If you’re at a stage in life where you’re ready to have a baby but find yourself unable to conceive, there could be several factors affecting your fertility. If you’re looking for assistance, consulting with a healthcare professional to explore potential reasons and discuss possible solutions might just be the next step. For many people, this may lead them to starting IVF treatment.
How does IVF work?
As an overview, IVF is a series of procedures where a sperm fertilises an egg in a laboratory instead of inside the body. A female patient uses medication to stimulate her ovaries and encourage the production of multiple eggs, which are collected and manually combined with a sperm sample from their partner or a donor. These are incubated in the hopes of producing as many viable embryos as possible. If the process leads to an embryo, it is implanted directly into the uterus, with the patient waiting two weeks before testing to see if it has led to a successful pregnancy.
To learn more, you can read our comprehensive guide to IVF, with more details about the treatment timeline, success rates and preparation
5 reasons to consider IVF
IVF has brought hope and happiness to countless couples. When deciding to begin the IVF process, careful consideration is crucial to ensure it is the right choice for you, your partner, or your situation. Our fertility specialists can help you understand all of your options. Here are 5 reasons why you might want to consider IVF treatment:
1. Parenthood later in life
Age plays a role in fertility for women. As women age, the quality and quantity of their eggs decline, which makes becoming pregnant in one’s 30s or 40s much harder. Women over 35 who have been trying for over six months without success may want to consider IVF.
2. Unsuccessful attempts
If a couple has been trying to conceive for over a year and hasn’t seen any positive results, it may be time to look into underlying fertility issues. There are many fertility issues that could cause infertility, whether it be in the male or female partner’s reproductive system. Speaking to a fertility specialist is the best way to find out.
3. Medical issues
There are a variety of medical issues, such as cancer or endometriosis, which can cause scar tissue on women’s fallopian tubes and ultimately create infertility problems. IVF is a great solution to these issues, with fertilisation able to occur outside of the body, bypassing these difficulties.
4. Genetic disorders
If you or your partner have a family history of one or more genetic disorders that you don’t want to pass on to your children, IVF gives you the opportunity to test the genetic make-up of your embryos before implanting them. This ensures that only healthy embryos are implanted, reducing the risk of you having a child with a genetic condition.
5. Ovulation issues
Being able to track a regular ovulation cycle is important in finding the right time to conceive, but can be difficult for women who ovulate irregularly or abnormally. They may also have higher than normal levels of androgens or multiple cysts on the ovaries. The IVF process helps the ovaries to produce multiple eggs in a given menstrual cycle compared to the single egg that is produced in a natural cycle. These extra eggs provide more opportunity for fertilisation, and extra embryos can be frozen for future use.
IVF advice before you start treatment
If you’re struggling to get pregnant and considering the decision to start IVF, make sure that you and your partner are ready to take on the emotional and physiological side of it as well. It’s difficult to raise your hopes only to face disappointment. There are multiple procedures and wait times for results, which can be stressful and overwhelming. Success may require multiple cycles, and unfortunately for some couples IVF may not work at all.
If IVF is something you’re considering, get in touch to request an appointment with one of our fertility specialists, who can help you understand the ins and outs of treatment, and what it will mean for you. Our specialists will also detail all of your available treatment options, helping you decide the best course of action for you. They can help you prepare your emotions and give you confidence in the decision you’re making.
IVF is also a significant financial commitment, and while we try to make it as affordable as possible, it is still important to consider this aspect. You can find out more about our IVF costs on our Fees page.
How Create Fertility can help
IVF is a wonderful treatment that has helped millions of couples grow their families. If you want some more information, or you feel prepared to move forward with IVF, our specialists are ready to assist you. Our experienced team is here to guide you through every stage of the process.
Get in touch with us to request a consultation with one of our experienced IVF doctors in Melbourne and take the first step with us.
