In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

If you’re struggling to get pregnant on your own, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) could be the answer.

IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF)

What is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is defined as any fertility treatment where both an egg and sperm are removed from the body and used to create an embryo in a lab setting. The embryo is then placed back into the uterus to grow and develop, just like in a natural pregnancy. For anyone struggling to start a family, IVF has represented new hope since it was first introduced nearly 40 years ago.

While women whose IVF treatments have resulted in multiple births seem to get the most media attention, the goal of IVF is to enable couples to have ONE healthy baby at a time, and to potentially create additional embryos that can be frozen for future use.

Who can benefit

Good candidates for IVF may include:

  • Women who don’t ovulate on their own, or don’t respond to medications to stimulate ovulation
  • Men with sperm abnormalities, such low motility (movement), low sperm count or irregular shape
  • Women who have had a tubal ligation or had their fallopian tubes removed
  • Men who have had a vasectomy
  • Couples whose infertility is still unexplained after extensive testing
  • Couples who have exhausted other treatment options without success
  • Couples who wish to have genetic testing conducted on their embryo or to screen for future health problems

Success rates

Success for IVF depends on many different factors, such as the number and quality of the eggs and sperm. Success rates also decrease as women age, but IVF has the highest success rate of all the fertility treatments.

Overall, in women under age 35, the success for achieving a pregnancy with one IVF cycle is about 50%. The live birth rate for IVF is lower because of the risk for miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy.

Find out if it’s right for you

While IVF may be the best-known method to treat infertility, most couples don’t need it. Many infertility issues can be corrected with medication or minimally invasive surgery.

If you’re having trouble getting pregnant on your own, contact us to find out if you are a good fit for IVF. We’ll do a complete evaluation to determine if it’s the right choice for you. Contact us at (502) 897-2144 or email us.