IVF is one of the modern fertility techniques that has proven effective in treating infertility; through it, many infertile couples have become able to have children.
Many IVF operations have been performed in Turkish hospitals and medical laboratories, where they have gained extensive experience in this field, making them superior to many other foreign countries. Today, Turkey is a destination for many couples who have been unable to have children worldwide, with its modern techniques, low prices, and high success rates.
What is IVF?
It is common for what is known as unexplained infertility to occur, which occurs with new couples despite the couple not applying any contraception. The reason for this is usually due to ovulation disorders in women and some factors that appear in men.
These problems have been overcome in some families in Turkey through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF); which means obtaining an embryo outside the uterus without performing the sexual act, and then returning it to the uterus so that the embryo can complete its growth naturally until the end of pregnancy.
IVF (in vitro fertilization) differs from intrauterine insemination (IUI).
In IVF, ovulation is stimulated, and eggs are extracted from the woman’s ovaries and fertilized with male sperm outside the woman’s body to achieve fertilization inside the tube. This fertilized egg is known as a leech. The leech is then returned to the uterus to achieve pregnancy inside the uterus.
The first IVF procedure in the world and the first test-tube baby were obtained in 1978. This was one of the most important medical achievements in the world. Since then, the number of IVF and laboratory centers in Turkey has increased significantly.
Conditions for the success of the IVF procedure
We can resort to IVF to help couples conceive after they have made numerous attempts to have a child through sexual intercourse without success, especially if they do not have fertility problems.
The IVF procedure can also be successful for some infertile couples who want to have children; in vitro fertilization is an option Suitable for couples who suffer from infertility for the following reasons:
- Low fertility in women over 40 years old
- Unexplained infertility
- Endometriosis
- Fallopian tube blockage
- Uterine fibroids
- Infertility without clear medical causes
- Tying of the vas deferens or tubal ligation
- Low sperm count or poor sperm motility
- Vaginal antibody problems (immune problems)
- Or thickening of the vaginal mucus and the inability of sperm to pass through it
- Family genetic diseases; the genes of the eggs can be examined, and the egg that does not carry this genetic disease can be selected
In general, IVF is not considered the first choice in the event of the inability to have a child naturally because it is somewhat expensive, so couples often try other treatments to increase fertility initially; this may include taking medications or intrauterine insemination (IUI).
Preparation before IVF
Before IVF begins, women will first undergo a test to check their ovarian reserve of eggs. This involves taking a blood sample and testing it for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels. The results of this test will provide information about the size and quality of the ovaries.
The doctor will also examine the uterus and vagina. This may include an ultrasound scan or inserting a scope through the vagina into the uterus (hysteroscopy). These tests reveal the health of the uterus and help the doctor decide the best method for implanting the embryos.
For men, a semen analysis is required to check for sperm and their motility. If the sperm are weak or damaged, it may be necessary to undergo what is called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Sexually transmitted diseases are also tested for in both partners, as well as some other diseases that threaten the safety of the fetus inside the pregnant woman’s uterus.
How IVF Works
When you decide to undergo IVF, your doctor may prescribe some contraceptive medications to regulate and control your menstrual cycle. This helps your doctor control the treatment and increase the eggs taken from your ovaries in the later stages.
After that, the IVF process takes place in several steps as follows:
First: Ovarian Stimulation
In the normal case, during the menstrual cycle, a few follicles grow in both ovaries, but only one will become a mature follicle and develop to produce an egg.
However, when using stimulation needles before IVF, all follicles mature, and we get a good number of eggs; thus, instead of having one egg as in the normal case, we will have many mature eggs, which increases the chances of success of the operation and the development of a viable embryo.
One of the hormonal medications used at this stage is the follicle-stimulating hormone FSH; this hormone stimulates the ovary to produce eggs. When the stimulation dose is reached, the luteinizing hormone LH or human growth hormone HCG is given 36 hours before egg retrieval as a final injection to complete the maturation of the eggs and stimulate ovulation.
At this stage, the ovary is monitored via ultrasound, and the hormone levels in the blood are calibrated to ensure that the required dose is reached.
