What Is IVF? A Guide to In Vitro Fertilization
In vitro fertilization is a fertility treatment that involves combining an egg with sperm in a laboratory. Here's what you need to know about the IVF process.
Suzi Media / Adobe Stock
Medically reviewed by Alyssa Dweck, MS, MD, FACOG
Many people don't plan for in vitro fertilization (IVF) to be in their future. And yet, for many hopeful parents, having a baby is not as easy as they imagine. If you find yourself considering this option, there's no doubt that IVF feels daunting at first.
The good news is that million of babies have been born through assisted reproductive technology (ART), including IVF, so you definitely aren't alone. That said, if you've never gone down the road of assisted fertility before, you probably have tons of questions.
To help you understand the process, here's a handy guide to the IVF process. You'll learn how long a typical IVF cycle takes, the estimated costs, success rates, and more.
Related: Everything You Need to Know Before You Do IVF
What Is IVF Treatment?
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) that uses technology to help sperm fertilize an egg in a laboratory dish, and then facilitates the transfer of a fertilized egg to the uterus, with the goal of pregnancy. The ultimate goal is a live birth. This process is carried out through a series of procedures.
Who Is a Candidate for IVF?
If you've been trying to conceive for at least six months to a year, and are over the age of 35, you may be a candidate for IVF, says Banafsheh Kashani, M.D., OB-GYN, reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist in Laguna Hills, California. Those under 35 are typically encouraged to try for at least one year before turning to IVF.
John Zhang, M.D., founder and director at New Hope Fertility in New York City, adds IVF may be an option if you are experiencing any of the following conditions:
Unexplained infertility
Severe sperm disorders
Severe endometriosis
Recurrent miscarriages
Desire to screen for specific gene defects
IVF is also an option for patients who are single mothers by choice and same-sex couples. Patients may go through rounds of intrauterine Insemination (IUI) first before turning to IVF. IUI is a fertility treatment that involves inserting sperm directly into the uterus, using a catheter, to increase the chances of conception.
How Many People Undergo IVF?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 2020 Fertility Clinic Success Rates Report states that 326,468 ART cycles were performed that year. IVF isn't the only form of ART, but it's the most common, so many of these cycles were likely IVF.
One to 2% of all live births are facilitated via IVF every year in the U.S., but millions of babies have been born thanks to IVF since the procedure first became available decades ago.
How Long Does IVF Take?
Aside from costs and success rates—which we cover below—the process of undergoing IVF is likely your biggest question if you've never done it before. That's why, before anything happens with the procedure, you'll go through preconception testing.
"Preconception testing for both the female and male is required as the first step of IVF,” says Dr. Kashani. “This includes laboratory testing to check for infectious diseases, hormones, and a semen analysis for the male partner. Women undergo ovarian reserve testing to determine their egg quantity and testing to see how they would respond to the hormone treatments."
Then, Dr. Zhang says there are four main steps:
Prepping the ovaries with oral pills (such as birth control pills or estrogen). According to the Cleveland Clinic, this controls the timing of your menstrual cycle, prevents ovarian cysts, and promotes better results during egg retrieval.
Giving hormone medications to stimulate your ovaries into producing mature multiple eggs at one time. Your body typically produces only one egg per menstrual cycle, but having multiple eggs provides a greater likelihood of successful fertilization.
Harvesting the eggs through egg retrieval for either freezing or fertilization. Fertilization involves mixing the egg with sperm in a laboratory dish to create an embryo.
Embryo transfer into the uterus, which can be done in the same cycle, called a fresh transfer, or at a later date, a frozen transfer.
A typical IVF cycle will take two to three weeks once the egg stimulation process begins. That takes place after being on birth control for about two weeks to "mimic a menstrual cycle," or, in certain cases, a patient starts "with their natural menstrual cycle," according to Dr. Kashani.
Just keep in mind that as Dr. Zhang notes, "This process can be longer based on the patient's reaction to the medication."
Banafsheh Kashani, M.D.
You should feel comfortable with your provider and the office you choose as the process in itself can be overwhelming. It's best to have a team that supports you.
What Does IVF Cost?
All things considered, from health care visits to medications, the cost of IVF in America is usually between $15,000 and $30,000 as of 2023, according to Forbes. The medications needed are a big chunk of that cost. So yes, it's expensive, and many people have to undergo multiple cycles of IVF to get pregnant.
Making matters more challenging is that many insurance companies do not cover IVF costs.
Other than the physical and emotional challenges that can come when going through IVF, the costs involved are certainly the most daunting for many. Many fertility specialists will have a financial coordinator who can walk you through what your monetary commitment would be, and potentially help you plan for how to best satisfy that.
What Are IVF Success Rates?
Fertility experts will tell you that a patient’s age is the most important factor in determining the live birth success rate of an IVF cycle. "Success rates are higher for women in their early thirties at about 50-60%. By the time a female is age 40, success rates are about 20-25%—and by age 42, success rates drop to 5-10%,” says Dr. Kashani. “If genetic testing of an embryo is done and the embryo is genetically normal, then the success rate after transferring a genetically normal embryo is about 60-70%."
Related: How to Increase the Likelihood of IVF Success the First Time
Are There Any Side Effects From IVF?
Dr. Zhang wants potential IVF candidates to know that there aren't too many side effects. However, as he explained, "The main risk is when you produce too many eggs, called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), and it can cause heavy bloating, difficulty breathing, and nausea. This can also impact the live birth rate for that cycle. OHSS occurs in less than 5% of women, and severe cases account for less than 1%, so it is not very common."
It's also important to note that injection site pain can be expected, as well as moodiness. And there's no underestimating the emotional toll IVF can take on you and a partner. Finding support is important. A support team often includes an in-office counselor, social worker, and/or clinical psychologist/therapist to help with the emotional issues that commonly arise before, during, and after IVF. Joining an IVF support group may also be invaluable, as can having a friend or family member you feel comfortable talking to about what you're going through.
IVF Benefits
Here are some of the benefits of IVF procedure:
IVF offers people who have struggled to conceive a possible path to parenthood
It provides a genetic testing option, which increases your chances of a healthy baby
IVF can work with donor eggs and sperm
IVF lets you control the timing of your pregnancy
What To Know Before Starting an IVF Cycle
It's normal to feel quite a bit of trepidation before starting IVF, but Dr. Zhang wants people to know that "IVF in modern times is significantly less painful and uncomfortable than you might think." Some clinics even offer more natural protocols involving fewer injections, so be sure to do your research before choosing a reproductive specialist.
As such, Dr. Kashani advises, "It's also so important to have a list of questions handy for your doctor to discuss the steps involved with IVF, so you can best be prepared."
A big thing to remember, adds Dr. Kashani: "You should feel comfortable with your provider and the office you choose as the process in itself can be overwhelming. It's best to have a team that supports you."
For more Parents news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on Parents.
