In vitro fertilisation, or IVF, is a fertility treatment that has helped many couples fulfil their dream of having a baby when natural conception seems impossible. Since the first IVF birth, science and medicine have come a long way, with more successful births every year. Yet, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding this treatment, mainly because of the many myths perpetuated regarding it. Some enter it with too much expectation while knowing too little.

We at Khushi Fertility want what’s best for our patients, so here we are, busting the most common myths.

1. Only Infertile Couples Can Seek IVF Treatment

IVF is often used to help women, who cannot conceive due to certain fertility problems, but it isn’t limited to them. There could be cases where you or your partner want to prevent passing on any genetic disorder to your child, as it may affect the child’s growth and health; in such cases, IVF is a wonderful option to turn to. In such cases, we can fertilise your sperm and egg in the lab and test the resulting embryos for genetic anomalies, of which the healthy embryo can be separated and transferred to the womb. We also store healthy embryos for future pregnancies.

In addition to that, IVF is ideal for same-sex couples, where one of the partners can provide the eggs or sperm, which will then be fertilised with donor eggs or donor sperm.

2. Infertility Can Only Be Treated By IVF

Many couples are known to experience infertility; In fact, certain statistics allude that approximately 1 in 6 couples will face difficulty when it comes to conception. Based on the causes, infertility can be treated using different methods, and IVF is not the only solution. Many factors go into deciding a specific treatment for infertility; these include knowing the age, how long you have been trying to conceive, test results, etc. With age, the treatments tend to get more aggressive.

Infertility treatments are tailored to each couple based on the causes behind them. If the cause is hormonal, then medications are known to be a solution. Should the cause be due to physiology, such as blocked fallopian tubes, then surgeries can be proper solutions. If the cause is male infertility, then conception can be induced using Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).

Khushi Fertility’s top qualified doctors will determine the best course of treatment after discussing it with you and your partner.

3. Age Is Not A Factor When It Comes To IVF

With age, the reproductive system tends to change too. IVF treatments tend to get more aggressive, and the chances of producing healthy eggs reduce with age. The woman’s uterus may also have a hard time carrying the foetus to term. The higher your age, the more IVF cycles you and your partner will have to go through. Chances do get better in employing donor eggs from women of younger age, but again success cannot be guaranteed.

Thus, the earlier you come to terms with infertility and seek treatment, the better your chances of conception.

4. Obese People Cannot Undergo IVF

This myth has been propagated for too long that if you are overweight or obese, you cannot experience any success with IVF. But scientifically, there is no proper evidence that alludes to this myth.

Having a healthy body weight is helpful for you and your child’s health, but that does not mean it removes all chance of conception. It has also been observed that underweight women may tend to experience reproductive issues.

This is one of the reasons why we tend to recommend implementing lifestyle changes before you begin your IVF treatment. Being healthy is beneficial for both you and the baby. But the bottom line is that your BMI suggesting you are obese does not mean that IVF won’t be successful.

5.You Can Expect Total Success With IVF Treatments

It would be ideal for achieving a successful pregnancy with all the patients who seek IVF; unfortunately, that isn’t the case. There are a lot of factors that determine the success rate of IVF. The younger you are, the better chances of conception within the first cycle, but the success rate isn’t 100% even then.

Besides that, it also depends on the number of embryos transferred; the more the embryos, the higher is the likelihood of pregnancy, but this also means that the couple should be prepared for multiple births, i.e. conceiving twins or triplets.

Your chances increase if you’re willing to undergo more cycles too. It is normal for the first cycle to not result in pregnancy, but this doesn’t mean you should lose hope. Seeking IVF treatment may sometimes mean that you are in for a long journey, but you can have success with patience and faith. We at Khushi Fertility will do our best to ensure a successful pregnancy.

We hope you understand IVF a little better after this myth-busting blog. If you are still confused you can consult the best fertility specialists in Bengaluru at Khushi Fertility, who will guide you through this journey.

Meanwhile, you can do necessary research and prepare questions for your doctor to completely prepare yourself; both mentally and physically.