What is IVF for? Common Reasons Why Couples Might Choose IVF

IVF has given lots of hope to most couples facing infertility problems. Being a series of complex procedures, IVF helps a child be conceived. Couples might consider IVF for various reasons, from medical conditions to even unexplained infertility. Dr Sharvari Mundhe, Consultant, Gynecologist and Fertility Specialist, Motherhood Fertility, and IVF, Sarjapur, Bengaluru discusses some common reasons couples may opt for this assisted reproductive technology.

1. Blocked or Damaged Fallopian Tubes

Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes are one of the most common reasons couples seek to do IVF. The fallopian tubes offer a pathway through which the sperm could reach the egg; without them, natural conception would be quite challenging. If these tubes are blocked or badly damaged, the eggs travel out of the ovaries into the pelvic cavity, and the sperm is unable to fertilize the egg , therefore eliminating the possibility of a natural pregnancy. IVF totally bypasses the tubes since fertilization of the egg occurs outside the body and the implantation of the embryo directly into the uterus.

2. Male Infertility Issues

Another influential factor that makes couples go for IVF is male infertility. It includes problems with sperm count, poor motility of sperm, and abnormal morphology, thereby preventing the sperm from fertilizing an egg. IVF may help in such cases with the use of ICSI, wherein one healthy sperm is inserted into the egg to increase the rate of fertilization.

3. Ovulation Disorders

Ovulation disorders include irregularities in the release of eggs from the ovaries, such as PCOS. If ovulation doesn’t occur, then no eggs will be around to get fertilized. In this regard, IVF can induce multiple eggs from the ovaries by using medications, and after aspiration, they get fertilized in the laboratory. This will raise the chances of getting eggs fertilized in the lab and increase the pregnancy rates.

4. Endometriosis

Endometriosis is one very painful disorder where tissues lining the inside of a uterus begin to grow outside it. It might affect ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the lining of the pelvis, hence consequently causing infertility in a person. IVF might be a solution for women grappling with endometriosis, as it averts many issues that come along because of it, such as adhesions and blockages, which obstruct natural conception

5. Unexplained Infertility

Some couples, however, have infertility due to an unknown cause. There is no reason found for infertility in such cases even after extensive testing. Usually, IVF is suggested to a patient where other forms of treatment, like fertility drugs or intrauterine insemination, fail to work. IVF provides a controlled environment where fertilization can be monitored and assisted to increase the chances of conception.

6. Genetic Disorders

Couples who know that they have a genetic disorder may resort to this technique to avoid the possibility of passing such an illness on to their offspring. In IVF, preimplantation genetic testing, more popularly known as PGT, may be conducted on the embryos for certain genetic conditions. Embryos with a genetic disorder are not transferred, which virtually eliminates the chance of an affected child.

IVF is a strong option under the umbrella of assisted reproductive technologies that has been able to give hope to many couples who face several infertility problems. Be it blocked fallopian tubes, male infertility, genetic disorders, or even unexplained infertility, IVF deals with them all. Emotionally draining and financially exhausting, the step towards IVF is the much-needed solution for most couples yearning to build their families. By understanding the common reasons for choosing IVF, we can appreciate how it is deep within the lives of innumerable individuals and couples around the world.