IVF Treatment in Gurgaon

Motherhood is a choice but infertility of either the woman or her male partner can take that choice away. The reproductive health of every person varies and each variation can have a major impact on their ability to conceive a baby successfully. Whether an issue is major or minor if reproductive health suffers, chances of infertility or challenges in conceiving increase. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to maintain the reproductive health of both partners.

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Conception is not always easy but infertility makes it impossible without the right treatment. With infertility treatments like IVF, women get a chance to conceive and fulfil their desire to be mothers. A trusted procedure like this is considered a safe choice when it comes to infertility treatments. It is also important to have experienced specialists like Dr. Prachi Sarin Sethi, a leading IVF doctor in Gurgaon, oversee the treatment to minimize risks.

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What is IVF?​

​In Vitro Fertilisation consists of a series of invasive procedures that enable a couple to start a family. These procedures are complex and require a considerable amount of time but they have a high success rate. This is one of the major reasons why patients prefer this treatment over anything else. The treatment is expensive and the success rate can seem very low in comparison to it but it is a risk that couples must take if they wish to start a family. Dr. Prachi Sarin Sethi provides comprehensive fertility care, including IVF treatment in Gurgaon, Sector 55, Sector 56 and Sector 57 Gurgaon with a focus on personalized and effective solutions.

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The process of IVF starts with the collection of matured eggs from the ovaries of either the female patient or a donor in case the patient is not able to produce healthy eggs for fertilization. The eggs which have been collected are then fertilized in a lab using the sperm of the male partner or a donor in case the partner’s sperm count is low, the sperm’s movement is unusual, or there is some other reason due to which the partner has been rendered infertile. The fertilized egg i.e., the embryo is implanted in the uterus of the patient or the surrogate if the patient is unable to carry a pregnancy to term due to conditions affecting the uterus.

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IVF Procedure

Development of the ovarian follicle

•  Although most women usually develop a single egg per month, most Reproductive Endocrinologists (RE) want to maximize the number of eggs retrieved in an IVF cycle

•  To do this the Intended Mother or Egg Donor needs to take medication (Gonadotropin Injections) to produce several follicles at one time

•  When the follicles reach maturity, the patient receives an injection of hCG (Human Chronic Gonadotrophin) usually late at night or early morning (Approximately 34-36 hrs prior to Egg retrieval)

•  This will be the start of the final phase of the egg development

Egg Retrieval

•  Most egg retrievals from the ovaries are completed between 34 and 36 hours after the hCG injection. The timing is extremely important here for the RE to retrieve maximum number of oocytes from the stimulated follicles

•  The triggering injection is hCG-hormone, and it matures the eggs, releasing them to the follicular fluid

•  The egg retrieval procedure uses the same vaginal ultrasound probe that was used for follicle monitoring. The follicle is entered and follicular fluid removed with gentle suction

•  An aspiration needle is attached to the probe and inserted up through the vagina and into the follicles of the ovary

•  The egg retrieval procedure is done under anaesthesia. The egg collection may take 10-20 minutes, depending on the number of follicles

Semen Collection

•  The IVF clinic will recommend that the Intended Father or Sperm Donor should not ejaculate for at least two days prior the egg retrieval

•  To maintain potency, the semen specimen needs to be delivered immediately prior to the egg retrieval at the clinic where special semen collection room is provided

•  Alternately the semen can be collected at home and brought to the clinic within a certain specified time frame (within 1 hr. of semen collection)

•  The clinic will give the patient the proper guidelines for semen collection

What happens in the IVF Lab

•  During the egg retrieval, tubes containing follicular fluid are taken into the lab & are simultaneously scanned for the oocytes. This procedure is called as Oocyte Scanning or Oocyte Hunting

•  The oocytes are placed into a petri dish containing a culture medium in the form of droplets. The dish is then placed for an hour in an incubator that mimics the conditions of the human body (temperature etc.)

