Sometimes, married couples’ unmet desire to have a child can lead to disappointment. The question is: when and why should a couple apply for IVF treatment?
Memorial Ataşehir Hospital’s IVF unit supervisor, Prof. Dr. Cem Demirel answered 10 of the frequently asked questions.
- How many times can a couple try IVF treatment?
There is no limit for it. However, many IVF attempts can reduce the possibility of pregnancy. In some cases, several attempts are performed until we get a pregnancy. We have witnessed success after 8 or 10 attempts for some couples.
- Does age influence the chance of pregnancy?
Woman’s age is the most important factor influencing IVF cycle. Chance of pregnancy is higher for women younger than 35. Women between 35 and 38 are accepted fort the treatment, while women between 38 and 40 have lower chances. For those who are between 40 and 42, there is still a little hope and finally, women that are between 42 and 44 have nearly no chance of a successful IVF treatment.
- Does the number of embryos influence the possibility of pregnancy?
The success expectancy with a single-embryo transfer is 28% while with a double-embryo there is a 48% chance of success. In single-embryo treatment, we can freeze more embryos which is a significant advantage for patients.
- Is there a higher risk of miscarriage in IVF treatment?
The risk of miscarriage is a little higher after IVF treatment. This risk is not linked to the treatment itself but to the patient’s ability of becoming pregnant.
- Is bleeding normal in the early stages of pregnancy?
No matter what type of pregnancy, bleeding is always abnormal. The patient should always consult its physician. However, with IVF, bleeding is more common and may not lead to miscarriage.
- What about the chances of pregnancy with frozen embryos?
Sometimes, we may have some high-quality embryos left after IVF cycles. These embryos will be frozen to give the couple the option of using them in the future. Therefore embryo freezing may be a good advantage for patients. When thawed, 70% to 80% of these embryos are still viable and each transfer has a success expectancy of 50% to 80%.
- Should patients follow a diet before treatment?
There are not enough studies about this subject but some research have shown that a significant number of successful treatments were those of patients who followed a diet based on vegetables, fish organic oil etc., prior to their cycles.
- Should patients lose weight before treatment?
There is no proof that losing weight can increase the chances of pregnancy. However, overweight ladies may have extended treatment periods and increased possibility of miscarriage.
- Can patients have sexual intercourses after embryo transfer?
Sexual intercourses after embryo transfer does not affect pregnancy. However, the treatment may cause some bleedings which may make sexual intercourses uncomfortable.
- Can weight lifting influence the possibility of pregnancy?
Contrary to popular opinion, lifting heavy objects, travelling and being active right after the embryo transfer does not affect the treatment. Patients should only pay attention to medications they have to take.
Prepared by Memorial Medical Editorial Board.
7 January 2022
11 October 2016
