Is IVF Painful?

is ivf Painful

IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) is a process that involves some steps to treat fertility or genetic problems and leads to conceive a child. During IVF, mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab. Then the fertilized egg or eggs are implanted in uterus of female.

As this process consists of many medical examinations, techniques through surgical instruments; it may be considered a painful treatment. But experience of each women going through this process is different. On one hand, some women may feel cramps and stomachache during the process; while some do not face such issues.

For more details on IVF, contact to fertility specialists ‘Dr. Shivani Sachdev Gour’ in SCI International Hospital, Greater Kailash Part 1, Kailash Colony, Noida Sector 63, Delhi.

Generally, anaesthesia is given during operation, so pain in avoided. But one can feel some discomfort during the following process. 

Injecting Medications

Before starting the IVF treatment, IVF specialist recommends various fertility medications. Some medicines are taken through injection near the area of stomach. But this process only involves nominal and bearable pain. Some IVF medicines may also cause some adverse effects such as stomach ache, tiredness, or various skin problems that various person to person.

Egg Retrieval

This is a difficult process for infertility expert as well as for patients. Patients are worried about this process because of eggs are extracted from woman’s ovary that requires to induce some surgical instruments in body. These instruments contain needle and inserted from vagina to stimulate egg follicles. Because of the intensity of procedure, doctors keep patients in half-conscious state to make process less uneasiness. A very less amount of anaesthesia is given in this process. But some women may feel stomach ache and awkwardness after the affect of anaesthesia is over.

Transferof Embryo

In this process a developed embryo is inserted into the uterus. This process has less intensity as compare to the Egg Retrieval process. Doctors use the transfer catheter and ultrasound screen to insert the embryo. This process involves minor pain, but doctor advice to take some sedative pills before the transfer process. These sedative pills allow the woman’s body to be calm and sooth.

How to Tackle Uneasiness during the IVF Process?

IVF process contains various steps, instruments, medications, and restricted time routines that may cause an uneasiness in body. To tackle this situation, generally anesthesia and sedative pills are given by doctors. But patients also can take some measures before and after each step of procedure. Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour suggested some points to avoid discomfort and nervousness during this process.

  • Follow healthy diet as suggested by doctors. Healthy diet provides you energy during the whole process and escape from side-effects.
  • Try to get relax before and after any step of IVF procedure.
  • The best way to relax yourself is to perform some light yoga or breathing exercise.
  • Don’t get nervous by seeing any instruments; these are only to help you, not to scare.
  • Little uneasiness is normal; follow doctors’ instructions to tackle this uneasiness.

 

Fertility Preservation

fertility preservation
                                                                 [moffitt.org]
Fertility preservation is a greatest option for those people who are diagnosed with cancer or other health issues. Family planning has fundamentally changed as compared to generation ago.

Progressively, women are postponing childbearing for non-medical reasons. For example, pursuing a career, unstable relationship, and financial deliberations. As a result, over the past 40 years, the age of a woman’s first pregnancy has been gradually rising.

When a woman should freeze her eggs?

If woman who is not ready to have a child now but wants to conceive later by her preserved eggs, should keep in her mind about right time of freezing her eggs. The best time for a woman to freeze her eggs is under the age of 30. The number of mature eggs frozen allows for the best prediction of ultimate pregnancy. For example, with ten frozen eggs the chances of a live-birth is twice as high for women under age 35 and under than for those over the age of 35.

When a man should freeze his sperms?

Various studies have now revealed that a man’s sperm production and quality declines with age and male fertility appears to wane after the age of 40 – 45. Due to their ability of continuously producing sperms throughout their lives, there are less apparent guidelines for men on non-cancer/non-medical fertility preservation, but under the age of 40 is a reasonable time.

How to Make a Decision of Preserving Fertility?

This is an extremely difficult question and one that requires consultation with an infertility specialist as well as a reproductive health counselor such as Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour. The pursuit of fertility is a physical, emotional, and financial investment with all three of these factors carrying equal weight and importance. People should decide very carefully before the preservation. Dr. Shivani discusses some issues that people must keep in mind before fertility preservation:

  • Financial Constraint: Fertility Preservation is an expensive process as it requires some medical tests and sperm/egg preserving labs. People have to pay for the time duration they need to keep their sperms preserved in these labs. Thus, they must be sure about preservation of fertility and make decision according to their financial condition.
  • Health Issue: Some people who want to become parents but they are cancer patients or surviving from any other disease where they cannot conceive, must think and decide very carefully about preservation of fertility. Anxiety is common in risky condition of health therefore a great patience is necessary during decision making by the suffering people.
  • Emotional Issue: People keep them emotionally strong for preservation of fertility.Because some of the people worry a lot about success rate of procedure. They keep thinking about future that whether they able to conceive using preserved egg/sperm in future or not. This is also an issue which can affect their decision of fertility preservation.
  • Unstable Relationship: Some couples have not stable relationship. It is very big issue for them to decide whether preserve their fertility or not. They should be ready for the future preservation about fertility after a deep discussion between both of the partners.

