In vitro fertilization is procedure used to treat certain fertility conditions. With In vitro fertilization, the fertilization of an egg takes place outside of the body. A woman’s eggs are removed from her ovaries, placed in a laboratory culture dish and then mixed with sperm. Fertilization takes place in the dish. Once the eggs have been fertilized and embryos have formed, one to two embryos are placed back inside the woman’s uterus. If the embryo implants in the uterus, the woman becomes pregnant. When is IVF used? IVF is often considered as a first line treatment for women with diminished ovarian reserve and severe male factor infertility in which case ICSI is used. However, it is also indicated for several other reasons and may be needed when other treatments fail or in cases of unexplained infertility.
When an IVF cycle is the treatment option you and your physician decide is right for you, you can expect the following.
OHSS is a potentially life-threatening complication of fertility treatment associated with injectable hormones (gonadotrophins). The exact cause of OHSS is unknown although increased leakiness of the blood vessels is thought to be responsible. The severity of OHSS varies from mild to severe. While it is common to experience mild symptoms of abdominal bloating and moderate weight gain, severe cases may be associated with accumulation of fluid in the abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea and shortness of breath. Fortunately, the incidence of severe OHSS is less than 5 %. The treatments used to reduce this complication is careful follicle tracking. Should your physician be concerned about the development of OHSS, your cycle may be cancelled, and/or other medications may be prescribed.
Multiple Birth is a serious complication of any fertility treatment.
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg starts to grow in a location other than the uterus. In 95% of cases, ectopic pregnancies are in the fallopian tube, but they can also occur in other sites. The incidence of ectopic pregnancy is higher after IVF than in a naturally occurring pregnancy. The first indication of an abnormally situated pregnancy is a slowly rising pregnancy hormone in the blood (Beta HCG). However, ectopic pregnancy can only be confirmed by demonstrating an absent pregnancy sac in the uterus, seen by ultrasound. Ectopic pregnancies can be a life-threatening emergency if not detected early. Symptoms include severe lower abdominal pain, shoulder tip pain, abnormal bleeding, fainting and difficulty in urination. It is important to seek medical attention immediately as this condition can be managed medically or by conservative surgery if detected early.
A miscarriage is defined as the loss of a fetus before 20 weeks of pregnancy. 80% of miscarriages occur within the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. There is a slightly higher chance (approximately 22%) of a miscarriage when undergoing IVF. Women over the age of 35 have a higher (20% to 35%) chance of having a miscarriage than younger women. Chromosomal abnormality of the fetus is the most common reason why a miscarriage occurs. Women over the age of 35 and men over the age of 40 are more likely to be affected by chromosomal abnormalities than younger couples. If you have had multiple miscarriages Comprehensive Chromosomal Screening (CCS) should be considered.
Stress–Undergoing any fertility treatment can be physically, emotionally, and financially stressful. We at Oasis Fertility Centre recognize how important it is to alleviate stress as much as possible to improve your fertility treatment outcomes. We have dedicated health care professional that can offer you support and counselling.
Success rates: Success rates for IVF are very dependent upon the age of the woman. National Averages representing live birth rates per embryo transfer, with a woman using her own eggs:
| Age | Success Rate (%) |
| Under 35 | 41 |
| 35-37 | 34 |
| 38-40 | 11 |
| 41-42 | 6 |
These figures represent the National Average, live birth rates. Per embryo transfer with a woman using her own embryos. Based on 2016 figures.
ICSI is a procedure whereby one sperm is injected directly into an egg for fertilization purposes. It is done in conjunction with an IVF treatment. The injection takes place in the lab, after the eggs have been retrieved.
ICSI is used in cases of male infertility. It is quite effective when the male partner has a low sperm count or the sperm has poor motility. It is also used when a man has ejaculation issues and the sperm has to be retrieved either surgically from the testes (mesa/pesa), or in the case of retrograde ejaculation (ejaculating into the bladder) since the sperm must be recovered from the urine. ICSI is also often indicated where fertilization failed in a previous cycle of IVF.
From a patient perspective, ICSI is exactly the same as undergoing a regular cycle of IVF. The difference is that in conventional IVF several sperm are placed in a dish with the eggs to allow fertilization to occur naturally, where as with ICSI, one sperm is injected directly into the egg with the hope of fertilization occurring.
The main complications associated with ICSI are actually those that arise from the IVF procedure itself. These include ovarian hyperstimulation, multiple birth, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, and stress. Patients often question if there is a higher risk of birth defects when ICSI is used. To date, research shows that the risk of birth defects after ICSI is the same as for babies conceived by IVF without ICSI. However, some studies have suggested that having IVF with or without ICSI might increase the risk for birth defects.
