Infertility

What Is IVF And Why Should You Consider It?

IVF is a procedure for treating infertility where an egg is combined with sperm outside the womb. Both the egg and the sperm could belong to you and your partner or come from a donor.

A gynecologist might recommend an IVF due to fertility problems that have made natural pregnancy impossible. This procedure might also be recommended to women who have tried to become pregnant for years but haven’t had any success. Finally, those who have tried the other available options for helping with pregnancy can choose IVF.

IVF Steps

1. ovarian stimulation (stimulating the ovary for ovulation)
2. egg retrieval (the process which is called follicular puncture involves removing a few mature eggs with the help of sonography and laparoscopy)
3. sperm retrieval (the process of preparing the sperms after puncture)
4. Fertilization and insemination of the egg (healthy sperm and mature eggs are mixed and incubated in special lab containers)
5. embryo transfer (Embryo transfer usually takes place two to five days after egg retrieval.)

IVF is done in 5 stages and is perfect solution for infertility.

Why is IVF Done?

In Vitro Fertilization is used to treat these infertility problems:

. Fallopian tubes are damaged or blocked

. Fallopian tubes have been removed

. Impaired sperm production or function

. Ovulation disorders, Premature menopause, Uterine fibroids

. Genetic disorders

. Endometriosis

. Presence of antisperm antibodies

. the inability of the sperm to penetrate or survive in the cervix mucus

. Unexplained infertility.

. when the woman’s is above 38

. Egg shortage in the ovaries

. Severe Endometriosis

Factors Affecting IVF Pregnancy Success:

. Maternal age

. IVF success

. Reproductive history

. Lifestyle-related infertility causes

. fertility problems

. Previous pregnancies

. lifestyle and…

The treatment methods differ from patient to patient and the younger the patient is, there is more chance of a successful IVF.

It’s also worth noting that assisted fertilization techniques don’t have the same success rate as natural pregnancy and sometimes they need to be repeated a few times for fertilization to be achieved.

In cases where healthy eggs are not produced, the man is infertile or other attempts to reach fertility have failed you can resort to donated egg, sperm or embryo.

To increase the chance of a pregnancy with IVF certain steps can be taken after consulting your doctor, such as Embryo freezing, Endometrial scratching, egg hatching and Endometrial PRP.

There are other ways that can increase chance of pregnancy:

1. Maternal age: the younger the patients are particularly in women under 35 the chance of pregnancy is higher.
2. Ovarian reserve: the larger the ovarian reserve is, the higher the chance success gets
3. Underlying factors: not having underlying or internal causes like: Endometriosis, high blood pressure, Diabetes or Thyroid
4. Lifestyle factors: a healthier lifestyle will help increase the chance of success.
5. During the treatment: throughout the pregnancy, the support of family or friends and the absence of stress or doing fun or entertaining activities that could help reduce the stress caused by the treatment is a major factor affecting the final result.
6. Getting enough rest or sleep
7. Having A healthy diet
8. Talking about your worries with a consultant or a therapist

You are coming to a country with culture and customs so different from your own that might sometimes come off as strange or odd, to receive the most stressful treatment of your life. But let me assure you that having some of the most fascinating historic sites and most pristine natural sceneries Iran will be like a cradle that will significantly decrease the amount of stress your treatment might cause.

In addition to the low cost of the treatment, the cost of accommodation is also considerably lower than other countries. Therefore, choosing Iran as your destination for infertility treatments, you will receive the best medical services from some of the most competent healthcare providers in the world while enjoying yourself in a country filled to the brim with natural beauty. A place that will rob you of your stress while you are going through your treatment in the safest hands in the field.

How long IVF Takes

1. Beginning with prescribing the medications until transferring the embryo into the uterus it takes about 3 weeks.
2. But before beginning the IVF treatment process, you will spend 3-4 weeks going through steps like the first appointment and consultation, reviewing the documents and medical files and checking the results of required tests for beginning the IVF process.
3. After completing the steps mentioned above the treatment begins. First you receive medications for 2 weeks and during this period some tests and sonographies will be done to keep the condition of follicles and the uterus in check.
4. After these two weeks, Egg retrieval or puncture is performed which takes about half a day. After that, the egg and sperm are combined in a laboratory and about 3-5 weeks following the insemination, the embryo is examined and if all is the well it is transferred into the uterus.

IVF Complications

1. passage of small amounts of fluid after the procedure. The fluid can be clear or slightly tinged with blood. Mild cramping, bloating, breast tenderness at and constipation can also be some of the possible side effects.
2. Heavy vaginal bleeding, feeling pain in the buttocks, noticing blood when urinating and running a fever higher that 38 degrees (contact your doctor in case you have any of these symptoms)
3. The medications prescribed during IVF to treat infertility might have side effects like headache, abdominal pain, bloating, Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.
4. Some of the main symptoms of Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome are nausea or vomiting, urinating less frequently, feeling faint, severe pain in the stomach and bloating, gaining weight in 3 to 5 days.
5. With IVF, there is an increased chance of multiple births or two or more fetuses. This can increase the chance of premature delivery and low birth weight and common side effects with multiple births.

