In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a form of fertility treatment where fertilisation occurs outside the body. The procedure can be conducted using your eggs and your partner’s sperm or may involve a donor’s eggs, sperm, or embryos. IVF is one of the most widely used and successful assisted reproductive technologies available today, helping many couples worldwide conceive. Here are some important facts and figures about IVF worth knowing.
IVF Facts
- You Can Use Fertility Drugs Alongside IVF
Fertility drugs such as Clomid may be used during IVF procedures alongside injectable ovulation medications to produce a stronger response.
- IVF Was Done In Test Tubes
In vitro fertilisation means fertilisation in glass, with fertility specialists of the past using test tubes for the process. IVF allows specialists to fertilise an egg in a test tube and then implant the embryo in the woman’s uterus to boost the chances of a successful birth. As such, babies produced this way are still commonly referred to as “test tube babies.” However, modern-day babies developed through IVF aren’t developed in test tubes. Test tubes aren’t part of today’s IVF process, and eggs are now fertilised in Petri dishes.
- Infertility Is More Common Than You Think
Infertility is usually diagnosed when a couple tries to conceive without success for six to twelve months. Many people assume that IVF is uncommon, but this assumption is far from true. Research indicates that infertility affects one in seven heterosexual couples in the UK. Also, a new study shows that one in ten men and one in eight women in the UK have experienced infertility, with almost half not seeking help for the problem.
- Acupuncture Can Increase Your Chances Of Successful IVF
Studies indicate that acupuncture can boost prospects of a successful IVF, showing that this alternative therapy method can increase embryo implantation rates and your chances of live birth when used before, during, and after the IVF cycles.
- Younger Eggs Provide Youthful Fertility Advantages
Many fertility specialists agree that women, especially those in their 40s, can boost their chances of successful implantations by accepting eggs from younger women. Using a donor egg from, say, a 23-year-old woman offers you the same chances of live birth as a 23-year-old woman undergoing IVF treatments with her eggs.
- Better Sleep Equals Better IVF Cycles
Women who sleep for less than five hours or more than ten hours per night have reduced IVF success rates. Therefore, you can boost your chances of IVF success by getting the recommended seven to nine hours of nightly sleep.
- IVF Rarely Results In Multiple Births
Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is usually responsible for producing quadruplets and other multiple births compared to IVF.
IVF In Figures
- The Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) estimates that about 53,000 patients had 69,000 fresh and frozen IVF cycles in 2019.
- Although donor eggs increase the chances of a live birth by over 30% for all age groups, only 17% of patients used donor eggs in 2019.
- The NHS estimates that the percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in live births was 29% for women under 35 and 2% for women above 44.