Is IVF The Right Path for You? Decoding the options available for Indian women.
Imagine you've just turned 30, and family planning begins to bug you. But what if trying for it hasn't come your way as easily as you expected it would? It's a problem many women face across India; many turn to IVF or wonder whether it is indeed the right step. Before jumping into this complicated world, let's take a closer look at the subtleties of this life-altering choice and discover when IVF might just be the right choice for you.
The Waiting Game: How Long Do You Wait to Try IVF
Did you know that a generally healthy couple takes an average of six months to a year to conceive naturally? If you are under 35, doctors typically recommend that you try to conceive naturally for at least a year before you explore fertility treatments. But if you're older than 35, that waiting period drops to just six months. Age, of course, plays a huge role in fertility—a woman's chances of getting pregnant plummet after 35 and by age 40 fall to just 5% per cycle.
IVF: Not The First Resort
It's a common misconception that IVF is always the plan for anyone trying to conceive. Several less invasive treatments are tried first. For example, IUI, which is less complex and less expensive than IVF; IUI might be an alternative in cases of mild ovulatory impairment and male factors such as low ejaculated sperm count. If the conditions are blocked fallopian tubes, severe endometriosis, or very low ovarian reserve, then IVF is more likely to be a more suitable and easier option.
The Emotional and Financial Reality
IVF can also be pretty emotional since it calls for a lot of commitment, not just financially but emotionally as well. It does not guarantee success and usually multiple cycles have to go through before getting successful pregnancy results, and every cycle amounts to several lakhs of rupees. This is why emotional preparedness coupled with support must be in place before taking this up.
Surprising Factors That Can Affect Fertility
You will be surprised at how easily everyday factors such as diet and stress, or even the air you breathe, can impact your fertility. For example, it is now well documented from research that high levels of pollution, a growing concern in many Indian cities, have been linked with lower fertility rates. Similarly, healthy weight, abstaining from smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, and living with minimal stress all are important first steps toward optimising your fertility.
The Age Conundrum: Time is of the Essence
Let's talk numbers: if you're 35 or older, you are entering what some experts consider "advanced maternal age." At 35, your chance of conceiving naturally is about 20% per cycle. This percentage drops to just 5% by the age of 40. This is a sobering statistic that needs to be kept in mind when planning a family. And it's not only women; men's fertility also declines with age after 40.
IVF Success Rates: Time for Reality Check
IVF is no magic bullet by any stretch of the imagination. True to the nature of most medical procedures, IVF is hit or miss and largely dependent on factors of age, conditions, and lifestyle. The best one can hope for is a 40-50% success ratio per cycle, on average, if a woman is below 35 years of age. Once the age crosses the 40-year mark, then it is reduced to about 15-20%.
When Is the Right Time to Visit a Specialist?
If you haven't been able to get pregnant after trying for more than a year while under 35 years of age, or more than six months while over 35 years of age, seek a fertility specialist. Chronic conditions like diabetes or hyper/hypothyroidism can affect your fertility and may need the attention of a specialist too. The earlier you seek help, the sooner you'll avoid potentially wasting much time and tears later on.
Traveling the IVF Route
If you opt for IVF, well, be prepared for a pretty fairly complicated and straining process. You would begin with hormone injections that stimulate your ovaries, then retrieval of eggs occurs where the two fertilised in the lab using sperm and give way to observing the embryos produced this way for several days after which one or more are transferred to your uterus, and you just have to wait for implantation to take place there.
It is also a very personal decision to want IVF. This is more about knowing your body and the options that exist, preparing you for what lies ahead. Science and medicine have gone a long way in coming closer to dreams for many people, but it is emotional and physical readiness that shapes choice most of the time.
So, whether you've just started on your trip on the road to parenthood or are just wondering what the next step would entail on this trip, remember: knowledge is power. And in this delicate dance of biology and destiny, every piece of information counts.
Reviewed by
Dr. Shilpa Ellur - Senior Consultant - Reproductive Medicine & High-Risk Obstetrician, Milann - Whitefield.
