Question

Use a table to list the costs/risks that couples face choosing to utilize In vitro fertilization and other types of reproductive technologies and contrast them to the risks faced when using “natural” methods of conception. You may want to begin by considering factors in categories related to the health of the mother and child, social reactions from others, and financial costs.

Answer 1

An IVF cycle may be unsuccessful. The success of IVF is not guaranteed, and patients often have to undergo more than one cycle of treatment before they are successful. This naturally varies woman to woman, and a fertility specialist will be able to give a more accurate and personalised likelihood of success. It is important to be realistic but positive about the chances of success.

There may be associated side effects and risks. As a medical treatment, IVF comes with a small chance of developing side effects, the most severe of these being severe ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS). Fortunately, the use of fewer or no drugs in natural and mild IVF cycles means that the already small likelihood of developing unwanted risk of OHSS is dramatically decreased or eliminated. CREATE Fertility takes the possibility of side effects very seriously.

Multiple pregnancy. In IVF treatments, there is often more than one embryo put back into the uterus, and this leads to a higher likelihood of multiple pregnancy; around 20-30% of IVF pregnancies can result in multiple pregnancies. Multiple pregnancies do carry associated health risks to mother and baby: there is an increased chance of premature labour, miscarriage, need for caesarean, stillbirth and infant health problems with multiple pregnancies. It is important for all fertility clinics to have robust single embryo transfer policies, to avoid the risks of multiple pregnancy. At CREATE, we have a low multiple birth rate and focus on the reduction of multiple births.

There is a slightly higher chance of ectopic pregnancy. With IVF treatment, the risk of an ectopic pregnancy doubles, to 1-3%, particularly in women with damaged fallopian tubes.

There is evidence that high oestrogen levels associated with high stimulation IVF can increase the risk of prematurity and low birth weight in babies. There is growing evidence that giving high stimulation during IVF increases the chance that a baby is born prematurely and with lower birth weight. This has been linked to long-term health problems for the child. It is theorised that high oestrogen levels can affect the intra-uterine environment. With drug-free and low drug approaches, it has been observed that babies born are more likely to be born at full term and with a higher birth weight than those born through high stimulation IVF associated with high oestrogen levels. This is one of the reasons why we are committed to Natural and Mild IVF, as we believe that the success of treatment is not just a live birth, but is a healthy full term live birth.

IVF treatment can take an emotional/psychological toll. Going through IVF treatment can be a highly emotive and stressful experience. For patients undergoing treatment, it can be physically and emotionally demanding. For partners it can be difficult to watch a loved-one go through a stressful experience. It is important to prioritise your psychological health, and this is also good for the health of the body. Our short, lower-drug protocols should help to minimise the amount of stress.

IVF treatment can be expensive. IVF treatment is not cheap, and after paying for medication and blood tests, the costs can quickly mount up. It is good to have a clear idea of the costs involved before starting treatment, and to have your finances in order before beginning. With fewer drugs, the cost of a cycle is reduced at CREATE Fertility. There are also options for low-cost treatment, such as our sister clinic abc ivf.

Some patients may be concerned about ethical issues. The idea of selecting some embryos and potentially discarding others may not sit well with everybody. Before starting treatment, consider your own stance and what you would be comfortable with. If you are uncomfortable with the creation of multiple embryos, we can support your choice by using Natural Cycle IVF, or by freezing additional eggs rather than fertilising them to create embryos.