While advances in technology today allow for immediate and effective fertility preservation for men and women, in spite of that it is necessary never to pursue a pregnancy until peoples are physically, emotionally, financially prepared, and in a stable relationship, if applicable.

How to Select Surrogate Mother?

Doctors usually suggest surrogacy as last resort to multiple IUI and IVF failures or in cases of extreme medical conditions like Cancer or extreme cases of PCOS and PCOD. It can also be opted by single parents or same sex couples or by those females who have uterus abnormalities or cases of unexplained infertility.

Treating PCOS with IVF

Surrogate Mother: One who carries the child of a couple for nine-month term under a legal contract is known as surrogate mother. It is always important to make sure that the surrogate mother knows all the regulations and laws under which she has agreed to bear the child in her womb. Surrogate mother is compensated for their entire pregnancy duration by the intended parents.There is always a risk involved when directly dealing with the surrogate. So, it is required to go for surrogacy from either surrogacy clinic or agency. This will help you save your time as well as cost. Surrogacy clinics are the best choice as these are reliable and compliance legally during the entire procedure of surrogacy.

Surrogacy might not be the pathway that has been decided, but it is the road chosen when there is no option left after trying multiple fertility treatments to conceive a baby. Surrogate mother parts the most important role during surrogacy because she is the one who carries a baby for the entire nine-month duration. Surrogacy clinics or agencies are the ways to find an eligible surrogate mother.

What Should Be the Qualities of A Surrogate Mother Before Her Selection For Surrogacy Procedure?

A woman must eligible to be a surrogate mother if she fulfills the below-mentioned parameters. Always check these parameters before finalizing a surrogate mother.

  • Female who is a non-smoker and non-alcoholic proves to be the best surrogate mother.
  • Female between 21-35 years of age is best suited for the role of surrogate mother.
  • Female with the regular menstrual cycle.
  • Female with a valid identity.
  • Female with accurate BMI.
  • No other medical history.
  • Must have given birth to a child in the past.
  • A responsible female with a normal lifestyle.
  • No older history of criminal offense.
  • There are various surrogacy clinics, which provide surrogate mother through mutual and monetary consent in a legal manner.

What Questions to ask from surrogate before signing the contract?

Before signing the legal contract with the surrogate, you can ask her a few questions to make sure that you have chosen the best surrogate mother who can fulfill all your requirements. Go through the list of the common questions that are asked by the intended parents to the surrogate occasionally.

  • What is the reason behind becoming a surrogate?
  • How many successful pregnancies without complications she has been through?
  • Does she enjoy pregnancy time?
  • Is there strong support to help during pregnancy?
  • Is she agree to become surrogate for you?
  • Does she have any problem, with you and your partner?

The questions and interrogation will help you in communicating your concerns and needs directly to the surrogate mother. Plan appropriately and go for the best selections of a surrogate mother.

Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Treatment and Procedure

Many couples are unable to gain their own child due to infertility, which can be in men or women. To conceive their own baby, they can opt different techniques such as IUI, IVF, Surrogacy, and so on. These techniques are performed under supervision of specialists in various hospitals.

Intra-uterine insemination is the name given to a procedure where sperms are placed into the female reproductive system by a means other than intercourse. IUI is the most common form of artificial insemination, used and involves placing sperm into the female’s uterus through an assisted medical process. As it is a relatively low-tech solution to infertility problems, IUI is usually one of the first techniques used to assist a couple who is having difficulty becoming pregnant.

Limitations of IUI

There are following limitations when IUI is not effective:

  • A blocked or damaged fallopian tube.
  • Ovarian failure (menopause)
  • Severe male factor infertility such as no sperm, very low sperm count, poor sperm motility (movement) and sperm defects. In all these cases donor sperm may be an option.
  • Severe endometriosis
  • A female partner over the age of 40.

Procedure

First, warmed and ‘washed’ (treated) sperms are introduced into the woman’s uterus through a tube. Sperm can be provided by the woman’s husband/partner (artificial insemination by husband – AIH) or sperm provided by a known or anonymous sperm donor (artificial insemination by donor – AID or DI). The procedure is done around the time of ovulation to give the best chance of conception. Hormonal (fertility) medications might be used in conjunction with the treatment to enhance conditions for a pregnancy.

Reasons of Selecting IUI

IUI is mainly used when timed intercourse or hormonal medications alone have not worked. It is also used if ‘mild’ sperm abnormalities such as poor motility are found. It is also used in conjunction with donor sperm by same sex female couples or by women who don’t have a partner. Some additional conditions are there that leads to select IUI as an option for infertility treatment.

