Is IVF an established technology?
The year 1978 heralded a break through in infertility management when assisted reproduction technology (ART) brought into the world the first IVF (in vitro fertilized) baby, or Test tube baby as the process was then known. 25th July 1978 was the day on which, Doctors Patricks Steptoe and sir Robert Edward had the honour of bringing into the world Louis Brown, the world’s first IVF baby.

Simply put, IVF  refers to a baby made outside the body and then put into the uterus to grow for 9 months. However 44 years after the first IVF baby was born, the process of IVF remains an enigma, many families still believing that IVF babies may not be normal, may not be genetically theirs, and may stand apart from the rest of the babies.

It is important to understand that IVF or as it is commonly called even today,Test Tube baby,  is nothing but Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART).
The male and the female partners both contribute towards the making of the little new wonder in their unique way. The male partner contributes only the sperm & the sperm is the motile component of the whole procedure. Therefore when trying to conceive the male partner is asked to do a Semen analysis, which gives an idea of the quantity and quality of the sperms.

The quality of the sperm is determined by it’s motility, that is it’s ability to move ahead speedily, and it’s morphology – the appearance of the sperm. There are unfortunate cases where the semen has no sperm in it (Azoospermia) or the quantity may not be sufficient enough to achieve conception (Oligospermia). This can be due to  either no or low production or no or poor supply. This however needs to be investigated to find the correct reason.

Every male, however, needs to understand one very important point. That the ability to perform sex and the ability to impregnate are different aspects.  Meaning that even if the male is unable to perform sex due to impotency (erection failure), he may still be able to cause conception by resorting to IVF technology.

The female partners play a major role. This is because along with her gametes she also provides the lodging boarding facility to the growing baby for 9 months.  Like male counterparts, both the quantity and quality of the ovum or eggs matter. Since the ovaries are hidden inside the body, indirect means like sonography and blood tests need to be resorted to, to get an idea of the situation.

There are three categories of eggs.
The normal range ovaries (A), over-enthusiastic ovaries (B) & tired ovaries. (C).
The B and C categories are the ones which need more care & management than type A. The quality of eggs cannot be commented upon till visualized. However, we can safely say that the quantity and quality islikely to be good in A and may be compromised in B and C.

When two factors are responsible for a result, they must come together.
The sperm needs to reach the egg, get fertilized and then the resultant embryo needs to get back to the uterus, be nurtured and nourished, enabling it to grow well, eventually resulting in a mature baby at the end of the gestation period.
The path taken by the sperm and subsequently by the embryo after fertilization, is through the fallopian tubes. These are tunnels originating from the uterus ending in a hood over the ovary. They possess minute hair-like structures called Fimbriae, to push the embryo towards the uterus.

There are times when everything seems so right but yet nothing works right.
Therefore, if there is an absence of pregnancy even after a year of persistent and meticulous attempts then it is advisable that the couple seeks the help of assissted reproduction technology.

It rather means that help is available and it should be availed, just as it is for any other medical problem with human shortcomings.
What next?

1. Taking the first steps towards pregnancy is consulting a fertility professional and getting yourself and your partner assessed,
   It is very important to understand that both the partners should be assessed simultaneously for a positive outcome.
2. When a couple goes to a clinic they will first be requested to tell about their history.
   This means, they will give details about their age, period of marriage, period since when they have been trying to have a baby, their sexual life, contraception method, if any used previously, any previous elements if any, menstrual issues, sonography reports etc. for the female partners and any ejaculatory issues, and semen analysis for the male partner.
3. Every couple needs to be honest with their doctor and can rest assured that the doctor and team will maintain absolute secrecy regarding their medical records.

The cooing and gurgling of a baby is the most awaited moment in the life of most couples. They aspire to attain parenthood within a few years of marital bliss, however, the world fails to understand that, our body is a machine and it is not necessary that every organ works to perfection. The percentage of families that find it difficult to conceive on their own is growing and is close to over 20% as of now. However, a major portion of this population can safely and reliably  find solace in established infertility management technologies like IUI, IVF, ICSI, IMSI, TES – PESA, etc.

Good Morning, today is a bright day as sun rays are beaming through the green cover While sitting quietly through the counselling session, only one consistently asked question was playing in my mind,”

Does every patient require IVF?

So, Let’s dive straight to the answer, absolutely no, Not every patient needs In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).

