Celebrities have helped put In Vitro Fertilization - IVF - in the spotlight, but the process is one that many women are turning to as an option for starting a family. With Black women suffering disproportionately and often in silence from uterine fibroids, unexplained infertility and various ovulation disorders, it's important to have the conversation about what IVF is and what it involves.
What Is IVF?
In technical terms, IVF is an assisted reproductive treatment that fertilizes eggs by first extracting them and then manually combines an egg with either a donor sperm or the father’s sperm in a lab dish. The embryo(s) is then placed in the uterus, the American Pregnancy Association says.
While there are many reasons couples may choose to forgo IVF, it is most commonly used to treat infertility due to:
- Damaged fallopian tubes
- Decreased sperm count and motility
- Ovulation issues
- Uterine fibroids
- Genetic disorders
What to Expect
According to the experts, there are five basic steps involved with embryo transfer:
Step 1: Meds
Fertility medications are prescribed to stimulate egg production. “The most common one is a long GnRH-Agonist (Lupron) protocol where the secretion of gonadotropin hormones is suppressed in order to prevent premature ovulation,” the University of Rochester Medical Center says. Ovaries are then examined via ultrasound and blood tests taken to check hormone levels.
Step 2: Retrieval
Egg retrieval, which occurs 34-36 hours after HCG injection, is performed during minor surgery. Ultrasound is used once more, to locate the eggs which are then “placed in a special media and cultured in an incubator until insemination,” the Medical Center continues.
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Step 3: Fertilization
The male is asked to provide a sperm sample -- approximately 50,000 to 100,000 is ideal. The sperm are then transferred to the dish storing the eggs, also known as standard insemination.
Step 4: Embryo Quality
Embryo quality is assessed to ensure that only the best is chosen for transfer. Both a embryologist and a physician will make the call, taking into consideration the embryo’s rate of development and appearance.
Step 5: Embryo Transfer
Typically, 3 to 5 days following egg retrieval, the embryo is transferred using a simple procedure, in which a small tube is inserted into the uterus.
Success Rate
According to research, live birth success rate for women under 35 is 40 percent. While women aged 42 and older have a success rate of 4 percent.
Of course, success is dependent on several factors including:
- Previous pregnancies
- Lifestyle habits
- Quality of donor eggs
In other words, it is important to select the best clinic for your family’s needs to ensure IVF is the right procedure for you to start or expand your empire.
Side Effects
While most women return to normal activities following their procedure, the treatment may cause mild side effects like cramping, constipation or tender breasts.
Fun Fact
Couples who opt to use IVF are more likely to have multiple births. Unlike normal fertilization, where one egg is released during ovulation, using In Vitro increases the chance that more than one embryo will make it back into the uterus, allowing for the conceptions of twins or even triplets.
