Answers To The Biggest Questions And Concerns About IVF Procedures

More and more couples are having infertility issues and it’s very common for couples to experience this. Most couples show no signs or symptoms of infertility nor do they have any reason to suspect that they have infertility issues. It’s not until they try to conceive and see no results from it that they realize that something’s wrong.

Infertility is the inability to get pregnant after trying for at least a year. But the good news is that just because a couple might be experiencing infertility issues, that doesn’t mean that they cannot start a family. Lots of couples tend to think that and the reason they think that is because they think infertility is a diagnosis and it’s really not. Infertility is a sign or symptom of another underlying issue or condition.

For example, sexually transmitted infections chlamydia and gonorrhea, if left untreated, can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID is blockage of the fallopian tubes which, in turn, prevents fertilization… do you see the chain reaction there? The CDC states that there are around 2.86 million cases of chlamydia in the US every year and many people don’t even show symptoms of having it.

So having an infection like that, and not knowing it means that it could be left untreated for a long time causing damage to a woman’s fallopian tubes, resulting in infertility issues. That’s why it’s important to regularly get health exams.

But There Is Hope

If you’re suffering from infertility, it’s not the end of the road. Millions of couples who had infertility issues went on to have beautiful families through IVF procedures. IVF is something that you’ve probably heard of but never looked into because you never needed to until you started experiencing fertility issues.

Knowing that you are having a hard time getting pregnant, you’re of course going to have some common questions about infertility but after hearing all the different options you have to start a family, it’s going to bring about even more questions… and that’s okay. In fact, it’s actually very responsible and proactive of you to ask questions. You’ll want to consult with a fertility specialist first before letting the internet make you have a nervous breakdown.

In talking to them, they’ll be able to educate you on the ins and outs of the entire process and give you peace of mind in knowing what to expect as well as the unexpected. Take a look at some answers to the biggest questions and concerns surrounding IVF procedures.

What’s The Best Way To Prepare For IVF?

For both men and women, the best way to prepare for IVF is to get your body healthy. Sometimes that can mean making certain lifestyle changes.

• Quitting smoking and drinking
• Exercising to get to a healthy weight
• Eating well-balanced meals
• Drinking LOTS of water
• Taking vitamins (consult with your doctor first)

The above are ways to get your body prepared for IVF procedures. You may not need to do all of those things but ultimately, you want your body to be at it’s healthiest before you start the IVF process because if IVF is successful, you want your baby to grow in a healthy environment.

What Would Cause IVF To Fail

In most cases, the failure of IVF is due to chromosomal problems in the embryo. The chances of chromosomal problems within a woman’s egg increase as a woman get older but there are ways to test for these abnormalities through a process called pre-implantation genetic screening. This allows only the embryos with normal chromosomes to be implanted.

Are There More Health Concerns With IVF Children Than Children Conceived Naturally?

Based on research in various studies, IVF has little to no effect on the health of children than children who were conceived naturally. The very first IVF baby Louise Brown and she was born July 25, 1978, and is 41 years old now, in good health. Now, there have been reports of lower birth weight and premature births but where the evidence is growing is the mother’s health at the time of conception during the IVF procedure.

The mother’s health not being in good condition at the start of IVF can result in a baby’s health later in life, studies have shown but that can be said with natural conception as well, right? Research is still being done on this question but the main thing to take from here is that there are babies born every day by IVF and they’re happy, healthy babies. Speak to a fertility specialist for an in-depth conversation on this.