Today, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is widely recognized. Not long ago, however, it was a mysterious infertility procedure known as “test-tube baby” technology. In 1978, Louise Brown, the first baby conceived through IVF, was born in the United Kingdom—the first successful conception outside the mother's body.
Unlike artificial insemination, which places sperm in the uterus and allows fertilization to occur naturally, IVF combines eggs and sperm in a laboratory and transfers the resulting embryo into the uterus. IVF is complex and expensive, and only about 5% of couples with infertility use it. Since its U.S. introduction in 1981, however, babies born through IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have come to represent 1.9% of all U.S. births.
1. What Fertility Problems Can IVF Treat?
IVF may be an option for infertility, especially if you or your partner has been diagnosed with:
Endometriosis
Low sperm count
Uterine or fallopian-tube problems
Ovulation disorders
Antibodies that damage sperm or eggs
Sperm that cannot penetrate or survive in cervical mucus
Poor egg quality
A hereditary condition in either parent
Unexplained infertility
Except in cases of complete fallopian-tube blockage, IVF is generally not the first infertility treatment. It is usually considered after fertility medication, surgery, or artificial insemination has not succeeded.
2. The IVF Process
The first step is hormone injections to produce several eggs in a month instead of one. Testing determines when you are ready for egg retrieval.
Before retrieval, you receive medication that matures the developing eggs and starts the ovulation process. Timing is critical because the eggs must mature before removal from the ovaries. Your doctor uses blood tests or ultrasound to confirm the correct developmental stage. The IVF center provides instructions for the night before and day of the procedure. Most women receive pain medication and choose light sedation or general anesthesia.
During retrieval, the doctor uses ultrasound to locate follicles and removes the eggs with a hollow needle. The procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes but may last up to an hour.
After retrieval, the eggs are combined with your partner's sperm in the laboratory. Fertilized eggs are monitored at the clinic for optimal development. Depending on the clinic, embryos may be cultured for up to five days until they reach the more advanced blastocyst stage.
When the embryos are ready, you return to the IVF clinic for transfer of one or more embryos into the uterus. This is faster and simpler than retrieval. The doctor inserts a flexible catheter through the vagina and cervix to place the embryos in the uterus. To increase the chance of pregnancy, many IVF specialists recommend transferring up to three embryos at once. However, this may result in a multiple pregnancy, increasing health risks for the pregnant patient and babies.
3. IVF Success Rates
IVF success depends on several factors, including the cause of infertility, treatment location, whether eggs are frozen or fresh, use of donor eggs, and age. The CDC collects national statistics for all U.S. assisted reproductive technology procedures, including IVF, GIFT, and ZIFT. IVF is the most common, accounting for 99% of procedures.
The latest 2018 report showed that 50% of IVF procedures in women aged 35 or younger resulted in a live birth. Egg transfers in women aged 42 or older had a success rate of only 3.9%.
4. Other Considerations
Embryos not used in the first IVF attempt can be frozen for later use, reducing the cost of a second or third cycle. If you do not want remaining embryos, you may donate them to other people with infertility or ask the clinic to dispose of them. The clinic needs consent from both you and your partner before donation or disposal.
Age is a major factor in IVF success. In 2018, women under 35 using their own eggs had a 37.6% chance of pregnancy through IVF, compared with 11% for women aged 41 to 42. As technology and physician experience improve, IVF success rates are increasing across age groups.
Guide | The Development and Current State of IVF
Guide | The Development and Current State of IVF
Today, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is widely recognized. Not long ago, however, it was a mysterious infertility procedure known as “test-tube baby” technology. In 1978, Louise Brown, the first baby conceived through IVF, was born in the United Kingdom—the first successful conception outside the mother's body.
Unlike artificial insemination, which places sperm in the uterus and allows fertilization to occur naturally, IVF combines eggs and sperm in a laboratory and transfers the resulting embryo into the uterus. IVF is complex and expensive, and only about 5% of couples with infertility use it. Since its U.S. introduction in 1981, however, babies born through IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have come to represent 1.9% of all U.S. births.
1. What Fertility Problems Can IVF Treat?
IVF may be an option for infertility, especially if you or your partner has been diagnosed with:
Endometriosis
Low sperm count
Uterine or fallopian-tube problems
Ovulation disorders
Antibodies that damage sperm or eggs
Sperm that cannot penetrate or survive in cervical mucus
Poor egg quality
A hereditary condition in either parent
Unexplained infertility
Except in cases of complete fallopian-tube blockage, IVF is generally not the first infertility treatment. It is usually considered after fertility medication, surgery, or artificial insemination has not succeeded.
2. The IVF Process
The first step is hormone injections to produce several eggs in a month instead of one. Testing determines when you are ready for egg retrieval.
Before retrieval, you receive medication that matures the developing eggs and starts the ovulation process. Timing is critical because the eggs must mature before removal from the ovaries. Your doctor uses blood tests or ultrasound to confirm the correct developmental stage. The IVF center provides instructions for the night before and day of the procedure. Most women receive pain medication and choose light sedation or general anesthesia.
During retrieval, the doctor uses ultrasound to locate follicles and removes the eggs with a hollow needle. The procedure usually takes less than 30 minutes but may last up to an hour.
After retrieval, the eggs are combined with your partner's sperm in the laboratory. Fertilized eggs are monitored at the clinic for optimal development. Depending on the clinic, embryos may be cultured for up to five days until they reach the more advanced blastocyst stage.
When the embryos are ready, you return to the IVF clinic for transfer of one or more embryos into the uterus. This is faster and simpler than retrieval. The doctor inserts a flexible catheter through the vagina and cervix to place the embryos in the uterus. To increase the chance of pregnancy, many IVF specialists recommend transferring up to three embryos at once. However, this may result in a multiple pregnancy, increasing health risks for the pregnant patient and babies.
3. IVF Success Rates
IVF success depends on several factors, including the cause of infertility, treatment location, whether eggs are frozen or fresh, use of donor eggs, and age. The CDC collects national statistics for all U.S. assisted reproductive technology procedures, including IVF, GIFT, and ZIFT. IVF is the most common, accounting for 99% of procedures.
The latest 2018 report showed that 50% of IVF procedures in women aged 35 or younger resulted in a live birth. Egg transfers in women aged 42 or older had a success rate of only 3.9%.
4. Other Considerations
Embryos not used in the first IVF attempt can be frozen for later use, reducing the cost of a second or third cycle. If you do not want remaining embryos, you may donate them to other people with infertility or ask the clinic to dispose of them. The clinic needs consent from both you and your partner before donation or disposal.
Age is a major factor in IVF success. In 2018, women under 35 using their own eggs had a 37.6% chance of pregnancy through IVF, compared with 11% for women aged 41 to 42. As technology and physician experience improve, IVF success rates are increasing across age groups.
Source:
Collected online