Now that is a question that troubles quite a lot of couples, who are seeking for fertility treatments in order to conceive a baby. For the couples facing infertility, often it is difficult to conceive naturally and hence people turn towards fertility treatments in order to fulfill their desire of starting their own happy and healthy family. There are various types of treatments for infertility, depending upon the severity of the case. The most suitable treatment plan is suggested by the fertility experts after a careful fertility evaluation of the couple. One such technique is In vitro Fertilization.
What is In vitro Fertilization (IVF)?
In vitro fertilization is one of the most widely known techniques of assisted reproduction wherein the developing of the embryo takes place outside the human body in a lab under a controlled environment. The procedure involves retrieving matured eggs from the female and using the sperm of the male partner or a donor to fertilize the egg outside the human body under the supervision of an experienced embryologist. About 3-5 days after the egg retrieval, one or more embryos are implanted into the uterus (this is called embryo transfer) and any additional embryos can be frozen for future use. IVF sometimes works on the first try, but in other cases, people need more than one round of IVF to get pregnant.
How is a pregnancy through IVF different from that of natural?
There are quite a few prevailing misconceptions regarding this topic. Generally, people are of the opinion that babies born via IVF are different from those born through natural pregnancy. In order to debunk this notion, it is imperative to understand that the only difference between these two pregnancies is the process of conception. Natural conception occurs when the couple engages in timed intercourse, as a result of which, the sperm can fertilize the egg released into the fallopian tube and the formed embryo travels to the uterus and is naturally implanted for pregnancy. IVF is a technique of Assisted Reproduction during which, the egg is fertilized by the sperm outside the human body in a controlled environment. The then formed embryo is implanted in the uterus thereby resulting in pregnancy. Other than this difference of procedure, you can’t distinguish between babies born through IVF and those born through natural pregnancy. Babies born via IVF are no different from babies born through natural conception. Though it is true that pregnancy through IVF can be fragile during the initial days, the doctors monitor the progress closely and ensure that the baby is carried to term; and there no inherent defects in the babies which are conceived through IVF. It is just another way of conception and the IVF babies are as normal as the other babies in terms of physical and mental attributes and abilities.
