One of the most used techniques in fertility treatments is precisely In Vitro Fertilization. For more than four decades, specialists from all over the world have perfected this assisted reproduction technique, thus making the dream of many couples who had lost their hopes of having a family come true.
And although many people believe that this technique is a complicated and risky procedure, the truth is that, over the years, In Vitro has become one of the most important and common treatments in assisted reproduction. We share with you 10 curious facts that will allow you to clear up doubts about this technique:
- 41 years ago, the first baby was born in England through In Vitro Fertilization. Her name is Louise Brown, and such was the success of this birth, that the doctors in charge of the process had to perform the cesarean section in total darkness and the hospital had to close its doors and be guarded by the authorities. To learn the story of the first baby born by In Vitro Fertilization, click here.
- In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a medical treatment that consists of medical and biological procedures aimed at facilitating the union of eggs (oocytes) and sperm in the laboratory, to obtain embryos that will be transferred to the mother’s uterus in order to provide the opportunity of conception to couples or women with fertility problems. A small number (usually 1 to 3) of the embryos obtained will be transferred to the uterus to achieve gestation. The rest of the viable embryos, if any, will be preserved and stored at very low temperatures (cryopreserved) to be used in the future.
- The probability of getting pregnant with an IVF cycle is greater than 45% in women under 35 years of age. It can vary depending on factors such as the woman’s age, the duration of infertility, and its cause. The cumulative total pregnancy rate after three cycles of treatment can be 70 to 80%. For women, age may be the most influential factor because the number and quality of eggs in the ovaries decreases dramatically from the age of 35.
- Although many people relate In Vitro Fertilization to the advanced age of the mother, the reality is that many young couples may also need this treatment to achieve pregnancy in the medium term. The most common conditions for which In Vitro Fertilization is necessary for many couples are: obstruction or injury to the fallopian tubes, decrease in the number and/or mobility of sperm or increase in their morphological alterations, moderate or severe endometriosis, alterations in ovulation, failure of other treatments, requirement to receive donated eggs, genetic diagnosis in embryos before implantation in the uterus (PGD), among others.
- A couple with fertility problems does not necessarily have to go through In Vitro Fertilization to achieve pregnancy. It is known that almost 80% of couples can achieve a pregnancy with a low-complexity fertility treatment, such as hormonal treatments or Intrauterine Insemination.
- Before performing In Vitro Fertilization, both the man and the woman must go through a series of medical tests that evaluate their state of health prior to the procedure. Thus, the specialist can order physical assessments, laboratory analyses, ultrasounds, among other studies.
- An In Vitro Fertilization procedure includes six fundamental procedures to reach the desired pregnancy. These are:
Ovulation induction: By medical indication, the patient must apply medications to stimulate egg production, a process that is monitored between 9 and 12 days by the specialist doctor through ultrasounds.
Egg retrieval: It is a procedure by which eggs previously stimulated in induction are obtained.
Semen processing and storage: If there is no medical contraindication, the partner’s sperm can be obtained by stimulation, to later be processed in the laboratory and prepare the sample for fertilization.
Fertilization and embryo culture: In the laboratory, the eggs are inseminated with sperm and the process of fertilization and growth of the embryos is monitored, which are left to grow in the laboratory for 3 to 5 days, before transferring them to the woman’s uterus.
Embryo transfer: A procedure by which embryos are transferred to the mother’s uterus.
Embryo freezing and preservation: The remaining good quality embryos not transferred can be preserved for later use.
- Many people fear that children born through IVF will have developmental problems. The truth is that assisted reproduction babies have normal psychomotor development. A study conducted in Europe evaluating 2-year-old children found that children who produced assisted reproduction had normal psychomotor development compared to that of a group of children of natural conception. Other follow-up studies at 6 and 12 years have confirmed that there is no difference. In addition, it was found that young people who were the product of assisted reproduction had good psychosocial functioning when compared to naturally conceived young people and in some cases, had better family functioning. The authors speculate that it may be because, as they were such long-awaited and desired children, parents invested more time with them and stimulated them more. To learn more about this topic, click on the following article from Inser.
- Inser developed the comprehensive program of four cycles as a very beneficial alternative on a physical, emotional and economic level for couples, because by increasing the number of attempts (4 fertilizations and embryo culture), the success rate to achieve pregnancy can increase up to 80%, something that reassures and excites people involved in a highly complex treatment.
One of the advantages of the program is that patients know that from the beginning of the program, all the possible changes that the specialist suggests to achieve pregnancy are covered, such as embryo transfer, cryopreservation of eggs and sperm, fertilization through donors, etc., which means that the couple does not have to worry about extra outlays that were not included at the beginning of the treatment.
- If you and your partner have been having unprotected sex for a year and have not yet achieved pregnancy, it is time to go to a Human Fertility specialist. Remember that with timely counseling it is much easier to correct any abnormality that is occurring to conceive your longed-for baby. Consult with a specialist at one of our locations in Medellín, Bogotá, Rionegro, Pereira or Cartagena and in this way you will begin to walk the most important path of your life: being parents.
