You have probably heard about another common type of assisted reproductive technology (ART) called in vitro fertilization or IVF. In a previous post I discussed IUI and home insemination, which were the two less invasive, but also less effective forms of reproductive treatment. In today's post I will discuss IVF and explain the procedure, cost, and success rate of the treatment.
What is In vitro Fertilization?
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an ART treatment that mixes medicine and surgery to help an individual conceive. This strategy helps sperm fertilize an egg and help the fertilized egg implant in a uterus. IVF is a lengthy process with many steps, but it has the highest success rate out of any of the ART treatments. However, many people need more than one round before they are successful.
The Process
Step 1: Ovulation Induction
During this step an individual takes medication for a few months to help the ovaries produce mature eggs for fertilization. This part of process requires blood work and ultrasounds to measure your hormone levels and track egg production.
Step 2: Egg Removal
This step requires a doctor to perform a surgical procedure. It is a minor surgery done at the doctor's office or at a fertility clinic. They provide medicine to help you relax. The procedure consists of an ultrasound and a thin hollow tube being inserted into the vagina through the vaginal wall, and up into the ovaries and follicles where your eggs are. The needle, which is attached to a suction device, is inserted into the vagina through the vaginal wall and pulls the eggs out of each follicle.
Step 3: Semen Retrieval
The day of the egg retrieval your partner will give a sample and the specimen will prepared for the fertilization process. Donor sperm can also be used and will be prepared prior to fertilization. There are some instances where the sperm can be harvested previously and in other cases the semen may need to be removed surgically (The IVF Center).
Step 4: Fertilization
After the egg removal and the semen specimen is prepared, the eggs are then mixed with sperm from the partner or donor. This is then stored in a special container where people monitor their progress as they merge and become embryos.
Step 5: Embryo Transfer
3-5 days after the egg retrieval 1 or more of the embryos are put into the uterus. The doctor performs a simple procedure where they put a thin tube through the cervix into your uterus and then insert the embryo into the uterus.
Step 6: Results
Fertility clinics often recommend waiting two weeks before taking a pregnancy test to avoid false results. They will complete a beta-hCG blood test which accurately measures the hCG levels in a persons blood. They will repeat this test 2-7 days later to confirm if the first results come out positive.
The Cost
The average cost in the United States for IVF varies. It can range anywhere from $11,000-$25,000 without insurance. If you wanted to learn more about your insurance coverage by state see my previous post, "Choosing a Fertility Clinic." To learn more about the cost of IVF in the United states check out this VeryWellFamily's blog post "How Much Does IVF Really Cost?"
The Success Rate by Age
The success rate changes based on an individual's age. The older a person is the less successful the procedure. The following is a list of the percentage of successful transfers and live births by age. According to the CDC's 2020 National data for ART success rates per age are as follows:
Data source: CDC ART National data for 2020 reporting released in 2022.
To learn more about how to read the ART data on the CDC website check out the article "IVF Success Rates by Age in 2022 - United States Data."
IVF has the highest success rate out of any of the ART treatments. IUI has only a 5-20% success rate per cycle, which is a significant difference when compared to IVF.
Closing Statement
Although IVF is a more invasive and expensive ART procedure, it has the highest success rate over all ART treatments. Many people turn to IVF if IUI, home insemination, or trying to conceive naturally fails. Make sure to ask your doctor if you have any questions throughout the process and ask your insurance if they cover it. Remember, do not get discouraged if your first round of IVF fails, many people need to try multiple times before they are successful. I am sending baby dust your way if you are trying! Good luck!
If you would like to learn more about the IVF process see the following links:
Additional Resources:
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) dataart : Clinic information. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://nccd.cdc.gov/drh_art/rdPage.aspx
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2021, September 10). In vitro fertilization (IVF). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/in-vitro-fertilization/about/pac-20384716
O’Neill, C. (2022, November 21). IVF success rates by age in 2022 - united states data. FertilitySpace. https://fertilityspace.io/blog/ivf-success-rates-by-age-in-2022-united-states-data
MarketingInsights. (2021, December 22). What are the 5 stages of IVF?: The IVF center. The IVF Center | Assisted Reproduction and Endocrinology. https://theivfcenter.com/what-are-the-5-stages-of-ivf/ Parenthood, P. (n.d.). What is in-vitro-fertilization (IVF)?.
Planned Parenthood. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/pregnancy/fertility-treatments/what-ivf
Rachel Gurevich, R. (2022a, September 18). How much does one cycle of in vitro fertilization really cost?. Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/how-much-does-ivf-cost-1960212#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20American%20Society,It’s%20rarely%20lower%20than%20that.
Rachel Gurevich, R. (2022b, October 26). Does in vitro fertilization really work?. Verywell Family. https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-are-the-chances-for-ivf-success-1960213#citation-2
Comments