What is IVF and How Does it Work?

The problem of infertility

The problem in conceiving has been one of the major issues among many couples nowadays. Along with infertility, there are many others issues like the polycystic ovarian syndrome and other problems which aggravates the condition in a worse way. These problems alter the normal hormonal cycle of the woman’s body. Thus problems start at the time of ovulation. However, the problem with infertility is not only related to the females, a problem in the male system might also conclude in infertility. To treat the problems surgeries are available, which can cure both the male and the female problem. On the other hand, a lot of side effects surrounds the surgical method, some of them being very worse also. As a potent alternative, IVF or the In-Vitro Fertilization is very safest and most efficient technique. Best IVF centre in India is located in almost every metropolitan city. The metropolitan city has the largest hit in terms of infertility. IVF is serving very much well in these cities. The centers also contain many efficient and experienced doctors and expert technicians who are ably carrying each and every case with utmost care, providing emotional support to the couples.

Reason behind Infertility

Hormones are called as the ‘chemical messengers’ in the human body. Along with the nervous, they comprise the most important coordinating activities of the human body. These activities are very much important as they help in governing many of the metabolic reactions and other processes occurring in the body. A human reproductive system is totally driven by hormonal activities. And in the female system, these hormonal functions are very much crucial. To have a proper pregnancy condition, proper estrogen and progesterone level is very much needed. Alteration in its normal course is the main cause for infertility.

In the present scenario, most of the cases of infertility among the female as well as in the male is occurring due to the stress and anxiety faced by them in their day to day life. Stress and anxiety directly affect the brain. Hypothalamus, which is known as the master endocrine glands, located just below the brain, taking care of all the hormonal glands and its secretion is also affected in a large way. Stress and anxiety can happen because of many reasons like the problem in the workplace, personal as well as environmental disturbances.

Other reasons like the:

• Damage in the fallopian tube
• Endometriosis
• Unexplained Infertility
• Infertility due to age
• Genetic diseases like Cystic Fibrosis
• Problems due to cysts resulting in PCOD or Poly-Cystic Ovarian Disease.
• Over usage of contraceptive pills, which ultimately suppresses the normal hormonal cycle.
• Loss of pregnancy or the infertility problem due to some chromosomal abnormality and other genetic changes in the body.
• An occurrence of any disease during the time of Pregnancy.

IVF is not the only treatment option in the first place but other surgical techniques and other pre-natal genetically derived treatments also help in the cure of the problem.

The Process of IVF

The process of IVF deals with mainly three works. They are fertilization, implantation and development of the embryo. After these processes, the embryo is safely transferred into mother’s womb for the rest of the period of gestation. There are mainly 5 steps for the completion of a successful IVF.

Step 1- The woman undergoing IVF is prescribed with fertility medication. These medicines will stimulate the egg formation so that, more than one egg can be produced. Thus during the time of its retrieval those eggs, the doctors will have more options for the survival of the eggs. Before the retrieval, the woman is tested with the ultra-sound technique and other blood tests to check the basic hormone level and other effects.

Step 2- After the formation of the eggs, they are collected with the help of a surgical method. The operation is a very minor one, and it is totally guided by ultra-sound technique. Many of the patients might feel some sort of discomfort during the removal, so for them, they are supplied with medications for relieving all the pain. Generally, this process of surgical removal is very much pain free.

Step 3- The eggs are kept in a proper place providing all of the natural conditions for its survival. Sperms are collected from the males. The sperms are made ready for its fusion with the eggs.

Step 4- The process of the fusion of the sperm and the eggs are called as the insemination. The process is done by keeping the sperm and the egg in the laboratory dish keeping properly protected and also incubated from the external condition so that proper fusion can take place. On the other hand, in the case of lower probabilities of fusion reaction when the sperm is of less efficient or the eggs does not have that much higher capacity to bind ICSI or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection is done for the better fusion. After the insemination process, the eggs are taken care in a proper way and the monitored. The whole of the process is done under the artificial like condition. Once proper fertilization characteristics are met with, they are proceeded for the next step.

Step 5- The fertilized egg which, became the embryo is then properly transferred in the mother’s womb with the help of a small tube or a catheter. In many cases, this process has induced small cramps and pain in the woman body. Medications are available to treat all of those problems.

The success rate of IVF

The success rate of IVF is very much dependent on the maternal ability to carry the baby for the rest of the nine months after the embryo transfer. Lifestyle factors, the cause of infertility or the age of the mother, plays a crucial role in a successful IVF process. Generally, woman undergoing IVF up to the age range of 35 is considered to be very much effective and the baby produced is also much healthy. With the increase in the maternal age difficulties and problems also increase in a large way.