In-vitro fertilization is the last ray of hope for couples who couldn’t conceive despite trying all invasive and non-invasive treatment options in Lahore. The journey, however, can be overwhelming. Aspiring parents often have many questions that remain unanswered. To help manage your stress and make your conception journey smoother, we’ve compiled a list of the 17 most commonly asked questions and their answers by experts. By the end of this post, you’ll have a clear understanding of IVF, its protocols, and how Lahore-based fertility clinics do their best to help you conceive your biological baby. Let’s get started.
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Can IVF Cause Cancer?
It’s a common misconception. IVF is not linked to cancer. Earlier, people used to believe that IVF raises your risk of developing ovarian, breast, or endometrial cancer because it involved hormonal injections for ovarian induction.
While that’s not true, women who already have hormone-sensitive cancers or a family history of it must consult a fertility specialist in Lahore before proceeding with the treatment. Your fertility doctor or gynecologist will run tests, including breast exams and an ultrasound, to rule out cancer and hormone-related issues before starting fertility treatment. If you are still concerned about the risks, book an appointment with your doctor in Lahore to learn more about IVF and cancer risk.
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Do IVF babies look like their parents?
Yes, your baby will resemble your and your partner’s appearance, given that you have used your gametes. IVF does not change the genetic material of the baby. They will inherit your genes and will have your traits. However, if the donor’s gametes (sperm or eggs) are used, the baby will have their genes, resulting in the facial features and other traits similar to those of their biological parents.
Note that IVF is an assisted reproductive technology that supports the growth of an embryo outside your body. It’s for couples who have a medical issue that makes conception harder. For example, uterine abnormalities, PCOS, and other hormonal issues in women, and low sperm count or poor sperm quality in men, are the leading causes of infertility. If you seek medical assistance, rest assured that your baby will have your genes, looks, and features, as long as no donor is involved.
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IVF or ICSI – Which Is Better for You?
IVF involves natural fertilization. The sperm and eggs are kept in a lab dish and left overnight for fertilization. In contrast, with ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), fertilization is performed manually. The embryologist will take a single sperm and inject it into the woman’s egg under a microscope. Both methods are effective, but the right one for you depends on the reason you are undergoing IVF treatment. For example, if your sperm count is extremely low or zero, you may be a good candidate for ICSI. If it’s normal and of good quality, your fertility specialist in Lahore may proceed with the regular IVF.
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When Is IVF Needed for Infertility Treatment?
IVF is not always a first line of treatment for all infertility issues, particularly in women below 35. Lahore-based fertility specialists often recommend less-invasive treatment plans, such as hormone injections that trigger your ovaries to release multiple eggs, thus boosting your chances of pregnancy.
Or, your doctor may conduct Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) where the sperm is injected into your uterus around the time you are ovulating. If none of these work, IVF is your last resort. For women above 40 years with unexplained infertility, IVF may be the most effective choice. Other than that, IVF is recommended if you or your partner has:
- Blocked fallopian tubes
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Low sperm count
- Poor sperm quality
- Ovulation disorders
- PCOD
- Genetic disease
It’s also a highly preferred option in couples who want to preserve their fertility, because of health issues, career preference, or other reasons.
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Are IVF Babies Healthy and Normal?
Yes, IVF does come with a small risk of preterm birth or babies born with a lower than standard weight, but these risks are present in natural pregnancies too. Other than that, babies born through IVF are mostly healthy. In fact, IVF allows couples a chance to test the embryos for genetic abnormalities or chromosomal defects before proceeding with implantation. This offers significant relief to parents with a genetic disorder or a family history of genetic diseases.
Many babies born through IVF in the Lahore fertility centers grow, live, laugh, and work normally. Their physical and mental development is similar to that of those born naturally. Even if the problems arise during pregnancy or childbirth, they are linked to the underlying fertility issues, instead of IVF itself.
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Are IVF Injections Painful?
