In-vitro fertilization or IVF is an assisted reproductive technology that offers hope to those who have tried to conceive, yet have not done so after six months of trying or longer.
IVF is a method by which an egg extracted from a female is combined with a sperm in a laboratory. When the sperm fertilizes the egg and creates an embryo, one or more embryos are transferred to a uterus. In addition to the physical process of fertilization, women often take fertility medications to stimulate egg production. Blood testing for hormone levels is also conducted regularly to ensure the embryo is transferred at a time when a woman is most fertile.
Why Choose IVF?
There are several reasons a doctor may recommend IVF in Tampa, FL, if your previous attempts to get pregnant have proven unsuccessful. These include:
- Having Fallopian tubes that are blocked or damaged
- Experiencing affected male fertility, such as decreased sperm count
- Experiencing affected female fertility, such as uterine fibroids or polycystic ovary disorder
- Having a genetic disorder that may put you at greater risk for having a child with a genetic disorder (a laboratory can screen the embryos for certain genetic conditions)
- Having a history of unexplained infertility
An estimated 1 out of 100 births in the United States today are related to an IVF implantation. Even women who do not make healthy eggs and/or men who do not produce healthy sperm may wish to use IVF with donor eggs and/or sperm.
Factors That May Affect IVF Success
A thorough health workup is important before initiating IVF treatments. Fertility specialists will always attempt to determine underlying causes that could be leading to infertility. For example, IVF will not likely be successful if your eggs are not healthy. However, using donor eggs is a possibility to explore if this is the case.
Another consideration for fertility success is age. Women older than age 40 have a more difficult (but not impossible) time successfully carrying a pregnancy to term. Also, there are medical conditions that could affect a woman’s IVF success rates. These conditions include uterine fibroids, abnormal hormone levels, and ovarian dysfunction. Fertility specialists will discuss these conditions with you and how they may affect your fertility before recommending moving forward with IVF.
