All reading this article would want to begin by knowing two crucial things:
First, what is In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) all about?
Second, why and how has India become one of the prominent destinations for IVF treatment?
So, let’s begin with what is IVF:
In-vitro fertilization, also known as IVF is a type of assisted reproduction technology (ART) that is used for couples experiencing infertility. IVF was first developed as a way of conception for females who have blockages in their fallopian tubes to become pregnant.
Today, IVF is however chosen as a treatment for many different types of infertility, including infertility caused by endometriosis, male factor infertility and other causes of infertility because of which couples may not be able to achieve conception with other fertility treatments.
When a couple chooses to go in for IVF, the egg of the mother (or by an egg donor) and sperm of the father (or by a sperm donor) is fertilized outside of the body. The egg is placed with the sperm together in a laboratory dish, which is where the fertilization occurs. The embryo or embryos then grow in the laboratory for a few days. Then, the healthiest of all embryos is picked up and transferred into the woman's uterus with the hope that it will implant and grow naturally to become a healthy child.
Now, why India is the foremost destination for IVF:
IVF treatment in India is extremely affordable, especially when compared to the rates in western countries. India has become a prime destination in the world of medical tourism, especially for infertility treatments because of the use of cutting-edge techniques, experienced IVF specialists, advanced infrastructure and amenities and reputable hospitals with acclaimed service.
In India, there are many cities that offer creditable IVF treatment facilities with affordable costs. The average cost for an IVF cycle in India ranges between Rs 2,00,000 to Rs 2,50,000 ($2500 to 3500) approximately. The treatment cost may vary from city to city, additional treatments to support the cycle and other factors and can go as high as upto Rs 4,50,000 ($6500) or even be as low as Rs 1, 50,000 ($ 2000) as well.
Here is the most important part, where in India should you head to for the treatment? If you plan to choose India for your IVF treatment, then you can find good IVF centers to do the treatment with reasonable IVF cost in Mumbai. Mumbai, the financial capital of India has some of the best IVF specialists renowned for their expertise and achievements.
In addition to Mumbai, you can also find good IVF treatment options in other cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Chennai as well.
Let’s look into the start-to-end of the IVF process:
IVF consists of five basic steps, all of which take place during one menstrual cycle:
Controlled ovarian hyper-stimulation. At the beginning of the treatment, your IVF doctor will prescribe you fertility drugs to stimulate the ovaries so that multiple follicles and eggs develop. In a normal cycle, the ovaries typically make and release only one egg.
Egg retrieval. Once, a thorough monitoring is done, the eggs are typically removed from the ovaries in an outpatient surgical procedure. The doctor will use a needle passed through the vagina under ultrasound guidance to extract the fluid from the follicles and pull out the egg.
In-vitro fertilization. The eggs will then be placed with sperm in the laboratory dish, or the embryologist may use a procedure known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in which one sperm is injected directly into the egg for fertilization.
Uterine embryo transfer. After fertilisation, the healthies of the embryos will be selected by the doctor and transferred into your uterus using a tiny catheter under ultrasound guidance.
Monitoring and support. Your fertility specialist will monitor you to check the blood levels to assess the quality of the uterine lining. If your cycle turns out successful and you become pregnant, you will have to go for an ultrasound two weeks after a positive result.
Next, the most important thing, what are your chances of having a baby:
The success rate for IVF will differ from person to person depending upon the patient’s personal characteristics. The factors that matters the most are the age, health status, and the health of the partner. A woman’s ability to conceive a child reduces with age. If you are using your own eggs, on average, the younger you are the higher your chances of success. All these factors can greatly affect the result of the IVF procedure and the kind of treatment given to the person will also affect the results to a large extent.
The number of success of pregnancy rates reflects the number of women who become successful in conceiving after IVF. On the other hand, not all pregnancies will result in a live birth. Live birth rates reflect the number of women who give birth to a living child
Giving details, the American Pregnancy Association mentioned that the live birth rate for women under age 35 opting IVF is reported to be between 41 to 43 percent. However, it considerably drops down to 13 to 18 percent for women over the age of 40.
Additionally, the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (SART) states in a report, the approximate percentages of conception leading to live birth after IVF as follows:
For women under 35, the success rate is between 41% to 43%
For women between 35 to 37, the success rate is between 33% to 36%
For women between 38 to 40, the success rate is reported to be between 23% to 27%
And for women aged 41 and over, the success rate comes to around 13% to 18%
Moreover, here are few things to keep in mind to achieve better success with IVF:
After all the above information, if you are wondering about how you can boost your chances of pregnancy success through IVF, below are the five important things that can help you get the best positive results from your IVF cycle.
Be prompt to consult a doctor: Whether you are trying to conceive on your own or with fertility treatments, do not wait until it is very late to seek help for pregnancy.
Go for fertility testing: Seek for the causes that are causing infertility by getting female fertility and male infertility tests done. Your gynaecologist or reproductive endocrinologist may run a series of clinical tests on you and your partner to find out the probable reasons.
Chose the right doctor and clinic: It is important to screen the potential clinics and specialists wisely. Check for the doctor’s experience, the track record of the clinic, preferred methods of treatment etc.
Learn about embryo transfer: Gather information about the embryo transfer procedure to be used. The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) has clear recommendations regarding the number of embryos transferred during IVF. Transferring two or more embryos might increase your chances of pregnancy, but it can also increase your chances of pregnancy complications and multiple births.
Keep your mind and body healthy: Relive your mind from all the possible stress and exercise your body to keep fit. Besides giving you a healthier lifestyle, this will certainly take you a step closer to achieve pregnancy with IVF.
The bottom line for IVF:
Dating back to a last couple of years, the technology of IVF has evolved in an increasing manner across the globe and more people are getting adaptive to this treatment and considering it. However, if you are thinking that IVF seems like a tough and complex procedure, be assured it is easier than the whole process appears to you. Hence it is essential to resolve your doubts and queries with your IVF specialists through counselling sessions before you plan to take the big step. Lastly, ‘be patient’ during the entire treatment because that’s the key to the success.
I have compiled as much information I found essential for an overall understanding of IVF and why India is one of the most preferred destinations for those planning to get the treatment done. However, if you are seeking any additional information you may please visit healthline.
AUTHOR BIO:
Sanghamitra Sengupta: I am a content author/digital marketing professional and like to create content on various facets of healthcare. Currently, I am working at clinicspots.