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FAQ and Related Material:
In Vitro Fertilization
Risks
associated with IVF
There are some potential risks and side effects associated
with IVF procedures, including:
- An exaggeration of usual menstrual cycle symptoms
(e.g. Bloating, fullness, mood swings) because the
ovaries have been stimulated to produce more than
one follicle.
- In about 1% of the cases, ovarian hyperstimulation
syndrome (OHSS) develops when the ovaries become extremely
enlarged and extra fluid accumulates in the abdomen.
This complication requires close monitoring, intravenous
fluids or even drainage of the abdominal fluid. .
In rare cases, if we feel you are at high risk for
developing OHSS, the embryos may be frozen
rather than being replaced.
- If more than one embryo is transferred into the
uterus, a multiple pregnancy may occur. Multiple pregnancies
carry a higher risk of preterm delivery and other
associated problems. Twins occur in about 30-50% of
IVF cycles while triplets occur in about 2-5%, depending
on age and the number of embryos replaced. In such
cases, a reduction procedure can be made available
to reduce a high multiple pregnancy down to twins,
if a couple wishes.
- Fertility drugs have not been proven to increase
the risk of breast, ovarian or uterine cancer. Women
who have never been pregnant have a higher risk of
breast or ovarian cancer. Several large follow-up
studies provide reassurance that this risk is not
increased following the use of fertility drugs. Past
or future use of the birth control pill can lower
your risk of ovarian cancer. A yearly physical exam
is important for the prevention and early detection
of all diseases.
Optimizing your chances
Women who are underweight or
markedly overweight may have difficulties during the
treatment cycles or a resulting pregnancy. As medication
doses and responses tend to be weight-related, overweight
women may require much higher dosages of medication
and may have difficulty absorbing it. As well, such
women have an increased risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.
If you are markedly overweight, we will calculate your
body mass index and may ask you to delay treatment until
your weight has dropped into a safer and more ideal
range. Women who are underweight may also have difficulties
with conceiving.
If you smoke, you should attempt to
quit, or at least minimize the number of cigarettes
smoked each day. Women who smoke have a lower chance
of becoming pregnant and a higher rate of miscarriage.
We recommend a multivitamin supplement
that contains folic acid (0.4-1.0 mg) for all women
who are trying to become pregnant. This B-vitamin reduces
the risks of some serious defects of the central nervous
system in the fetus. It should be started a few weeks
before treatment begins and taken until the 10th week
of pregnancy.
IVF success rates
Several factors affect IVF pregnancy
rates. One of the most important is the age of the
female partner. Your individual circumstances will be
discussed with you before you start your treatment cycle.
Counseling
Infertility and its treatment can be quite stressful
from an emotional, physical and financial point of view.
We encourage partners to be supportive of each other,
and to participate in the treatment process together.
It can also be helpful to develop a network of supportive
friends and relatives who are sympathetic to your situation.
Remember, it is the treatment cycle that succeeds or
fails, not you.
In addition to assistance from our
medical and nursing staff, you also have access to counseling
sessions that are included in the cost of each IVF
and ICSI cycle, and in the
Donor Egg and Donor
Sperm orientations. Additional individual and group
counseling sessions are also available on a fee-for-service
basis to help you cope with the stress of infertility
and to help you make treatment decisions based on your
individual needs.
We have identified a network
of counselors in various communities who are interested
and experienced in infertility-related issues.
Cost of Treatment
Please refer to our fee
guide.
Although no two cycles are exactly
the same, medication costs usually range from $1500
- $3000 for each cycle. You should check with your extended
benefits carrier to see if any of the drugs are covered,
to what extent, and for how many treatment cycles.
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