Information About In Vitro Fertilization
Many women have trouble getting pregnant for a variety of reasons. In the past, they may have had to resign themselves to permanent infertility. Today, however, women have many options when trying to conceive, including in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Other People Are Reading
-
Identification
-
In vitro fertilization is a type of fertility treatment. It involves the fertilization of an egg outside a woman's body. Once the egg is fertilized, a doctor implants it in her uterus. This technique is described as a type of assisted reproductive technology, a term that encompasses different methods of treating infertility by focusing on both the egg and the sperm. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), success rates vary widely, as there are so many factors that influence the outcome. For all assisted reproductive technology approaches, WebMD puts the success rate at about 30.7 percent per cycle.
History
-
In vitro fertilization hasn't been used for very long. According to the CDC, the first baby born via this technique was Louise Brown, who was born in England in 1978. After some time, babies born through in vitro fertilization were given the nickname test-tube babies. According to the CDC, 1981 saw the first American born through in vitro fertilization, and thousands of babies have been born via this method since then.
-
Considerations
-
In vitro fertilization may not be the first method of treatment recommended for women or couples struggling with infertility. Fertility medications may be used first. In some cases, surgery may be suggested as well, especially for women who have structural abnormalities involving the uterus or the fallopian tubes. Some couples even try lifestyle changes, such as reducing stress and avoiding hot baths and saunas. When such things fail, however, many decide to try in vitro fertilization.
Features
-
In vitro fertilization can be a complicated and expensive process, and there are five steps to the treatment. The first step is ovarian stimulation, in which fertility drugs are used to stimulate the ovaries to produce several eggs. Next is egg retrieval, in which a doctor uses a needle, guided by ultrasound, to extract the eggs from the ovaries. Insemination follows, with doctors separating the sperm from the father's semen and placing the sperm in an incubator with the eggs. Once fertilization occurs in one or more eggs, doctors observe them to see which ones are developing as expected. The final step is transferring the embryos--fertilized eggs, which are suspended in a small amount of fluid, to the woman's uterus. To do this, doctors insert a catheter into a woman's uterus via her vagina and cervix.
Warning
-
According to WebMD, there are some risks associated with in vitro fertilization, such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which is ovary overstimulation that occurs in up to 2 percent of IVF cases. More than 30 percent of IVF pregnancies are with twins or other multiples, which are categorized as high-risk pregnancies. According to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, there is a slight increase in low-birth-weight babies and birth defects with IVF, but scientists are unsure of the exact causes of this increase.
-
Resources
- Photo Credit Photo by garrisonphoto.org/sxc/
