In vitro fertilization is a fertility procedure that takes between a month to two months to complete. A typical protocol begins when the woman takes birth control pills to quiet her ovaries for a month. After this, she takes fertility drugs to grow multiple eggs. Once the eggs have ripened, they are harvested from her body, mixed with her partner's sperm and grown in a lab. The fertilized embryos are placed back in her body, where they might grow into a baby. An IVF patient faces many risks from the procedure.
Risk of Twins
Twins are much more common in IVF pregnancies than in naturally conceptions. The risk of twins varies depending on the clinic. Some patients choose to minimize this risk by only transferring back a single fertilized embryo. The risk of twins also varies depending on the age of the patient. Patients younger than 35 are more likely to conceive twins than older women because their egg quality is better.
Risk of Higher Order Multiples
Higher order multiple births are far more common in IVF-assisted pregnancies than in naturally conceived pregnancies. You might opt to transfer back more than one embryo in hopes of increasing your chance of pregnancy. Multiple embryo transfers increase the odds of higher order multiples. If you transfer back two embryos, you might discover that one egg has split into identical twins while the second egg has also implanted, leaving you with triplets. Higher order multiples are far more risky than single births for both mother and babies. The typical triplet pregnancy is delivered more than a month earlier than a single birth, thus increasing the risk of long-term complications because of prematurity.
Financial Risks
IVF typically is not covered under most health insurance plans, so you'll probably pay for it out of your own pocket. A typical IVF cycle can cost upward of $10,000 per attempt. Multiple attempts might be required to succeed.
OHSS Risk
The initials OHSS stand for Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome. It results when a woman's ovaries produce many eggs as a result of stimulation with fertility medications. Too many eggs can cause increased production of estrogen and create physical problems such as bloating and excessive fluid retention. Prolonged OHSS might require hospitalization to stabilize the patient.
Anesthesia Exposure
After a woman's eggs have ripened as determined by ultrasounds and blood work, she will be put under anesthesia to harvest her eggs. Anesthesia carries small but real risks that include potential brain damage and even death.
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