Myths about IVF Treatment – Debunked

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If you’ve been facing fertility issues and cannot conceive naturally for a while, you might be thinking about turning to IVF. In-vitro fertilization IVF is a type of infertility treatment during which an egg is taken from a woman and is fertilized with a man’s sperm in an IVF laboratory. Once the embryo forms, it is placed back inside the woman’s uterus. It is a straightforward process, but many couples who face infertility are confused about adopting the IVF procedure due to many myths floating about it.

So, let’s talk about the IVF myths!

Myth: IVF pregnancy has more complications

Fact: IVF process does not add any complications to pregnancies. Most of the complications are related to the woman’s age but not the procedure. At a younger age, the success of IVF is also much higher. The best chance of a woman’s healthy pregnancy is when she is less than 35 years of age. At the age of 37 or older, the risk of pregnancy complications increases.

Therefore, patients suffering from infertility issues must not delay seeking medical help as soon as possible. You can visit the best IVF centre in Mohali for your fertility treatment.

Myth: IVF always leads to multiple babies

Fact: It is not true. If IVF is done properly and as per international standards, then there is about a 20% chance of multiple pregnancies. Also, it depends upon the number of embryos transferred. Most of the time, doctor transfer one or two healthy embryos for a successful pregnancy. If the patient has a history of multiple failures, then two to three embryos can be transferred to increase the chance of pregnancy.

Myth: There is an increased risk of birth defects in IVF babies

Fact: With IVF procedures, there is no risk of congenital birth defects. Even, allows preimplantation genetic testing of the embryo to find out the chances of chromosomal defects in high-risk cases. It mostly includes cases when a woman is over 35 years or a male is over 50 years of age. Also, if there is any family history of genetic disorders, then genetic testing is done. But, it has nothing to do with IVF; the babies born through IVF procedure are normal and healthy.

Myth: The medications given during IVF treatment have side effects

Fact: During IVF, the medication is given for egg release may have mild side effects, like mood swings or feeling emotional. But, these effects get sorted once mature eggs are pickup by the doctor.  When the procedure completes, and the woman becomes pregnant, these side effects will be gone. Other than that, IVF medications have no long-term side effects. In addition, pregnancy may bring some hormonal changes that are natural, and whatever happens during pregnancy has nothing to do with IVF medications. So, IVF is completely safe and has no negative effect on female health.

Myth: IVF is the only way to conceive with infertility

Fact: In addition to IVF, there are other infertility treatments like IUI that may help couples to conceive. But, IVF is an advanced treatment and it is useful for a woman with unexplained fertility, failed IUI cycles, blocked fallopian tubes, etc. The best gynaecologist in Mohali only recommends IVF after you and your partner have undergone complete fertility evaluations. You may benefit from other procedures, such as laparoscopy surgery to fix structural problems or medications to balance hormones.

Myth: IVF has a 100% success rate

Fact: Any fertility treatment never has a 100 per cent success rate, and IVF is no exception. The success rate of IVF is high in young couples as compared to women of age 37 and older. Also, it will depend on many other factors such as the cause of infertility, hormonal imbalances, and biological conditions responded Dr. Lavleen Kaur at the Dr Sodhi’s IVF centre in Mohali.

Myth: IVF increases the risk of getting ovarian cancer

Fact: There is no established connection between cancer and IVF in any studies or medical research. This is a myth. Couples can make a reasonable number of attempts of fertility treatments without any increased risk of cancer for either the man or woman. There is no risk of cancer for the unborn child either, even in the adult years.

Myth: Overweight women can’t go for IVF

Fact: A woman with no ideal weight can get pregnant and deliver a healthy baby. But sometimes, losing a few kilos help with unexplained infertility and women conceive easily. Weight only becomes an issue if you suffer from a condition called Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) as it can impact your egg quality. For such patients, doctors recommend weight loss before starting the IVF treatment. Otherwise, an overweight woman can go for IVF and can conceive. if you live in Mohali or Chandigarh, then you can consult the best doctor in Chandigarh for PCOD or PCOS.

Summing up

In the conservative society of India, people are attached to having a child of their own. Also, many young couples are pressured by families to have a baby. But sometimes, due to infertility, couples are not able to conceive naturally after regularly trying for more than 3 to 5 years.

Therefore, it becomes important to consult the best IVF hospital in Mohali or nearby areas to get the right guidance. 

FAQs

Most couples go for three to five IVF cycles. The average number of IVF cycles depends on the egg quality, age of the woman, and overall health of the female. It is better to consult the best IVF doctor in Chandigarh or near you for IVF treatment.

There is no answer to how many rounds of IVF are safe for you. It entirely depends upon you, your body, and your fertility specialist. The best IVF doctor makes sure you stay healthy and recommend more IVF cycles only based on your health.

The success of IVF depends on many factors, including age, hormones, weight, uterus health, and more. Between the 20s and 30s, the chances of IVF success are higher than choosing IVF in the 40s.

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.

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.

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.

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