A Complete IVF Guide: All You Need to Know About IVF

1. When to consult for infertility?

A woman aged 22 to 29 has a 25% chance of conceiving a child per cycle. At 35, the probability of pregnancy is no more than 15%, whereas, at 40, this probability drops to 10%.

In practice :

We recommend that you consult:

• If you are under 35: After 10 to 12 months of unsuccessful trials.
• If you are over 35: After 6 months of unsuccessful attempts.

2. First infertility consultation-

• During this first infertility consultation, your gynaecologist will question the two of you ( you and your partner) on the duration of infertility, the medical and surgical history, and the family history. He/she will also do a pelvic exam. If necessary, he will prescribe additional exploratory examinations including:

Hormonal assessment:

FSH, LH, OESTRADIOL, Anti-Mullerian hormone (HAM or AMH), TSH, PRL etc.

This is a blood test to be taken on the 3rd-4th day of the cycle at the analysis laboratory of the ART center. Its goal is to assess ovarian reserve and eliminate a hormonal cause of ovulatory dysregulation.

Antral follicular count (AFC):

This is a pelvic ultrasound to be done at the clinic on the 3rd – 4th day of the cycle. Its purpose is to assess the ovarian reserve using ultrasound.

In practice :

Combining the two exams: The patient comes to the laboratory to have their blood drawn just before their appointment with the Doctor for the AFC.

Hysterosalpingography-

This examination is not systematic. It is performed in a Radiology centre. Make an appointment with your radiologist on the 5th day of the cycle.

Tests include-

• Spermogram-Spermocytogram
• Migration Survival Test
• Spermoculture

Purpose: To assess the quality and quantity of male gametes and to ensure the absence of infection. The collection of sperm is carried out at the ART laboratory.

In practice :
Make an appointment at the ART laboratory. The technician will then explain the conditions to be respected. 

3. Second infertility consultation-

The purpose of this consultation is to explain the results of your examinations, to establish the diagnosis and to suggest a course of action.
If the orientation is to enter into a ART protocol, the Doctor will explain your chances of success as well as the course of assisted reproduction to you in a clear and a detailed manner. Then, he/she will discuss your file in a multidisciplinary consultation meeting in order to have the entire ART team validate the decision taken with you.

More information: In some cases, it will be necessary to extend the medical assessment. Thus, several consultations will be necessary before being able to set up a therapeutic strategy if required.

4. Multidisciplinary consultation meeting-

The multidisciplinary consultation meeting brings together the clinical and biological teams. It aims to study each file in order to validate the type of treatment appropriate for each couple.

In practice :
At the end of this meeting, you will receive a letter which will inform you the final choice of the type of ART treatment, which has been decided for you. This letter will explain the steps to take. A guide file will be attached to this letter. Read it well to prepare your questions. 

5. Administrative opening of the file-

Interview with the Nurse:

On the day of this interview you will need to bring:

• Photocopy of identity cards
• Photocopy of birth certificate
• In case of ART treatment with the donor sperm: Couple’s consent is required before the notary or the judge.
• After the various information and explanations given, you will have to:
• Confirm your consent for the chosen ART technique
• Give your consent (or refusal) for embryo freezing

The nurse will then establish the prescriptions for the obligatory biological examinations before the ART treatment.

In the laboratory of the ART center-
With the prescriptions provided, you will carry out the obligatory biological examinations before the treatment:
Then, you will participate in an interview with the biologist who aims to:

• Explain the chosen technique and the practical flow of the attempt
• Answer any questions you may have

Now your file is complete, you will be able to start an IVF or ICSI treatment.

6. IVF Process-

The different stages of IVF procedures-

The In vitro fertilization (IVF) process means to reproduce in the laboratory what happens in the fallopian tubes naturally: Fertilization and early stages of embryonic development. It takes place in six stages:

A. Ovarian stimulation-
It consists of injections intended to ensure the growth of multiple follicles in the ovaries.

During treatment:
The Doctor will follow the maturation of the follicles by ultrasound monitoring and hormonal biological monitoring (estradiol and LH).

