Pregnancy Tips – Infertility And In Vitro Fertilization
The article below is from a series of infertility articles, videos and tips about in vitro fertilization …
Today, there are modern and more sophisticated technologies to help women overcome infertility. In vitro fertilization is one such technique. The reality of the matter is there are over 6.1 million people who suffer from some type of infertility. Some of these conditions can be solved with minor surgeries or by taking medications orally or through the use of injections; however, other types of procedures may be required if the condition is more severe. In 1981, IVF was successfully completed in the United States for the first time. Since that time, well over 250,000 babies have been born using this method. IVF has allowed many women who have not been able to conceive a baby in the past, to get pregnant and give birth to a baby of their own.
IVF is a technique where a man’s sperm is introduced to the woman’s egg in a laboratory dish where it is then fertilized, for about forty hours. After this time period the egg is checked to see if fertilization has indeed taken place. This IVF process is one type of infertility treatment and is also known as assisted reproduction. After the woman’s egg has been fertilized, the embryo is then transferred into the womb and allowed to develop naturally. When the implanting process takes place, two to four embryos are typically transferred into the uterus or womb.
The term “test tube baby” has often been used to refer to a child who was conceived by in vitro fertilization. The very first test tube baby was born in 1978 in England. This procedure can be used for various reasons, but is usually put forward by medical specialists when a woman has severely damaged fallopian tubes, has a tubal blockage or has no fallopian tubes at all. It is also used when endometriosis has attacked the reproductive organs of the female. It can also be used as a procedure when the male spouse or partner involved has a very low sperm count and procedures need to be used to raise the sperm count.
While miscarriage always presents a concern, the rate of miscarriages with in vitro fertilization conceptions is the same as with those that take place with spontaneous conception. There is however, a 3 to 5 percent of occurrence of ectopic pregnancy with IVF. Ectopic pregnancy occurs when the embryo grows outside of the uterus, becoming a serious medical condition. When an ectopic pregnancy occurs, the embryo does not survive. Any individual who is thinking of having an IVF procedure or any other fertility treatment should always disclose their medical history and any current medical problems, no matter how insignificant they may appear.
For more articles on in vitro fertilization, visit: IVF