ICSI greatly improves the odds of fertilization. Approximately 70% to 85% of eggs are fertilized when using the ICSI procedure. This does not mean that all of the eggs will develop into embryos that are suitable for transfer.
It is a well-known fact that women’s biological clock results in decreasing fertility and ovarian reserve as they age. This decline is exaggerated after the age of 35. Egg (oocyte) freezing allows the freedom for women to preserve their fertility while their eggs are in their prime.
There are several reasons why you may choose to freeze your eggs. From a social perspective, you may not yet have found the right partner, are concentrating on establishing your career, wish to continue your education, and want to ensure that when you are ready to have a family, you are able to. Oocyte freezing allows you to have this option.
From a medical perspective, oocyte freezing is often recommended for young women undergoing cancer treatment since chemotherapy and/or pelvic radiation has the potential to affect the ovaries. It should also be considered for any surgery which can impact ovarian function, or for women whose families have a history of premature ovarian failure as a result of a chromosomal abnormality or has a history of premature menopause.
You will be required to have all the same tests as those women undergoing a cycle of IVF (with the exception of the semen analysis).
Once your physician has determined that you are a candidate for egg freezing you will under go the first two steps of the IVF procedure, ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval. Once the eggs have been retrieved they will be examined under a microscope and the mature eggs will be cryopreserved (an ultra rapid cooling technique where the eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen).
The complications that can arise from Egg Freezing include infection, bleeding, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and stress.
Egg freezing is a relatively new technology with limited data available on success rates. Pregnancy success rates are dependent upon the age of the woman freezing her eggs and the number of viable eggs frozen.
Frozen embryos are those embryos that were not used during a fresh IVF cycle and were frozen to use at a later date. For a frozen embryo transfer, the embryos are thawed and transferred back into your prepared uterus. It does not require the ovaries to be stimulated as they are for an IVF cycle, however, it does require the uterine lining be thickened before transfer.
Frozen embryos seem to have an infinite life span. They can be used to expand your family when you are ready, after an unsuccessful fresh cycle if frozen embryos are available or after CCS.
In order for the embryo to implant, the uterus must be ready for implantation. Typically, this means that medications such as the birth control pill, Lupron or Synarel will be prescribed to stop you from ovulating unexpectedly. Once your pituitary has been suppressed you will start to take estrogen to thicken the lining of your uterus. Monitoring through transvaginal ultrasound and blood tests will be necessary to make sure that the uterus is thickening as it should. Once the uterine lining is sufficiently thick, progesterone will be added and the Lupron or Synarel will be stopped. Progesterone matures the lining and makes it receptive to embryo implantation. Your transfer will be scheduled accordingly.
As with any transfer, there is always a risk of infection or bleeding. If you become pregnant, risks associated with pregnancy such as an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, premature birth or multiple birth can also occur.
Pregnancy success rates after a frozen embryo transfer are the same as that of a fresh IVF cycle. For women under the age of 35, pregnancy rates can be as high as 60 %.
Comprehensive Chromosomal Screening (CCS) is a method used to help us to analyze, select and transfer only the embryos that are normal, thereby increasing the likelihood of a pregnancy. During a cycle of IVF instead of transferring embryos immediately, a few cells from each blastocyst (an embryo which has developed for 5-6 days) are removed and sent for DNA testing. These tests will determine if the blastocysts have the normal number of Chromosomes (23 pairs) and if the chromosomes are structurally normal. The blastocysts are then frozen until the results are received from the testing facility. By selecting an embryo that is chromosomally normal it is likely to result in a full-term pregnancy and healthy baby.
Comprehensive Chromosomal Screening (CCS) is often suggested for couples who appear to be chromosomally normal yet have had repeated IVF failures or have experienced recurrent miscarriage. It may also be prescribed for women of advanced maternal age.
As noted above, CCS takes place during an IVF treatment cycle. Once the eggs are retrieved and fertilized, the embryos develop into blastocysts (which takes approximately 5-6 days). A few cells (5 to 10) are then taken from each embryo and sent for DNA testing. The embryos are then frozen (vitrified) until the results have been received from the testing facility. Once your physician has been advised as to which embryos are “normal”, Oasis will arrange for you to have a frozen embryo transfer (FET).
As with any IVF cycle, you can experience certain complications. These include infection, bleeding, OHSS, and stress. If you become pregnant after your frozen embryo transfer, there is the risk of an ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or multiple pregnancy.
Research studies have shown, that CCS can increase the chance of pregnancy by up to 70%.