B. The onset of ovulation-
During your last stimulation follow-up consultation, the doctor will decide on the date of onset of ovulation. Triggering is decided when there are at least 2-3 follicles of 16-18 mm in diameter with an estradiol level corresponding to the number of mature follicles visualized. The onset of ovulation is induced by a subcutaneous injection. The oocyte puncture will be scheduled for the following morning after the triggering injection.

In practice-
The injection time is very precise. Example: if you trigger ovulation on a Monday evening at 10 PM, the oocyte puncture will take place on Wednesday morning around 9 AM.

C. Oocyte puncture-
Oocyte puncture is the medical act that collects follicular fluid (containing oocytes) in the ovaries. The sample is taken in the operating room of the clinic 32 to 36 hours after the Ovitrelle injection. The patient will then undergo a short general anesthesia (10-15 minutes) during which the Doctor will perform the oocyte puncture. The puncture needle will collect follicular fluid through the vaginal wall under ultrasound control.

The same morning, the spouse must come to the laboratory for their collection at the scheduled time of the appointment. The spouse will be informed of the number of oocytes punctured. The patient will leave the clinic in the afternoon necessarily accompanied by a person.

D. Embryo transfer-
One or two embryos are transferred between 3-6 days after fertilization. The embryo (s) are gently placed into the uterus using a thin catheter. After this painless procedure, you can resume your normal activities.

E. Cryopreservation-
Embryos that are not transferred can then be cryopreserved. They can be used later during a defrost cycle. Data currently available demonstrates that pregnancy rates with cryopreserved embryos are equivalent to a fresh transfer. The law allows your embryos to be stored for 10 years.
In our unit and according to clearly established criteria, we prefer to have a single embryo transfer protocol in order to maximize your chances of pregnancy and minimize the risk of multiple pregnancies which are at risk. We will talk to you about it throughout the process of your care.

F. Pregnancy Test-
Fourteen days after the oocyte puncture, a blood test confirms the onset of pregnancy (pregnancy IVF testing)
In the event of a negative test, the continuation of the treatment is discussed with you during a consultation with your doctor.

In the event of a negative test, the continuation of the treatment is discussed with you during a consultation with your doctor.

IVF Treatment Cost-

The IVF cost in India or anywhere else in the world is primarily dependent on your infertility workup. Hence, it varies from person to person. If your friend, relative or colleague was lucky enough to have a baby by going through 2 IVF cycles, you may be fortunate by conceiving in one IVF cycle itself. Or perhaps a simple laparoscopy procedure might be enough to cure your infertility.

So, to know the exact cost of IVF process at Indira IVF, you can discuss with our infertility specialist at any of our Indira IVF centres or call us.
The IVF treatment cost at Indira IVF, normally ranges between 1.5 to 1.8 Lakh per cycle. The IVF cost which is also known as the test tube baby cost might be quite substantial, and also, since you have no specific endpoint, managing health expenses can be quite challenging.

The IVF cost in India or around the globe is rising as a more and more modern diagnostic test, and treatment methods (like IUI, hysteroscopy, laparoscopy) are being used to aid and facilitate infertility treatments. Because of this, there is no upper limit to the amount of money one can invest in their quest for a child. Thus, it is crucial for all of us to know what the different kinds of ART treatments are, how are they helpful to us and what’s their cost? But there’s nothing to worry about here. Because we do have many easy EMI schemes available for you starting just at Rs. 4167/.

IVF procedures Success rate-

It is the most important factor which one should definitely see before choosing the right IVF centre. India’s largest and the most trusted IVF chain- Indira IVF has a success rate of around 70% across all its centres pan India. Till now more than 100000+ couples have got their bundle of joy in the form of IVF baby by getting treated at around 100 Indira IVF centres pan India.

Though, comparison of only clinic success rates may not be meaningful because patient medical characteristics, treatment approaches, and entrance criteria for ART and other treatments may vary from clinic to clinic.

To learn more about the success rate of IVF, visit your nearest Indira IVF clinic from any our 100 IVF centres across India.