In Vitro Fertilization

In this day and age, it’s no longer hopeless for couples not to have children, especially with in vitro fertilization.

In vitro fertilization was initially developed as a “cure” for women with blocked fallopian tubes, however, it has been a known solution for other infertility cases.
 

The process of in vitro fertilization isn’t that quick but to make matters more efficient, a woman’s ovaries would be stimulated to mature multiple eggs instead of just a single egg which is normally produced every month. By doing so, the chances of fertilization are increased. Hormones and various treatments will be employed for this purpose. However, it is important to note that anxious females must remember to never overdo treatment and not do anything outside medical supervision. Wrong implementation of such treatments could lead to hyperstimulation, even death. This entire process will be monitored by a physician through estrogen tests and ultrasound technology.

Once the ovaries have been successfully stimulated, a physician will extract the eggs from the female, through either surgical or non-surgical means. Both, however, use aspiration to extract the egg. Usually, about 20 to 30 of the most active eggs are retrieved for in vitro fertilization.

By this point, the semen from the male has already been collected, analyzed and processed. A process called “sperm washing” assures that the most potent sperm is used for in vitro fertilization.

For the embryo transfer to occur, the sperm and egg will be placed together to be fertilized in the laboratory.  The entire in vitro fertilization procedure is usually done in a Petri dish through insemination. However, most in vitro processes outside of fertilization are conducted in a test tube, thus paving way for the misleading term “test tube baby.” The setting’s temperature is set to mimic a woman’s body temperature. Then, the sperm and egg are fertilized and checked for growth by culturing the embryo. Culturing can be done naturally, using cells from the female’s uterus, or artificially.

During this stage, an embryo screening process is usually applied to assure higher in vitro fertilization or IVF success rates. This genetic diagnosis is a very practical method of checking whether the zygote has birth defects or disease. This prevents premature pregnancy termination or even cases of wrongful birth.

Finally, the embryo can be inserted into the uterus.

Embryo transfer is performed two to three days (at an eight to 10 cell count) after the sperm is injected directly into the egg.  Sometimes, however, embryo transfer is performed once the zygote has reached a 70 cell count. This has been proven to increase the in vitro fertilization success rate. The embryo is usually transferred through a catheter; the process is quick with only a little discomfort. Most women go through this without anaesthesia.

Moreover, some of these embryos could actually be preserved for future use.

Many celebrities have actually undergone in vitro fertilization such as famous singer Celine Dion. Others who have opted for surrogacy include Sarah Jessica Parker and husband Matthew Broderick; Nicole Kidman with Keith Urban; and John Travolta and Kelly Preston. Many of in vitro’s “client” are older women who still desire to have children. 

In vitro fertilization’s success rate is dependent on many factors including age, potency, atmosphere and well-being. And while statistics differ over regions, they generally inform that younger women have a higher rate of live birth compared to older ones, although it’s still very much possible for women over 40 to achieve the procedure. Women under 35 in the United States have a 30 to 35 percent rate while Britain boasts a 25 percent rate. The chance for older women in the United States falls between 10 to 25 percent while in Britain, it ranges from 10 to 15 percent. Numbers however, can only tell so much, as proven by the more mature celebrity couples mentioned above.

In vitro fertilization has obvious benefits. Compared to other reproductive technologies, it is the least invasive and it has the most research put into it. It also assures the couple that the egg has indeed been fertilized, eliminating a lot of guessing and checking. It ups the chances of couples/men/women who have trouble conceiving, thus giving the expectant parents the immeasurable happiness of having children.

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