•  Each droplet contains single oocyte & is inseminated with the washed sperms, for fertilization to occur. This day is considered as Day Zero of the IVF procedure

•  The next day, is Day 1, when oocytes are checked for fertilisation. If oocyte has fertilised we can observe 2 pronuclei at the centre of the cytoplasm with the 2 polar bodies in the PVS of the oocyte. At this stage it is called as 'Embryo'

•  On Day 2, embryos are checked for cellular development. On this day embryo should be at least 4 celled

•  The embryos are monitored daily. If the fertilization and growth are normal (embryo with 6-8 cells), the embryo transfer can be completed within three to five days

The embryo transfer

•  Embryo transfer simply delivers the embryos into the uterus. There is no need for sedation or anaesthesia

•  A speculum is placed into the vagina. The embryos (usually not more then 3) are loaded into the catheter along with a small amount of fluid, and then catheter is introduced into the uterus through the cervix and the embryos are transferred into the endometrial cavity

•  After the procedure, the patient is advised to rest in bed for 2 hours, with her head down slightly and feet up

•  After going home, she will need to rest in bed for the rest of the day. On the next day she can resume non-strenuous activity. Please note that each clinic has their own protocol and will advise the patient to follow their specified directions

After transfer care

•  Generally, on the day of the egg retrieval, the patient will be told to start progesterone. This medication can come in many forms including injections and vaginal suppositories

•  On or about fourteen days after the embryo transfer a blood pregnancy test (hCG levels) is ordered to see if indeed the transfer has worked and there is a pregnancy

•  If the test is positive, an ultrasound will be performed two weeks later to confirm the pregnancy. If everything goes as planned then at about 10 weeks the patient will be released to her obstetrician

Other Options Available?

•  Donor Egg Program

•  PGS & PGD

•  IVF

•  ICSI

•  Donor Egg Surrogacy

•  Gestational Surrogacy

•  Embryo Adoption

•  Key Hole Surgeries

•  Office Hysteroscopy

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How Long is the Process?​

IVF treatment can take about 4 to 6 weeks in total. This does not include the time for preparation of the patient and their partner for this procedure. The prep starts with a medical consultation. After that, several fertility tests are done on both the patient as well as her male partner along with the administration of hormonal medication, if necessary. The preparation starts 2 to 4 weeks before the actual treatment begins.

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The treatment comprises of several stages, namely: Administration of Oral Contraceptives, Injecting Fertility Medicines, Egg Retrieval, and Transfer of Embryo. The process can take longer and the treatment can even be postponed or cancelled depending on the response of the patient’s body to the procedures during preparation as well as the various stages of the treatment. It is better not to proceed with IVF if the conditions are not ideal as it can hamper a successful pregnancy. 

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Success Rates​

One of the main factors influencing the outcome of IVF treatment is the age of the female whose eggs are used, as the quality of the eggs decline as the woman gets older. The rate of birth defects, chromosome abnormalities and miscarriages also rises with maternal age

The procedure has an average success rate of 30-35%. This rate is affected by the Woman's Age at the time of treatment and upon your particular fertility problem

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Advantages​

•  While some assisted conception procedures are still relatively new, IVF has been around long enough for researchers to do extended health studies on the children conceived using this method. In the majority of cases there are no long-term problems for children conceived by IVF

•  Gives women with blocked, damaged or missing fallopian tubes (the normal route for the egg to travel from the ovary to the uterus) a chance to have a baby

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Disadvantages​

•  Since the procedure often places more than one embryo in a woman's uterus, there is higher chance multiple pregnancies

•  Multiple pregnancies increase risk of miscarriage and other complications

•  The fertility drugs used to stimulate egg production themselves can have severe side effects. You will need to be closely monitored while you are taking them to ensure you do not develop Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)

•  Any treatments that use drugs to stimulate the ovaries can lead to an increased risk of ovarian cancer in later life

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The Bottom Line

​So, for couples who desire to start a family of their own but are having trouble conceiving, IVF is a great option as an infertility treatment. You can consult a specialist like Dr. Sethi for IVF treatment in Gurgaon to get started.

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