What Is IVF?
An egg and sperm are joined in vitro during the fertilization procedure known as in vitro fertilization (IVF) (“in glass”). Monitoring and promoting ovulation in a woman is part of the procedure, as is taking an ova or ovum (egg or eggs) from her ovaries and allowing sperm to fertilize them in a culture medium in a lab. In order to generate a successful pregnancy, the fertilized egg (zygote) is inserted by catheter into the uterus after undergoing embryo culture for 2–6 days.
The IVF Process
A type of assisted reproductive technology called IVF is utilized for gestational surrogacy and infertility therapy. A donor egg may be fertilized and implanted into the uterus of a surrogate, but the resulting child is genetically unrelated to the surrogate. IVF therapy is unavailable in some countries, which has led to the rise of fertility tourism. Cost and age limitations on IVF are imposed to allow a woman to carry a healthy pregnancy to term.
The First IVF Born Child
Louise Brown, whose mother had IVF treatment, had her first child successfully in July 1978. Brown was conceived using natural-cycle IVF, which involved no stimulation. The treatment was performed in Royton, Oldham, England, at Dr. Kershaw’s Cottage Hospital, which is now Dr. Kershaw’s Hospice. The 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine went to Robert G. Edwards. The treatment was co-created by the physiologist, Patrick Steptoe, and embryologist Jean Purdy; however, these two individuals were not eligible for consideration because they passed away and the Nobel Prize is not given posthumously.
IVF – A Hope For All Women
Women who are over their reproductive years, have infertile partners, suffer from idiopathic female infertility disorders, or have achieved menopause can still conceive through egg donation and IVF. Some couples become pregnant naturally after IVF without any other reproductive treatments. Eight million children were reportedly born in 2018 across the globe thanks to IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies. According to a 2019 study that examines 10 IVF adjuncts (screening hysteroscopy, DHEA, testosterone, GH, aspirin, heparin, antioxidants in males and females, seminal plasma, and PRP), these adjuncts should be avoided until further research is done to demonstrate that they are safe and effective.
Medical Uses Of IVF
When a woman’s infertility is brought on by issues with her fallopian tubes that make in vivo fertilization challenging, IVF may be performed to treat her condition. It can also help with male infertility when the sperm quality is poor; in such circumstances, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), in which a sperm cell is directly injected into the egg cell, may be employed. This is used when sperm has trouble accessing the egg. In these circumstances, sperm from a donor or a partner may be used. When there are extremely few sperm, ICSI is also used. ICSI has been demonstrated to improve IVF success rates when used as directed.NICE guidelines from the UK state that IVF therapy is appropriate for women who haven’t conceived after two years of regular, unprotected sex in cases of unexplained infertility. It might be a better option for anovulatory women after 7–12 failed cycles of ovulation induction because it is more costly and manageable.
How Much Is IVF In South Africa?
IVF treatments can range in price from R60,000 to R100,000. The total cost can range from R120,000 to R300,000 or more because getting pregnant usually requires more than one treatment cycle.
