World IVF Day: Here's What A Fertility Specialist Wants You To Know About IVF

IVF may have become a well-known option for couples facing fertility challenges, but there remains a lack of clarity about the process itself. It's often seen as a guaranteed solution, as if it is just a matter of signing up and waiting for a baby. However, the truth is that IVF is a complex medical journey and while it has brought solutions and parenthood to millions, it shows its best results when couples get into the process not only informed, but also emotionally prepared, and aware of both possibilities and limitations.

Understanding IVF

At its core, IVF (in vitro fertilisation) is a series of carefully timed steps. It begins with hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries, to produce multiple eggs. These eggs are then retrieved in a short procedure under anaesthesia. Once the eggs are collected, they're fertilised with sperm in the lab. A few days later, one or more embryos may be transferred into the uterus. The wait that follows, also known as the two-week wait, is often one of the most emotionally intense parts of the process.

Is IVF always successful?

One of the biggest myths about IVF is that it is always successful. In truth, success rates vary widely and are influenced by numerous factors. Perhaps most influential is age, particularly for women. Both egg quality and quality decrease with age. That is why younger women under the age of 35 have higher success rates, while older women might require more procedures, more than one attempt or donor eggs.

Lifestyle factors matter, too. Smoking, obesity, unmanaged health conditions like diabetes or thyroid disorders, and even high stress can affect both egg and sperm quality. Your fertility specialist may recommend a few months of lifestyle changes before beginning treatment, not as a delay but as a way to improve outcomes.

How it affects mental health

Another reality people are do not anticipate for is the psychological management of IVF. The procedure can be physically and emotionally challenging, particularly when several cycles are required. Couples could do well to seek assistance either from a counsellor, support group, or simply their partner, and understand that feeling overwhelmed or emotionally exhausted at time is normal.

Finally, no two journeys look alike. While one couple might conceive in the first cycle, another might take longer or need additional help with procedures like ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), PGT (preimplantation genetic testing), or donor IVF. It isn't about a single protocol but a personalised plan, shaped around each person's unique story.

(Dr. Priyanka Yadav, Fertility Specialist at Birla Fertility & IVF, Jaipur)

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