The Iranian surgery support team will be with you throughout the whole process and will provide you with the required instructions in case you have any of the symptoms above.

IVF Aftercare

It’s essential to follow the aftercare steps very carefully. These steps include:

1. Before getting back to your daily routines following the embryo transfer, consider resting for 24 hours.
2. Don’t swim or sit in a tub until 48 hours after your IVF procedure
3. Until your pregnancy is settled, avoid any kind of strenuous activity like picking up heavy objects, stressful physical activities or exercise.
4. Plan a healthy diet to avoid bloating or constipation.

After your IVF, you might notice small amounts of clear discharge or blood-tinged liquid

5. A Slight swelling and tenderness when touching the breast and also cramps in the muscles is normal and is not the cause of worry.

IVF failure factors

Some of the main factors that can lead to the failure of an IVF procedure include:

. Old maternal age

. under-developed embryos

. poor sperm or egg quality

. problems in the uterus or buttocks

. ovaries not responding to ferility or IVD medications

. chromosomal abnormalities

. implantation disorders

. problems with embryo transfer technique

Can you do an IVF if you already have children?

The IVF treatment differs across the country. Therefore, women who have a child and want to undergo the IVD procedure for their second child must beware of these points:

. maintain a healthy weight before and after IVF

. not smoking or using drugs

. not belonging to a certain age group (the success rate of IVF is higher among women under 35)

Women under 40 who have failed for more than 2 years in getting pregnant, can benefit from IVF treatment and get the results that they want.

Is IVF Painful?

Pregnancy is a journey that has its ups and downs and pain and discomfort is probably a milestone along the way. In short, during the IVF process there is a slight chance of feeling pain.

But most of our patients in Iranian Surgery have told us by the end of their treatment that they have either suffered significantly less pain than they had expected or they have felt no pain at all. In some stages you can ask your doctor to use general or regional Anesthesia (this does not pose any risk to the embryo). You will have the pain of injections during the process and during the egg retrieval and embryo transfer some abdominal pain and bloating is the most you have to worry about. Usually at this stage mothers can get back to their daily lives.

All that said, you have to accept that any medical procedure comes with its share of pain and discomfort.

Positive Signs after IVF (Embryo Transfer)

. bleeding or spotting

. missed periods

. drowsiness

. cramps

. breast tenderness or soreness

. feeling tired after IVF

. nausea and loss of appetite

. bloating after embryo transfer

. changes in discharge after embryo transfer

. an increased need to urinate after embryo transfer (like painful urination/need for immediate urination/bleeding/fever/nausea and vomiting in which case you have to contact your doctor immediately)

. late periods

. having no signs (pregnancy might come with no sings in some people which is not a cause to worry.)

. digestive problems

. headache

. hot flashes

Why Iran?

Iran is a beautiful country and a major destination for tourists that due to its brilliant medical background, unique historical attractions, one of a kind ethnic and geographic diversity, advanced famous medical centers has turned into an exceptional destination for people from all around the world. Every year, many people travel to Iran for recreational, educational or medical purposes.

The benefits of such a journey includes but is not limited to economical prices, top-notch medical services, spectacular natural sceneries, historical sites, cultural and culinary diversity which will lead to a memorable experience in a beautiful country. And with Iranian Surgery you will have all this in on package.

Best cities for sightseeing and treatment

. Tehran: Tehran is the capital and one of the biggest cities in Iran that, having plenty of clinics and advanced medical centers, attracts medical tourists from many countries. Spreading over a vast area, Tehran, has numerous historically and nationally significant sites, museums and parks worth visiting. Magnificent royal palaces such as Niavaran Palace, Saadabad Palace, Marmar Palace and Golestan Palace to name a few. Tehran also has many historical sites such as Abgineh museum, The Gate of National Garden, Toghrol Historical Tower and many more…

. Shiraz: Shiraz is considered the cultural capital of Iran that for many years has shined like a beacon in the world of medical tourism and many people find their way to Shiraz for receiving an array of treatments most notably fertility treatments or undergoing different eye surgeries and also organ donation. Moreover, owing to it’s myriad of tourist attractions and natural landscapes it has become a top destination for foreign travelers.

To only name a few of these places: Hafez Tomb, Saadi Tomb, Shah Cheraq Shrine, Vakil Bazaar, Eram Garden…

So, not only the quality of the medical service you receive is world-class, but also the environment in which you will spend your recovery period is most conducive to physical and mental health.

That’s why Iran is the best choice for medical tourists. And the Iranian Surgery team does its best to provide you with the service that you deserve.

IDP Standards:

IDP stands for International Patient Department which is a kind of permit for hospitals and clinics to be able to treat international patients. The IDP standards presented by the Iranian Surgery team are as follows:

. Giving you an estimate of the costs, before you finalize your decision.

. Making the appointments and getting the admissions all throughout the treatment process

. Handling the financial matters, doctors, operation room and etc.

. Taking care of things like translation, accommodation, transportation and entertainment for the patient.