While elaborating on the topic, Does every patient require IVF, infertility concerns, age, medical records or past history have its importance.

Only infertility concern is the most evident & all are eager to find out the success attached with it..  Every case of infertility is unique. In simple terms, Infertility is the difficulty in conceiving a pregnancy after trying unsuccessfully for a year or so without contraceptives. This does not address the underlying cause or nature of infertility, as infertility could be temporary or permanent in nature.

Infertility is not an issue, it has many medical conditions as the underlying causes & is treatable if diagnosed well in time. Infertility, like many other medical diagnoses, can be of varying severity, like mild, moderate & severe ones.

Women who are struggling with pregnancy, face a wide range of emotional outbreaks & this stress is heartbreaking and impacts every aspect of health.

Let’s hit the problem first:  “infertility is not an issue but a medical problem of the reproductive system of the couple and it is treatable.”

Infertility may be due to medical conditions like low egg reserve, low quality of eggs, tube defects, sperm issues, and uterine abnormalities that are proven and that can be checked by various means. A recommendatory blood test for the couple along with sperm analysis is the most advised one.

Desperate trying for pregnancy along with failure to get one is a chaotic condition.

The couple often lands up in fertility clinics to find the most solution and types of treatments available.

Here’s the truth – IVF is the most effective fertility treatment available, accessible & affordable today, meaning it has the highest success rates, but it is not the only one. There are other options available for pregnancy.

Let’s see, Number of the treatments available to achieve pregnancies  & which are as follows:

1. Ovulation monitoring:

 Ovulation monitoring is a natural process with vigilant expert guidance. Having timely intercourse during the fertile window or period is the most effective way to achieve pregnancy. The simplest procedure is careful monitoring of periods to achieve pregnancy and not a treatment as such, but if done in consultation with the doctor, along with a few blood tests, and a vaginal ultrasound to see how close you are to ovulation and can instruct you to have sex with a partner at the optimal time.

This option is helpful for couples, who are not conceiving due to wrong timings of sexual intercourse.

The ‘fertile window’ is different for every lady. The ‘fertile window’ is the day an egg is released from the ovary and the five days before that. During this time, uterus is in receptive form & sperm mating can cause pregnancy.

Ovulation Induction:

The next option is ovulation induction, which is when, you are given oral medication, such as Clomiphene, to help in ovulation. The doctor will do a vaginal ultrasound and predict ovulation, and have timely sex at that time. This medicine-driven ovulation is intended for women having irregular cycles or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

This PCOS is a multi-factorial disorder involving many factors & can cause irregular menses.

There are many good medicines available that help women conceive. These fertility medicines are strictly prescription based & should be taken under the guidance of registered medical practitioners.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI):

One more step in fertility treatment is IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) after ovulation monitoring and ovulation induction. IUI is most helpful for men where sperm motility is a matter of concern. “IUI is the full-proof solution for unexplained infertility, endometriosis, or male factor infertility.”

 In general, IUI does two things:

Medications are given to increase the egg counts, so increasing the chances of her fertility.

Then, via the injection, the sperm is inserted inside the uterine cavity, so it can escape the travelling path.

During the procedure, the male partner is asked for a semen sample about an hour before IUI. Sperms are then cleaned off unwanted matter which, increases fertility chances.

Insemination is usually a few minutes pain-free procedure. The doctor will pick the healthy sperm and place sperm through the catheter into the uterus. This is an almost patient-friendly technique.

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

The finest and most widely performed treatment is IVF, which is In vitro fertilization. IVF has the highest pregnancy success rates and is the most advanced and evolved of all treatments.

IVF is specifically for the Women with PCOS, Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR), endometriosis, and severe male factor infertility, such as low sperm count and motility.

While IVF is technologically and medically advanced, the treatment itself is not very simple. IVF, in simple terms, is, the union of sperm and egg outside of the body (in the laboratory) which gets developed into an embryo and get transformed into a woman’s uterus as pregnancy.

During IVF, a woman is given, medication to increase the egg count in the ovaries.

About 10-12 days later, the eggs are removed, & immediately, her mature eggs will be fused with her partner’s sperm to create embryos.

Doctors will transfer normal embryos into a uterus via a catheter, and a week later, pregnancy tests will be performed.

This simply means every couple is different. This simply means that IVF is not the only option. Together with the fertility team, every couple can go for the right treatments.