With the growth of medical science have open the doors for parenthood, assisted reproductive techniques like In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) are gaining trust and becoming popular among the couples trying to conceive. According to Mumbai based IVF specialist Dr. Gautam Allahbadia, there are some unique benefits to IVF procedure which are often overlooked.
The overlooked benefits of Assisted Reproduction: Dr Gautam Allahbadia talks about the advantages of IVF treatment
With the growth of medical science have open the doors for parenthood, assisted reproductive techniques like In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) are gaining trust and becoming popular among the couples trying to conceive. According to Mumbai based IVF specialist Dr. Gautam Allahbadia, there are some unique benefits to IVF procedure which are often overlooked.
1. Per-cycle success rates
In a number of cases, doctors recommend a host of other fertility treatments before IVF - the treatment is reserved for few selected couples who fail to conceive through any other method. The per-cycle success rate is better with this method of assisted reproduction, suggests Dr Allahbadia.
2. Almost no limitations to applications
One of the most important benefits of IVF is that the number of barriers to its implementation is quite limited - it isn’t restricted merely to the issues faced by women such as severe endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, or frozen pelvis. The procedure can bring the joy of parenthood to couples with severe male factor infertility as well. Men suffering from problems like absence of sperms in semen but presence of testicular sperm, or very low sperm counts can also benefit from IVF ICSI.
3. Third party reproduction
IVF is the only Assisted Reproductive Technique that can make use of a third party through donated eggs, uterus and sperm. "Sometimes, if there is a problem in the production of eggs, it is suggested to use donated eggs. In such cases, IVF treatment is the only viable option, as the egg and sperm are fertilised outside the body, before they are placed inside a woman’s uterus," explains Dr Gautam Allahbadia, who heads the IVF team at Millennium Medical Centre (MMC) IVF, Dubai.
4. Preservation of female fertility
Women who are passionate and more focussed upon their career often lose track of the ticking biological clock. By the time they begin planning a baby, their fertility rate fails to co-operate. Through cryopreservation (freezing) of their eggs at an early age, women can opt for conceiving a baby through IVF later in life.
5. Elimination of genetic diseases
Older women are prone to a lot of chromosomal abnormalities, resulting in genetically abnormal embryos. These embryos either fail to implant to the uterus, or cause early abortions and in some cases, abnormalities in babies. IVF enables the selection of healthy embryos for implantation through pre-implantation genetic screening. Genetic diseases or mitochondrial diseases running in families can also be eliminated by this method.
As an IVF consultant, Dr Gautam Allahbadia is of the opinion that IVF treatment definitely holds an edge over other assisted reproductive techniques.
The need for IVF
I suggest undergoing IVF when alternative treatments either fail to result in a pregnancy or are unlikely to achieve the desired results. IVF is best suited for women with blocked fallopian tubes. Patients with extensive pelvic adhesions that prevent the egg from entering the fallopian tubes can also benefit from IVF treatment.
Furthermore, IVF can be especially helpful in case the male partner has low sperm counts. The procedure allows us to super concentrate sperm, thus resulting in potentially successful fertilization. Also, in cases of ‘unexplained’ infertility (where the patient is unable to conceive despite all tests being normal), IVF can be a great option.
I also advise women suffering from Polycystic Ovaries (PCOS) to go for IVF, if ovulation induction has remained unsuccessful for them. IVF can also help in cases of severe Endometriosis. If a patient has mild to moderate Endometriosis, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) can be tried before proceeding to IVF.
The need for ICSI
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) has been a breakthrough procedure for treating male infertility. ICSI is advisable in cases where the male partner’s sperm count or a number of motile sperm is very low, or the morphology is not up to the mark. At Millennium Medical Centre (MMC IVF), we recommend ICSI based on the results of the semen analysis.
What about the extra embryos?
After a successful embryo transfer, the remaining good quality embryos can be frozen through vitrification process. This gives them an excellent survival rate. Women do not require ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval again, making future assisted reproduction cycles simpler, less invasive and more economical than the initial cycle.
Success rates of ICSI and IVF procedures
At MMC IVF, my team works to provide the best success rates across the country. We are constantly upgrading our stimulation procedures, embryo transfer guidelines, and laboratory culture conditions.
The woman’s age and the reason for infertility remain the two most important factors in determining the success of an IVF cycle. Since each patient is unique, we discuss their individual case history before coming up with a treatment plan for them....READ MORE……
About the Author – Dr Gautam Allahbadia is an IVF Specialist in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
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