What is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)?
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In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
In Vitro Fertilization is used when a woman has blocked or absent fallopian tubes, irreparable fallopian tube damage, severe endometriosis, history of failed infertility treatment (i.e. ovulation induction with medications and/or Artificial inseminations), or unexplained infertility.
IVF is also indicated when there is a severe male factor (i.e. very low sperm count/quality). The success rate of IVF is 3-4 times higher than that of artificial insemination. A woman is prepared for IVF with a series of injectable medications and ultrasounds followed by an office procedure that will retrieve all available eggs.
The partner’s sperm is then put with the woman’s eggs in a small plastic dish in the laboratory where the progress of the embryo is watched for 3-5 days. The resulting embryos are then placed in the woman’s uterus.
In Vitro Fertilization Pre-Embryo Transfer (IVF-ET) is a fertility procedure which first succeeded as recently as 1978 by Dr. Edwards (an embryologist) and Dr. Steptoe (a gynecologist) in England. Since then the technology has been further refined and developed by physicians and embryologists, with over 20,000 babies born worldwide.
Q: Will IVF damage my ovaries?
A: There is no evidence to suggest that either ultrasound egg retrieval or normal laparoscopy damages the ovaries. In fact, some reports in the medical literature suggest that following ovarian biopsy, pregnancies occur in couples with a long-term history of infertility.
Q: How soon will the IVF work and I’ll know I’m pregnant?
A: Pregnancy can be confirmed using blood tests about 13 days after egg aspiration. Pregnancy can be confirmed by ultrasound 30 to 40 days after aspiration.
Q: How many times can IVF be done per couple?
A: This is determined by the couple together with the physician. Sorry, There is no specific number.
Q: Is IVF covered by most standard insurance companies?
A: It is unlikely that IVF coverage is provided, unless your health insurance policy specifically provides infertility coverage . Frequently insurance policies will cover infertility but exclude IVF. This has been successfully challenged in the legal system. Consultation with your lawyer may be necessary to review you insurance companies refusal to provide IVF coverage. If, however, IVF is combined with surgical procedures used for diagnosis, insurance carriers may pay for much of the procedure. For infertility alone, most insurance policies will not provide coverage. However, coverage will depend on the terms of your policy.
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