  • Nominal Endometriosis: Endometriosis is a condition where the tissue grows inside the uterus wall, ovaries and fallopian tubes. IUI is helpful to eliminate this situation.
  • Open Fallopian Tube: IUI is used if fallopian tube is found open.
  • Ovulation Problems: Ovulation is a process in which women releases eggs on monthly basis. But if some irregularity in ovulation or totally on ovulation occurs that may cause infertility. IUI is helpful to conceive in this situation.
  • Backward Ejaculation: This condition occurs when semen goes backward into the bladder instead of coming out of the penis.
  • Unexplained Infertility: If a woman is not able to conceive, even after trying for 1 year considering that menstruation cycle and semen is normal. This condition can not be explained as there is no particular reason for that.
  • Mucus Hostility: May arise as a result of a vaginal infection or the presence of anti-sperm antibodies in the mucus.
  • Ejaculation Problems: Due to psychological problems such as impotence or anatomic problems of the penis, such as paraplegia.

 

Surrogacy Types and Comparison

Surrogacy is a promising treatment for infertility. It can potentially solve many intolerable difficulties that the infertile couples and their families face. A Surrogate or Surrogate Mother is a woman who bears a child on behalf of another woman, either from her own egg fertilized by the other woman’s partner or from the implantation of a fertilized egg from the other woman in her uterus.

A couple, who want to have baby through surrogacy, has to take a decision on the type of surrogacy they want to pursue.Surrogacy is categorized into two types:

Traditional Surrogacy

In traditional surrogacy, the surrogate is biologically linked with child she carries thus this surrogacy is also known as partial or genetic surrogacy. The genetic relationship between child and surrogate makes traditional surrogacy emotionally complicated. Traditional surrogacy is mostly used by single men, same-sex male couples and women who cannot produce healthy eggs because they need a donor’s eggs. When the intended surrogate is inseminated with the semen of the husband of the couple, the procedure is known as straight surrogacy or traditional surrogacy.

Gestational Surrogacy

Gestational surrogacy, also called partial surrogacy or host surrogacy, is the most common type of surrogacy today. In gestational surrogacy, the surrogate mother is not genetically related and will be free from all responsibilities after delivery of the child.

  • When a sperm or an ovum is donated by a third party, fertilized by IVF, and transferred to a surrogate, it is called Gestational Partial Surrogacy.
  • If both the sperm and ovum are donated by a third party, fertilized by IVF, and the resulting embryo is transferred to a surrogate, it is known as Gestational Full Surrogacy.

Traditional Surrogacy Vs Gestational Surrogacy

The major difference between gestational and traditional surrogacy is the surrogate’s biological connection to the child. Before opting surrogacy as an option, intended parents need to consider all of the following factors to decide between traditional vs. gestational surrogacy:

  • Medical Process: Traditional surrogacy uses IUI, whereas gestational surrogacy uses IVF as medical procedure.
  • Legal Process: Traditional surrogacy laws tend to be more complicated than gestational surrogacy laws. In traditional surrogacy, surrogate mother also has parental rights and need to be terminated after the baby is born.These additional legal procedures are not required in the gestational surrogacy process.
  • Costs: The cost of gestational surrogacy is considered to be higher than that of traditional surrogacy. This cost difference is due to the different medical process it involves. IUI is less expensive than IVF and tends to involve fewer medical procedures and fertility treatments.
  • Risks: Traditional surrogacy contains a greater emotional and legal risk than gestational surrogacy. In traditional surrogacy, being the biological mother of child, surrogate mother may possess emotional feelings for the baby. In that case, she can theoretically challenge the surrogacy arrangement in court, which could result in a lengthy and expensive legal battle for everyone involved.
  • Acceptance: Traditional surrogacy is banned in many countries including India due to its legal and emotional complications; whereas this is not the case with gestational surrogacy.

When Couples Should Think About IVF Treatment?

IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) is a process that provides couples an opportunity to have a baby when other treatments have failed or are not appropriate. But the major question is, what are the conditions and factors to opt for IVF treatment?

There are some medical conditions in which couples should think about an IVF treatment.

Infertility

(IVF) has become an established treatment for many forms of infertility. Infertility can be in women or men both. Usually, infertility means not being able to get pregnant even after one year of unprotected sex (or six months if a woman is 35 or older). Following are some reasons in which IVF is helpful to conceive a baby.

  • Fallopian tube damage or blockage.
  • Ovulation disorders.
  • Premature ovarian failure.
  • Endometriosis
  • Uterine fibroids.
  • Previous tubal sterilization or removal.
  • Impaired sperm production or function.
  • Unexplained infertility.

Genetic Disorder

A couple can opt for IVF treatment if either of the partner has a genetic disorder that they do not want to pass on to their baby. In this case, healthy egg or sperm is taken from donor and fertilized in lab using IVF.

