The first IVF baby was born 40 years ago, and since then, many people have continually used this method to have babies. Today, IVF is the most effective way for those who struggle with infertility to realise their dream of being a parent. Increasingly, couples and individuals seek more information about IVF due to its success.
Despite its prevalence, IVF is often misunderstood. This can be caused by media, TV shows, or movies that provide inaccurate information about IVF or get incorrect information from someone who lacks knowledge regarding IVF.
At Vardaan Medical Center, we strive to provide patients with the best possible fertility care, including information about infertility and treatment options. To accomplish this, in this article, we will discuss some of the common IVF misconceptions.
About IVF Treatment:
Infertility is a common condition in which people cannot conceive naturally. A woman usually receives fertility hormones (fertility medications) during IVF so that her ovaries will produce lots of eggs. In a laboratory, eggs are collected and combined with sperm.
It is possible to perform IVF with ‘normal’ sperm quality. However, if there are any issues with the quality of sperm, such as low motility or quantity, ICSI will be used – this inv olves the embryologist injecting a single sperm into the uterus egg.
Common misconceptions associated with IVF:
The Chance of Multiples Increases with IVF:
Frequently, different fertility treatments are conflated, leading to misconceptions and misinformation. You can control the number of embryos implanted with IVF, so it is incorrect to suggest that IVF increases the likelihood of multiple births.
While many patients elect to implant one embryo during IVF to maximise their chances of getting pregnant, they may also opt for elective single embryo transfer (eSet). It involves hand picking one of the healthiest embryos to implant in the uterus. As a result, the risk of multiples is significantly reduced.
IVF Depletes Your Ovarian Reserve:
A low ovarian reserve refers to fewer eggs left in the ovaries to produce eggs during ovulation. IVF is commonly misunderstood as wasting your body’s valuable eggs that usually accumulate over time. IVF treatment can, therefore, adversely affect a person’s chances of getting pregnant in the future if they have a low ovarian reserve.
Many people misunderstand how ovulation works and commonly believe that the eggs retrieved in IVF cycles will automatically be lost due to ovulation.
Ovarian Stimulation Causes Cancer:
Hormones are often used to treat fertility issues. Hormones come with potential side effects. This is often an area of concern. Many people believe that gonadotropins used in IVF cause cancer, which is the most common misconception.
According to research, ovarian stimulation using gonadotropins may cause cancer. A causal link exists between ovarian stimulation and some ovarian tumours, but no firm evidence links the two.
There is No Way to Manage Ovarian Hyperstimulation in IVF:
Ovarian hyperstimulation is also not under your control during an IVF cycle, another misconception about ovarian stimulation and IVF. The patient is kept under care throughout the cycle and can adjust the dosage of medications if overstimulation is detected.
An experienced fertility specialist will take steps to prevent any harmful side effects. The removability of eggs can be accelerated with other medications to decrease the increase in estrogen after the retrieval of eggs. Changing the medication dosage and adjusting the dosage of hormones can effectively treat ovarian hyperstimulation.
Your weight will prevent you from having IVF success:
While it’s always better to start your IVF journey at a healthy BMI for your health and your baby’s, there aren’t any definitive studies showing overweight women cannot experience success with IVF. However, obese women indeed have a lower chance of having implantation and successful IVF.
To have a healthy baby before, during, and after IVF, you will need to stay healthy yourself. The underweight condition of women may lead to reproductive problems. Before you begin your treatment, you should examine your lifestyle and make the necessary changes.
You will be much more likely to have a successful pregnancy if you go into pregnancy in the best possible condition.
Conclusion:
Having learned more about the reality of IVF, you’re in a better position to begin discussing this healthcare option as a possible fertility treatment.
Our expert staff at Vardaan Medical Center can assist you in making the best decision about which fertility treatment is best suited to you.
Schedule an appointment with one of our expert fertility specialists or request a free, no-obligation telephone consultation at our IVF centre in Jalandhar.