very poor or the sperms are very sluggish or abnormal
• When sperms are present inside the testes but the tubes are blocked (obstructive azoospermia)
• In some cases of testicular atrophy when rare sperms are suspected to still be produced (Non- obstructive azoospermia)
• After sterilization operation
• Spinal injury
• Increased sperm DNA fragmentation