In-vitro fertilization (IVF) offers many couples a successful way to have a baby, yet treatment often comes with a range of emotions. It’s common to feel excited about the possibility of overcoming your fertility challenges and having a healthy baby, but still be fearful about the procedure itself. You may wonder if it will hurt, how long it will take and whether IVF will work for you. And you may worry that you’ll go through all the pre-treatment and IVF procedure, only to be disappointed again.
These are all perfectly normal feelings to experience, making it easy to become overwhelmed. Discussing the three questions below with your doctor should ease your comfort level.
1. What Can I Do to Increase My Chances of Success?
Getting your body in the best shape possible is always a good idea–before and during IVF. That’s true for both partners. It’s generally helpful to eat a healthy diet, aim for a healthy weight, exercise moderately and give up substances like alcohol and tobacco.
It’s also advisable to get any existing medical conditions under control before starting IVF. If you have a chronic condition like diabetes, you’ll want to take steps to manage it prior to beginning treatment. If you have irregular periods, your doctor may prescribe medication to help regulate your cycle.
The exact steps you should take to increase your chances of success will depend on your unique body and circumstances, and your treatment will reflect that. It’s important to ask your doctor what you can do to increase your chances of success before starting IVF. The more you do to prepare your body in advance, the better.
2. What Should I Expect During IVF?
Knowing what to expect during IVF is paramount to your comfort level, including knowing what occurs at each appointment and what you’ll need to do at home. For example, you’ll need to commit to giving yourself daily injections, along with frequent trips to the office for ultrasounds and blood tests.
During IVF, hormones are used to stimulate your body to produce the maximum number of eggs, and there may be some discomfort. Knowing what to expect and having a plan in place with your doctor will help you cope with any potential physical and emotional side effects.
Before committing to IVF, a thorough understanding of what to expect during treatment is one of the most important things you’ll discuss with your doctor. Be sure to ask as many follow-up questions as necessary, including how long treatment will take, how often you’ll need to come into the office, and what to do if you experience abnormal side effects.
3. What Happens After IVF?
Naturally, everyone who attempts IVF hopes the process results in a healthy baby, which is why it’s important to talk to your doctor about what happens after the IVF procedure.
If all goes well, your embryo will implant successfully and you’ll go on to have a healthy pregnancy. However, you should know that it’s common to need more than one round of IVF, and it’s not always successful. Be sure to talk to your doctor about how many rounds you may need, and at what point you should stop trying and consider other treatment options.
IVF success rates are affected by many factors, such as your age and weight, sperm quality, whether you have conditions like PCOS, and the original cause of your infertility. Your doctor will take these factors into account and help you understand your likelihood for success. This is important because knowing the next steps if you become pregnant, and alternative options if you don’t will help you go into IVF treatment with greater confidence.
Undergoing IVF is a big decision, but you’ll feel much more comfortable with the process if you have all the information ahead of time. Write down and take this list of questions, along with any others you may have, to your initial appointment. It’s a good way to start the conversation and not forget anything.
Bring a notepad to help record important points, and ask any follow-up questions. Remember, we want you to feel comfortable enough to contact us at any point throughout the process. We look forward to seeing you at Halo Fertility!
