Introduction
Becoming a parent may be one of the greatest feelings in life. But, life does not give everyone that beautiful opportunity. Many couples are not able to conceive due to old age and other infertility issues. Some of these couples adopt a child to fulfill their dream of parenthood.
Those who are not interested in adoption go for other procedures for overcoming infertility. One of the most popular methods is IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation). The process was initially developed for treating tubal disease among women.
What is IVF?
IVF is a series of different procedures that help in overcoming the issues that prevent a couple from conceiving. It is a type of assistive reproductive technology. In this process, the matured eggs are collected from the woman’s ovaries. These eggs are then fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then transferred to a woman’s uterus.
IVF is considered as one of the most effective methods of assistive reproduction. It can be carried out using your own sperm and your partner’s eggs. It can also be done with your eggs and a donor’s sperm. Donated embryos can also be used.
The doctor may also implant an embryo in a surrogate carrier or a gestational carrier. This woman will carry your baby for you.
IVF may be expensive than other infertility treatments. That is why couples usually go for a process like intrauterine insemination or take infertility drugs. During the process of intrauterine insemination, the doctor places the sperm into the uterus of the woman. IVF is used for treating infertility issues such as:
- Damage or blockage in the fallopian tubes in women.
- Reduced fertility in women above 40 years of age.
- Male infertility, that can be caused by factors such as low sperm count and abnormal sperm function.
- Reduced function of the ovaries.
- Uterine fibroids.
- Endometriosis.
How does IVF work?
Before the IVF procedure, both men and women have to go undergo tests. Women have to go through ovarian reserve testing. In this process, the follicle-stimulating hormone level in the blood will be examined. The doctor might also test the woman’s uterus.
For men, their sperm will be tested. Their semen sample will be examined in a lab for the number, shape, and size.
Procedure
The IVF procedure is carried out via the following steps:
Stimulation
The woman will be given fertility drugs to increase the number of eggs in her body. A higher number of eggs enhance the chances of creating a viable embryo. Regular blood tests and ultrasounds will be carried out to check the production of eggs.
Collection of eggs
Follicular aspiration is performed to retrieve the eggs. Here a needle is placed inside the woman’s vagina and then into the ovary. The fluid and eggs will be suctioned out from each follicle inside the ovary.
Insemination
Here, the man has to give his sperm sample to the doctor. The doctor will combine the sperm with the eggs in a petri dish.
Embryo Culture
The doctor will examine the fertilised eggs to ensure that they are properly developing.
Embryo transfer
After three to five days of fertilisation, the eggs may be big enough to be implanted. In the implantation process, a catheter is inserted into the vagina and straight into the uterus. Then the embryo is transferred into the uterus.
After 6 or 10 days of this procedure, the embryo implants itself to the wall of the uterus. To check whether you are pregnant, a blood test is necessary.
Costs of IVF treatment
In western countries, the average costs of one IVF treatment cost around $12,000. The basic treatment may cost around $10,000 to $15,000. This cost may go up to $3,000 per cycle. But there are additional costs associated with the treatment such as the costs of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). For this, an additional, $1,000 to 2,000 may be required.
You can also utilise frozen embryos from a previous cycle. In that case, it costs between $3000 to $5000. If you are opting for an embryo donation, it will cost you around $7000.
In India, the average costs of one cycle of IVF treatment are around 2.5 lakh. It might go up to 4.5 lakh. The costs of IVF treatment in metro cities are as follows:
- Mumbai – INR 2 to 3 lakh
- Kolkata – INR 65,000 to 80,000
- Hyderabad – INR 70,000 to 90,000
- Pune – 65,000 to 85,000
- Bangalore – INR 1.60 to 1.75 lakh
- Nagpur –INR 75,000 to 90,000
Success Rate
There are several factors that determine the success of IVF treatment. They are:
Age
The success rates of women under the age of 35 are 40%. For women above 42, the rate is 4 %.
Donor eggs
The quality of eggs and the age of the donor are very important for a successful IVF. Donor eggs from a young woman increase the pregnancy rates of women above 40.
Previous cases of pregnancy
If the woman was pregnant with the same partner with whom she is undergoing IVF, the success rates are higher. On the contrary, factors such as miscarriages and being pregnant with a different partner may decrease the success rates.
Lifestyle
Smoking, obesity and being underweight can reduce the success rates of IVF.
Risks of IVF
The following risks are associated with IVF treatment:
∙€IVF may increase the chances of multiple births, which in turn increases the rates of premature birth.
∙€Miscarriages.
∙€Ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome, that causes pain and swelling in the ovaries.
∙€Bleeding and infection during the retrieval process.
∙€Ectopic pregnancy, where the eggs may be implanted outside the uterus.
∙€Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, where excess fluid may be developed in the chest or abdomen.
IVF Treatment in Delhi
There are many reputed IVF centres In Delhi. They are as follows:
- Fertile Solutions IVF and Research Centre
- Aveya IVF, Rajouri Garden
- International Fertility Centre, Green Park
- Urogyn Clinic, Rohini
- Advanced Fertility and Gynaecology Centre, Lajpat Nagar
- Indira IVF
- Life Care IVF, Gagan Vihar
- Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital
The basic average IVF treatment cost in IVF centers in Delhi is around 2 lakh without additional charges.
Conclusion
So, if you are thinking about choosing IVF for overcoming infertility issues, do thorough research first. Consult a fertility specialist about the different methods that might help you.
