What you need to know before IVF: advice from an obstetrician-gynecologist

Obstetrician-gynecologist Olga Pryadukhina in the video cycle “Ask an Expert” shared with us her answers to questions about how IVF (in vitro fertilization) is done, which IVF protocol to choose, why IVF does not work the first time, when the embryo is implanted and in what cases IVF is done for free.

In this video, we discussed risks of a frozen pregnancy, hormonal therapy with IVF and the possibility of free embryo replanting:

What is the risk of a missed pregnancy with IVF?

The risk of a frozen pregnancy with IVF is 10-15% higher than with a natural pregnancy. This is due to the serious hormonal therapy that is performed before the IVF procedure. In some cases, the hormonal background of a woman gets lost.

Therefore, before the IVF protocol, it is necessary to conduct an examination.

Causes of pregnancy fading:

  1. Genetic abnormalities in the formation of the fetus: failures in chromosomes, genes. By natural selection, the body tries to reject such a fruit.

  2. Hormonal disorders in the mother.

  3. Genetic abnormalities associated with the parents. There is a failure in the material of the parents: the sperm or the egg.

  4. Bad habits. Among them: alcohol, smoking, potent substances, stress and heavy physical activity.

  5. Antiphospholipid syndrome (production in the human body in large quantities of antibodies to phospholipids).

How does IVF fertilization take place?

Fertilization stages:

  1. The woman is undergoing a special examination.

  2. A puncture of the ovaries (oocyte collection) is performed.

  3. Egg check by embryologists.

  4. The egg is placed in a nutrient slice with sperm. After 16-20 hours fertilization is checked for success. Day 2: the appearance of a zygote (fusion of two cells followed by division). Day 3 development either stops or actively continues.

  5. Embryo replanting.

What are the side effects of IVF?

The IVF procedure can be divided into several stages: ovarian puncture for oocyte collection and transplantation.

Before a puncture of the ovaries, a woman undergoes serious hormonal stimulation in order to receive not one egg, but many eggs, which the doctors will then fertilize.

One of the most dangerous complications during ovarian stimulation is ovarian hyperstimulation… In this case, the ovary becomes so large that it can happen ovarian rupture.

The IVF protocol should always be discussed individually with a doctor, you should not prescribe your own treatment.

The next complication of ovarian puncture is bleeding.

During embryo replanting, a woman receives hormonal stimulation, which sometimes seriously affects her health.

The next complication is multiple pregnancies… At first glance, it may seem that multiple pregnancies are not a complication. But we must not forget that the pregnancy came with the help of assistive technologies, and not naturally.

In this case, doctors always face the question: “Will a woman be able to endure this pregnancy?”

Therefore, doctors do not recommend planting more than one embryo. Two embryos can only be transplanted with the written consent of both parents.

1 in 3 multiple pregnancies ends in late miscarriages and the death of children in utero.

The next complication can be ectopic pregnancy… When replanting, the embryo may go into one of the fallopian tubes or remain in the cervix. In this case, it is necessary to remove it promptly.

How often and how many times can IVF be done?

The compulsory health insurance system allows one IVF protocol and freezing of one embryo or one egg.

Doctors do not advise doing embryo replanting earlier than three months after the previous replanting.

The body is undergoing major hormonal changes. Therefore, before each next attempt, the body should be restored.

You should not do as often as possible and as many embryos as possible, you must undergo a full examination and proceed from the doctor’s recommendations.

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