When you talk about In-vitro fertilization (or test-tube babies as they are commonly called), most people assume that the subject is of importance only to those couples who are unable to conceive a baby naturally. However, this is a misunderstanding. IVF treatments are increasingly becoming a popular option even for couples who may have conceived the first baby naturally. Yes! Your first baby may have been a natural birth but that is no longer a reason to stop you from opting for IVF or assisted reproduction techniques while planning your second pregnancy (if you are struggling with the same). There are thousands of couples across the globe willing to tread the IVF route for their second baby due to several reasons.
What exactly is IVF?
IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization) is a medical procedure in which egg from female partner is fertilized with sperm from a male partner outside the woman’s body in a lab.
When is IVF primarily used?
The IVF procedures are used broadly when
1. Egg quality is not suitable for natural fertilization
2. Sperm quality is not suitable for natural fertilization
3. Uterus (womb) quality is not suitable for natural pregnancy.
Usually, IVF is an excellent procedure for couple who are unable to conceive naturally even after several years of trying. Even in case of those who have had their first baby naturally, the second attempts may not be as fruitful and so IVF becomes your best bet.
Age of female partner is an important factor as it has direct impact on the quality of eggs. Thanks to the woman’s biological clock, the male partner does not have up till eternity to keep trying. As the age progresses, her ability to conceive naturally decreases and so relying on IVF for the second baby can be extremely helpful.
There are several mothers who like to devote all their attention to the first baby. In fact, they even avoid planning a second one until the first one is old enough. Sometimes, even the financial capabilities of the parents restrict them from planning the second pregnancy within a short time of the first one. There could be several reasons that force the parents to opt for a big age gap between the first natural birth and planning of second pregnancy. Given such situations, chances are your system may have been idle for a relatively longer period and so it might not be as responsive as it once was to your attempts of getting pregnant. Seeking the advice of IVF experts, who are usually Gynaecologists with specialization in infertility treatments, in these cases can help you plan your second pregnancy in a better way.
Is it safe?
A lot of mothers planning their second pregnancy through IVF are always worried about the safety of the treatment. Prior to arriving at any conclusion about IVF treatments, we would strongly advise you to talk to a reputed fertility expert.
The doctors will not proceed until they do a complete physical examination of the couple with the objective to find reason for inability to have a baby naturally. So tests are usually to test
1. If enough good quality of eggs are being produced
2. If sperm quality is good
3. If the uterus is providing the right environment for fertilization and implantation of embryos.
Am I eligible?
Eligibility for fertility treatments like IVF is always decided on the basis of a detailed examination. However, if you have conceived your first baby naturally, your reproductive system is most likely to be in good shape making you an eligible candidate for IVF treatments. In fact, since the ivf doctors usually recommend trying natural means (intercourse) for some more time, there have been cases when the candidate ends up conceiving naturally during the process of undergoing IVF investigations.
Will I be able to afford it?
The cost of IVF treatment depends on the nature of infertility (i.e. the reasons for why you are not being able to conceive naturally). The simplest treatment can start at Rs. 7,000/- and the more detailed treatments can start at Rs. 1,50,000/-.
You can read more about the cost of ivf treatment in India here
If you have any questions regarding ivf please comment below and we will be happy to answer
