Infertility is defined as ‘the inability of a sexually active, pre-menopausal woman to achieve pregnancy in one year. This means that the couple has not conceived after repeated unprotected sexual intercourse for one year.
IVF is a viable option to consider if you’ve tried to conceive with no success. See what it involves and when to consider it on this page: https://acrm.com.sg/ivf-treatment-singapore/. It is only when both the partners go through a thorough medical checkup can they understand what exactly is causing infertility in them, which often leads to the next question:
Why Does Infertility Happen?
The causes of female infertility are many; some cause anatomic problems in the reproductive system, while others lead to abnormal hormone levels. The problem may even be with your partner because his sperm count, motility, or shape could all have an effect on fertility.
In men, low sperm count and poor motility are major reasons for infertility. In women, hormonal imbalances account for around 30% of cases of infertility, while anatomical defects due to injuries, infections, or DES (Diethylstilbestrol) intake can account for another 20%.
Other less common causes of infertility are immune system problems, abnormal cervical mucus, and endometriosis. However, no matter the reason for infertility, there is always an option for solving the problem, and one of those methods is Cryos International IVF treatment.
IVF Treatment Procedure Itself
Many women find it hard to understand what exactly happens during an IVF treatment. This involves first stimulating ovaries with hormones to enhance egg development and then retrieving these eggs by puncturing the ovarian follicle.
Sperm is prepared in a dish where it is washed several times so that only healthy-looking sperm enter into the fallopian tube. The fertilized egg grows in the same place where it is naturally formed in the ovary.
IVF treatment involves regular monitoring of blood hormone levels and the growth of follicles. Ultrasound scans are also done to check whether eggs have matured well enough to be fertilized.
The eggs are removed from the ovaries after they reach a specific state, mixed with sperm, incubated for 1-2 days, and checked under a microscope for fertilization, graded as per the percentage of cells that have combined to form an embryo. Ectopic pregnancy should be ruled out before embryos are replaced inside the uterus using a thin plastic catheter passed through the cervix into the uterine cavity.
Embryos can either be replaced into the upper part of the uterus near the neck or the lower segment near the cervix. The procedures are done through a tiny incision that hardly requires 1/2 stitch.
After embryo transfer, the patient is advised to come back after 4-5 hours for checking if embryo transfer has been successful or not. If there is no pain or bleeding by this time, she can go home and return for a follow-up ultrasound scan in 10 days to make sure that the pregnancy has occurred successfully. Couples may even be asked to come three weeks later for another ultrasound scan because implantation of embryos normally occurs around then.
What Questions do they ask for IVF?
When planning to visit an IVF clinic for the first time, it is normal to be a bit confused about the procedure. There are so many things to be done which inevitably leads to a lot of questions.
Knowing some of the questions, you can be asked for IVF can help you get ready for the procedure better. Here we have provided a list of questions that you can be asked when you approach an IVF clinic:
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Have you ever been pregnant before?
Your fertility history is an important part of your medical history. It can help determine the reasons behind infertility and also suggest the best treatment plan for you. The doctors at the fertility clinic will ask you if you have ever been pregnant before. They will also probe even further to determine what happened with your pregnancies. Some of the questions they may ask are:
- Did you suffer from miscarriages in the past?
- Have your lab tests revealed any hormone or blood disorder?
- Do you have other complications like diabetes or high blood pressure that can affect your fertility?
- How many IVF cycles have you tried so far?
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Do you have a history of conditions like endometriosis or PCOS?
The doctor will also ask you if you have a history of certain conditions like endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). This is important because the treatment approaches may involve medications which will affect your overall health. Therefore, it is important that you tell your doctor about any medical conditions.
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What are the medications you are currently taking?
Most women who have been trying for a baby without success may have been prescribed multiple medications by their gynecologists. These medications have often been used to induce ovulation or treat specific conditions like PCOS and endometriosis. The IVF clinic will ask you if you are currently on any medication so that they can take this into account before suggesting any treatment plan.
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Are there any lifestyle factors that might be affecting your fertility?
Your doctor will also ask if there are any lifestyle factors that might be affecting your fertility adversely, such as smoking, drinking alcohol, recreational drug usage, sexually transmitted diseases, etc. The doctor will recommend quitting all harmful habits before you try to get pregnant.
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Have you ever taken any fertility drugs to get pregnant?
The IVF clinic may also ask you if you have ever tried taking a course of medications to induce ovulation for trying for a baby without success in the past. This is because it is important to understand why your body is not responding well during an IVF cycle.
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What treatment options have been suggested by your gynecologist?
If you are approaching an IVF center with a history of failed attempts at natural conception, then the fertility center will be aware that there might be some inherent issues with your endometrial cavity or ovarian response which need to be fixed.
In Closing
An IVF clinic will always follow a standard set of questions to get to know about a patient’s history. The better you are able to address these questions, the easier it will be for your clinic to help you conceive. Please, keep in mind that you should always inform your doctor about any medication you are using to ensure a safe pregnancy.
At the Advanced Center for Reproductive Medicine, we believe in open communication with our patients and do not judge them based on their lifestyle choices. We try to understand each patient’s health history to come up with a treatment plan that is geared towards helping them get pregnant. If you are looking for an infertility consultation in Singapore, please feel free to contact us at +65 6474 3900 to schedule an appointment.
Advanced Centre for Reproductive Medicine – OBGYN | Gynaecologist | Urogynaecology | IVF Singapore
6A Napier Rd, #05-35, Singapore 258500
+65 6474 3900
https://acrm.com.sg/
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