Frequently asked questions in IVF/ ICSI
Dr Anitha Mani
Infertility and surrogacy specialist
***1.What will be the total cost of IVF/ICSI?
The cost of IVF will be around Rs 1.5 lakhs and ICSI is around Rs 1.8 lakhs .Medication charges can vary case to case, so the total charge will also vary.
2.Why is IVF so expensive ?
The medicines and media used for the procedure are imported and very expensive.The lab equipment are also very expensive and needs regular calibration and high maintenance.
The egg pick up is a minor surgical procedure and may need GA.
3.Are the medications safe ? Any S.E.?
The medications are generally safe and do not have any major side effects.
4.Are the injections painful ?
The injections can be taken by self, and they are not painful.
5.Do I have to be admitted in hospital ?
No.You may have to spent 1 day in the hospital, during the Egg pick up.
6.How frequently do I need to come to hospital ?
The patient needs around 3 scans for follicular study.
7.Do I need rest, Can I work ?
There is no need of rest except on the day after egg collection.You can continue to work.
8.Can I have access to female Dr.?
Yes.If you are particular that you want to consult only female Dr.during your every visit, please inform.
9.Do you give information Leaflets ?
Information Leaflets are provided for all medical conditions related to your disease.
10.Will the procedure of Donor sperm / egg be confidential ?
Yes.The procedure of donor egg/ sperm is highly confidential.
11.Do you provide separate room/privacy for semen collection ?
Yes.there is facility for separate room and full privacy will be there for semen collection.
12.Is there need for my husband to be there for every checkup , does he have to take leave from work?
No.Once the investigations are completed for the male partner, only the wife needs to come for regular scans.
13.Will you give us the reports of lab tests ?
All the reports will be kept as a file of Infertility Record, copies of results will be given to you.
14.Can I still conceive if am menopausal ?
Yes.You can,but you will need to have donor egg.
15.Can the sterilizations be reversed-- ?
Yes.Laparoscopically or Laparotony surgical process can reverse sterilization.
16.Will I be seen by same Dr.each visit ?
Infertility treatment is done by a team and you will be seeing one member of the same team .
17.Can I do my own injections?
Yes.You will be taught to take self injections, if they are sub cuticular .
18.What is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
In IVF, eggs are removed from the woman's ovaries and mixed with the man's sperm in a dish in a laboratory.Once the egg have been fertilized with the sperm, they are implanted in the women’s uterus.
19.Do I have to take medicines ?
Only vitamins are given as supplements , and after ET (embryo transfer) , progesterone is given for luteal support .
20.When are the eggs retrieved?
You will be closely monitored by following your follicular growth .Ultrasounds will be done regularly to ensure that your eggs are getting ready to be retrieved.
21.How much time does the entire procedure require?
Each cycle of IVF takes four weeks to complete.The process of IVF requires that both you and your partner need to spend about half a day at the clinic for the egg retrieval and fertilization procedures.The female partner has to return in a few days for the embryos to be transferred to the uterus.
22.How are the eggs retrieved?
Egg retrieval requires an anesthetic.After the ultrasound is done and the eggs identified, with a fine needle, the eggs are retrieved under ultrasound guidance under general anesthesia.The entire procedure takes about 15-30 minutes and there is minimal pain after the procedure.
23.What happens to the eggs?
Your partner's sperm is combined with your eggs in a dish containing a special nutrient medium, which is then cultured in an incubator to fertilize.After about 48 hours, the embryo (fertilized eggs) is transferred to the uterus for implantation.
24.How is the embryo transferred to the uterus?
The embryos are carefully transferred to the uterus under sterile conditions.The embryos are placed in the uterus with a fine tube.To avoid the risk of multiple pregnancy physicians never implant more than 1-2 embryos.Any extra embryos are frozen for future use in case the present attempt at conceiving is not successful.
25.Is there an age limit to IVF?
There are no strict age limits but the protocol iser best for women around the ages of 35-45.The older a woman is, the lesser chance there is of conceiving .
26.When does one know if the IVF is successful?
If the implantation is successful and the embryo implants in the uterine wall, then within 10-14 days, the pregnancy test will be positive.If the pregnancy test is negative 2 weeks after implantation, it means that the procedure has failed.
27.What is risk of multiple births?
The risks of multiple births is always a concern and can also affect the health of the babies in the womb.The risks of multiple births are increased if more number of embryos implanted.There can be premature delivery , growth retardation and also there are more chances for abnormalities in multiple pregnancies .
28.What is the success rate?
The outcome is dependent on numerous factors.All data indicate that the younger the female, the greater the chance of success.Unbiased data indicate that the chance of success can vary widely and is between 20 to 60%.
29.What are side effects or complications of IVF?
IVF treatments increase a woman's risk of ectopic pregnancy- wherein the embryo implants not in the uterus but in the fallopian tubes.The risk of OHSS is high in PCOS patient .
30.Is IVF associated with birth defects?
All the data available indicate that IVF is safe and not associated with any birth defects.However, long-term effects of IVF remain to be determined.