Most women don’t feel much pain in IVF injections. They describe the feeling as a stinging sensation that occurs when the needle penetrates the skin. It’s usually short-lived. However, HCG shots that are administered to get the eggs to reach maturity might hurt for a few hours as they go way deeper into the muscles.
Other triggering shots that are delivered into your muscles are slightly painful. To avoid intense pain, consider switching injection sites. You can also minimize pain by staying calm, massaging the injection site gently with ice packs, and having an expert administer the shots.
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How Long Does the IVF Process Take from Start to Finish?
A single cycle of IVF can last between 4 and 8 weeks. It starts with a consultation followed by blood tests and ultrasounds. Your treatment will start with ovulation induction. Normally, your body releases an egg naturally during ovulation, but in assisted induction, you need to take hormonal shots for 8-14 days to trigger your ovaries to release multiple mature eggs. Then comes egg retrieval, which takes around 30 minutes. The eggs and sperm are placed in a culture dish in an embryology lab.
They may fertilize automatically overnight or require ICSI for manual fusion. It may take approximately 17 hours for the eggs to be fertilized. Embryo culture is the next step. Your embryo is monitored in the lab for 3-5 days (until it reaches the blastocyst stage) before it’s transferred to the uterus. Once ready, the fertility doctor in Lahore schedules the embryo transfer. Once it’s transferred, you can take a pregnancy test anytime after two weeks have passed.
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How Many Injections Are Needed During an IVF Cycle?
The number of injections needed in an IVF cycle can vary greatly and usually depends on your age, reproductive health, IVF protocol, and ovarian response. Ideally, fertility doctors prescribe hormonal shots that stimulate your ovaries to produce eggs. You need 1-2 shots a day for 8-14 days. During this period, your eggs will be monitored for growth with an ultrasound.
Once they are ready for retrieval, the last trigger shot is administered to mature these eggs. After the resulting embryo is transferred into your uterus, you will be given progesterone shots to prepare your uterine lining for implantation. You can expect 10-12 injections in one IVF cycle, although the treatment may be adjusted depending on how your body responds.
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How Can I Make IVF Successful the First Time?
IVF doesn’t guarantee pregnancy. Some women get pregnant in the first attempt and deliver a healthy child, while for others, it may take two or more attempts. A few factors can improve your success rate, though. For instance, your diet plays a very crucial role in preparing your body for conception. That said, don’t make any major changes in your diet. For example, do not go gluten-free or vegan during this time.
Focus on a balanced meal rich in vitamins, minerals, and healthy nutrients. Experts in Lahore often recommend a Mediterranean diet that’s rich in green vegetables, fruits, poultry, fish, and healthy fats. You should limit your consumption of red meat, processed foods, and added sugars. Practice yoga and meditation to maintain a stress-free life. The fertility clinic you choose in Lahore can also influence the success rate.
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Is IVF Halal in Islam?
Islam doesn’t prohibit couples from seeking medical treatment for infertility. IVF is acceptable; however, there are certain conditions that a Muslim couple must meet to ensure they don’t go against the Islamic ruling. For example, couples must use their gametes for IVF. Donor eggs or sperm are not allowed. Likewise, surrogacy is considered haram.
IVF must be conducted with the husband’s sperm and the wife’s eggs. Additionally, the resulting embryo must be transferred to the wife’s uterus only. A woman must also maintain her haya, or modesty, while seeking treatment. Many Lahore-based fertility centers follow strict protocols that ensure the entire procedure is carried out safely and within the limits of Shariah.
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Is IVF Safe for Mother and Baby?
IVF is safe for the mother and the baby, but it does carry a few risks. For mothers, there’s the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), swelling and pain in the ovaries that occur due to the hormonal shots. That risk is minimized with the right dosage and careful planning. Certain side effects of the medication, such as bloating, cramping, and some bruising on the injection site, may occur.
These issues are often short-lived and typically resolve as soon as the treatment is completed. For babies, there’s a slight risk of premature birth, but it’s present in all pregnancies (natural or assisted). Overall, IVF is safe and an effective treatment option for couples who can’t get pregnant naturally.
