In vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intrauterine insemination (IUI), and egg freezing are some assisted reproductive technologies, among which IVF has gained immense popularity. But with popularity, IVF comes with pieces of facts and fiction associated with it, which people should be aware of—discussing top five myths and facts.
Myth #1: IVF is always successful
Although treatment is not a guarantee of success, IVF may boost your chances of getting pregnant with a viable embryo. The age of the woman, the cause for her infertility, the quantity and quality of the embryos transferred, and her lifestyle all affect the IVF success rates. Additionally, younger women have a higher success rate than older ones. Furthermore, transferring several embryos can occasionally result in issues like multiple pregnancies. Also, IVF is never a first choice, if procedures like IUI fail then IVF should be chosen.
Myth #2: Older women can opt for IVF
Even while age is a big factor in this situation, IVF is not just for elderly people. Young women who have severe endometriosis, reduced egg count or polycystic ovary syndrome, have had their fallopian tubes removed, bilateral blocked/ diseased fallopian tubes or whose male partner has a very low sperm count and motility may benefit from IVF. This can be a good option for women to freeze eggs/embryos who want to focus on their professional lives. Choosing IVF is completely a personal choice but proper bits of advice from your physician are key.
Myth #3: IVF can be dangerous or painful
IVF treatment is safe and all the procedures are carried out in very safe and well-defined conditions following proper medical ethics. Also, when the egg retrieval procedure is performed on the patient it is done under anaesthesia. So, there are very negligible chances of pain.
Myth #4: IVF is only for infertility
IVF is not just limited to infertility instead it can help people with other medical conditions as well. It can be a helpful option for many conditions such as genetic, single women to have a baby without a male partner, freezing eggs because of cancer, or many health issues.
Myth #5: IVF is unaffordable
IVF is affordable when one has an idea of the proper plans that clinics provide. Instead, IUI can be tagged as costlier. People should take guidance before choosing any plans for services.
Although we have many advanced services, people should understand that reproductive technologies should be used in the worst-case scenario.