Genetic Disorder
                                                  Source: redorbit.com

Fertility Preservation for Future Use

IVF treatment is helpful in fertility preservation to freeze eggs or sperm for future use. If either of the partners is suffering from cancer and about to start a treatment, they can arrange to freeze their healthy eggs or sperm, as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can harm fertility. These eggs or sperm can be thawed later and used in IVF once the cancer treatment is over.

fertility-preservation
                                                 Source: obgyn.mcw.edu
Apart from medical conditions, there are some factors that lead couples to opt for IVF treatment.
  • The couple should be financially strong or must have a financial source for treatment; as IVF treatment is an expensive process.
  • The couple should be determined and patient enough to conceive a baby by this method; because IVF treatment may not be successful in one cycle and may require two or three cycles for result.

Female Infertility – Simple Tips to Increase It

Female infertility is quite a common problem nowadays and around 15% of them are affected by it. Infertility can be due to a number of reasons but working on the same at the right time can make a big difference. That is why it becomes all the more necessary to ensure a healthy lifestyle and keep a check on your ovulation too. If natural means are adopted to cure infertility, the results are really good. The chances to conceive or get pregnant improve by 70% and this is certainly a good number.

If you too are facing female infertility problems and wish to cure it naturally, then here is all the information you are looking for. So let us get started. 

Maintain your weight – For infertile women, weight is definitely a big problem. It is essential to maintain the weight and for this they need to cut down the carbs and see a difference in their menstrual cycle. It will become more regular and this can help you to conceive faster. Even women suffering from PCOS should keep a check on their weight and follow a healthy and rich diet. Having foods rich in antioxidants too can be really useful for such women. 

Starts your day with a good breakfast – Most of the women tend to skip the first meal of their day that is their breakfast. This is a wrong approach as it will only lead to more weight gain. Despite leaving your breakfast, try to have a bigger portion of the breakfast and it should contain healthy things. Have your milk or tea; include at least one fruit with anything that you like. Whole grains are a decent choice. A good portion will not only give you the required energy for the day but boost your chances of conceiving too. 

Multivitamins are useful – Women who regularly take multivitamins are less likely to face such issues. It is because of the simple reason that multivitamins have folate which not only regulates your menstrual cycle but result in proper ovulation too. Thus the chances of becoming pregnant get increased by leaps and bounds as compared to other women. If you continue with multivitamins for around 3 months, the chances increase by 26%. 

Stay active – Being lazy is yet another disadvantage so make sure you do proper exercise or workout. There is no need to try the rigorous workouts but a few simple ones are enough. Excessive workout can have adverse impact so keep away from the same and have a balance of the different exercises. You can get in touch with a professional for the same. 

Avoid alcohol and caffeine – These two are highly dangerous and bring down the fertility level in the females. So cut down the same and experience the difference yourself.

With the help of the above helpful tips you can easily combat your female infertility and improve the chances of conceiving. Follow the tips seriously and you will certainly get pregnant and welcome a new member into your family. So start following them today.

Tips on Make Pregnancy Successful after Getting Failed- http://www.123articleonline.com/articles/1089418/tips-on-make-pregnancy-successful-after-getting-failed

A Heart Touching Thankyou Card for Dr Shivani Gour & SCI IVF Centre

Can you read the handwriting on the card. This is a thank you card from an almost 4 year old for her baby brother born after IVF at Our Clinic SCI IVF Centre. One of our most adorable cards! To read more reviews, visit- http://drshivanisachdevgourdelhi.blogspot.in/

dr shivani with little baby

thankyou card for sci team

 

sci ivf team celebrating successful treatment

Long-Awaited Child

Long-Awaited Child is the story of my 8 year journey to have a family of my own. Our journey began with trying to fall pregnant naturally, to trying IVF several times, to seeking foster care and adoption as an option & finally to surrogacy to have our long-awaited babies. I aspire to make the journey easier for others.

In my story I cover my personal emotions knowing the only option for me to have a baby was to use a donor egg and surrogate. Dealing with infertility can be a lonely and very sad time, I hope my story helps those going through a similar journey to not feel so alone plus to consider other options and not rely on IVF as the only answer. If we had given up after IVF failed in Australia we would not have our gorgeous twins and we are so thankful for your clinic and especially our Surrogate Mother for giving us our family. In my book I have also included some information and research we had done to make our journey easier to hopefully help others.

Below is the link to my website. My book can be purchased worldwide by paperback or downloaded on e-book versions:

https://longawaitedchild.com/

Note: For SCI clients, there is a special discount of 15% who purchases this book. Code SCI15 needs to be entered on the discount box on checkout.

Author Kellie Harriden

Kellie Harriden

Twins by Surrogacy