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What Are the Pregnancy Symptoms After IVF?
Pregnancy symptoms in women undergoing IVF are similar to those who conceive naturally. You may feel exhausted (due to a sudden surge in the progesterone levels) in the first few weeks. Morning sickness, including nausea and vomiting, is also common. Some women experience light bleeding or spotting in the first few days of pregnancy. It’s considered implantation bleeding and is normal.
You are advised to take a pregnancy test 12 days after embryo transfer. Do not test too early, as it can give false negatives and cause unnecessary stress. The only reliable method to confirm pregnancy is through a beta-hCG blood test. If your period is delayed and you experience the above symptoms, these could be the signs you are pregnant, but these symptoms can also be due to the progesterone injections. So, don’t make any assumptions until you take the pregnancy test.
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Whose Sperm Is Used in IVF?
In IVF, the husband’s sperm is used to fertilize the wife’s eggs. The entire process takes place outside the woman’s body. Using a donor’s gametes can create confusion in the lineage, making it haram. In severe cases of male-factor infertility, the sperm can be retrieved through a surgical procedure called microTESE.
An individual sperm cell can be mixed with a woman’s egg (ICSI) to support fertilization. If your husband’s sperm is retrieved, they are washed and tested for quality and other factors before being combined with your eggs. In cases where no sperm can be retrieved despite trying invasive and non-invasive procedures, couples can consider adoption.
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IVF vs ICSI Success Rates – What Should You Choose?
Both have almost similar success rates. The best choice depends on your case. In couples where the husband’s sperm count and quality are normal, IVF can be the best bet. The sperm is mixed with the egg in a lab dish and kept overnight for fertilization.
If your husband’s sperm count is low or there’s a problem with motility, morphology, and other factors, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) can help achieve fertilization. It involves the manual fusion of sperm and eggs to achieve an improved success rate. Although the procedure carries a small risk of genetic defects and damage to the embryo during injection, it’s considered safe when performed by an expert embryologist.
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IVF with PGD – Success Rates and Benefits
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis screens the embryos for chromosomal defects. It also minimizes the risk of genetic issues, like thalassemia and cystic fibrosis, in babies. Each embryo is carefully screened to ensure its chromosomal makeup is correct. Only the healthiest embryos are picked for transfer. IVF with PGD has a slightly higher success rate, especially in older women or couples with genetic disorders.
It’s also recommended for couples who have faced frequent miscarriages. Picking the healthiest embryo for transfer ensures that the embryo will implant well in the uterine lining and your pregnancy will continue normally. Note that PGD doesn’t guarantee pregnancy. It does reduce the risk of passing genetic diseases to your offspring though.
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How Long Does IVF Pregnancy Take – Is It Any Different?
The duration for IVF pregnancy is similar to that of natural conception, i.e, 40 weeks from your last menstrual period. Doctors calculate it based on your last menstrual period, although in this case, they can obtain a more precise delivery date, as they know the fertilization date. In the early pregnancy (if you conceive through IVF), you will be monitored with ultrasound and other tests to ensure your baby develops normally.
You might also need to take progesterone shots to prepare your uterine lining for pregnancy. Once the 12-week mark has passed, the risk of miscarriage reduces. Your pregnancy will be managed like normal pregnancies.
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Which City Is Best for IVF in Pakistan?
Many cities in Pakistan, including Islamabad and Karachi, are considered good choices for IVF. However, if you aim to strike a balance between excellent success rates and cost efficiency, you may want to consider visiting a Lahore-based fertility clinic. The city offers some of the best, highly trained embryologists and fertility specialists.
Lahore also has clinics equipped with cutting-edge technology and a modern infrastructure to provide support to couples seeking fertility treatments. You get all these perks at a significantly lower cost as compared to the same in Islamabad and Karachi. So, for personalized care, advanced treatment, and a comfortable environment, it’s advisable to choose a reputable fertility center in Lahore.