Second: Egg Retrieval
At this stage, the eggs are extracted from the woman’s ovary outside the uterus using a thin needle that the doctor inserts through the vagina under ultrasound guidance until it reaches the ovary and extracts the eggs, which is a surgical procedure that requires anesthesia. The doctor then collects these eggs and places them in a special solution inside an incubator.
Some complications may occur during egg retrieval, such as bleeding, infection, and perforation of the bladder and intestines, so the IVF process requires a specialist doctor with expert hands to complete this stage without any complications.
Third: In vitro fertilization
Here, the egg is fertilized outside the uterus with the husband’s sperm. The doctor places the extracted eggs with the sperm on a glass slide so that the sperm can fertilize the eggs in IVF, or the doctor performs a microscopic injection of sperm inside the egg using a thin needle in the event that the first method failed previously or in the first operation to ensure the success of the operation more.
Fourth: Embryo development
The embryo’s growth outside the uterus is monitored during the next five or six days before the embryo is returned to the uterus. Only half of the fertilized eggs usually develop into the blastocyst stage, which is the appropriate stage for the embryo to be returned to the uterus.
At this stage, the doctor can perform some genetic tests to exclude embryos containing genetic diseases.
Embryos can also be frozen and preserved if the wife does not want to get pregnant at the present time so that the woman can transfer these embryos into her uterus and give birth to children at any time she wants.
Fifth: Embryo transfer
Embryos are usually transferred to the uterus between the fifth and seventh days after egg retrieval. At first, the woman is given hormones to help prepare the uterus for pregnancy, and then the blastocyst is transferred to the uterus.
The process of returning embryos in IVF is a simple, painless procedure that does not require anesthesia. It is done simply by inserting a catheter into the uterus through the vagina and injecting the embryos into the uterus. This process usually takes 10 minutes.
When the embryo is implanted in the uterus, the doctor will perform pregnancy tests about 9-14 days after the embryo transfer to ensure the pregnancy is complete.
Pregnancy symptoms after IVF
A woman may experience mild symptoms and signs that indicate the success of IVF, including:
- Fatigue or general fatigue
- Mood changes
- Nausea and sometimes vomiting
- Bloating and mild cramps
- Frequent urination
- Constipation
- Delayed menstruation
- Breast engorgement due to high estrogen levels
- Some non-serious skin spots may appear
The success rate of IVF for a healthy couple
The success rate of IVF in Turkey may vary from one family to another depending on the age of the parents, their health status, and their lifestyle, as the chances of success of IVF reach:
- 32% for women under the age of 35
- 25% for women between 35-37
- 19% for women between 38-39
- 11% for women between 40-42
- 5% for women between 43-44
- 4% for women over 44
Some studies have shown that these rates improve over time, as fertilization techniques improve and doctors’ experience in this field increases.
Risks of IVF
In vitro fertilization does not always lead to pregnancy and can, therefore, be psychologically and physically harmful. Other risks include:
- Some side effects of hormonal medications such as hot flashes and headaches.
- Multiple pregnancies (twins and triplets), which can be dangerous for both mother and babies.
- Ectopic pregnancy (on the fallopian tube or elsewhere), which can be fatal if not treated early.
- Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, where the ovaries may overreact to the medications used to stimulate them or may be misused.
Cost of IVF in Turkey
In IVF, the wife will need frequent follow-ups with her doctor to regulate her menstrual cycle until the eggs mature. Egg retrieval from the ovaries is a simple procedure that does not require hospitalization but can be performed in the clinic, and you can go home immediately afterward.
After obtaining eggs from the wife and sperm from the husband, the role of the IVF laboratory begins. Specialized doctors fertilize the eggs with semen and closely monitor the growth of the embryo. When the blastocyst stage is reached, the doctor contacts the wife and husband to prepare for pregnancy with their future child.
The prices of IVF in Turkey start from 2,500 US dollars, which is very low compared to Europe and America. The price of this procedure may vary depending on the techniques used, the examinations performed before starting the procedure, and the medications used. Bimaristan Center will stay in contact with you to ensure the success of the procedure and the pregnancy with a normal, physically healthy child.
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