A large number of couples who have faced a terrible diagnosis of infertility, today have already become happy parents. All this became possible only thanks to scientific developments and many years of experience in conception in vitro. Children born through in vitro fertilization are no different from the rest. And some of them have already become fathers and mothers, and in a natural way.
Before deciding to carry out this procedure, it is necessary to determine the presence or absence of contraindications. They can become a reason for postponement of in vitro fertilization or even its abolition. This is a fairly serious process that affects both partners at once. Therefore, it is extremely important to responsibly treat all the recommendations and prescriptions of the doctor.
Who is having the procedure
In order to seize the opportunity to conceive a child through in vitro fertilization, it is necessary to obtain the approval of a qualified doctor. There are certain contraindications to IVF, which somewhat limit the circle of couples who want to resort to this procedure. Indications for conception in vitro are couples who are diagnosed with infertility (male or female), including unexplained, immunological. If a man has revealed pathologies of the seed (doctors still say "defective sperm"), natural fertilization becomes almost impossible. The best option to start with in this situation is to try the ICSI method.
Obstruction of the fallopian tubes or their complete absence becomes a direct indication for IVF. The absence of ovulation is considered a direct indication for artificial insemination. When this procedure does not bring proper results, then the doctor can refer to IVF, which is usually successful on the first try. Naturally, everything is very individual and depends on many factors.
If the couple is just preparing for the in vitro fertilization procedure, it is necessary to choose a competent and qualified specialist. It is worthwhile to be prepared for the fact that success will not be momentary and may have to pass it more than once. In any case, it is worth maintaining a positive attitude and psycho-emotional balance. It is worth treating IVF as one of the ways to become parents, and not the only chance in life.
How to prepare
Since this method of conceiving a child is very painstaking, responsible and complex, it is important to prepare and follow all the instructions of the doctor. If there are no contraindications for IVF, you can start training as soon as possible. The basic rule is to be healthy for both partners. Doctors believe, and practice shows that you can’t just go through IVF and live on with everyday worries. It is very important to responsibly approach the moment, try to give up alcohol and tobacco smoking, the use of drugs that can adversely affect the development of the fetus.
You should tell your doctor about all existing hereditary and chronic diseases. This will allow him to form an approximate idea of what difficulties may arise in the process of development of the fetus and the pregnancy of a woman in the future. Since conception with the help of IVF applies to both partners, it is important for them to prepare together and strictly observe all the instructions of the doctor.
Another important factor is time. If the couple cannot become pregnant naturally during the year, you should consult a doctor to find out the cause. Naturally, the statistics "says" that the younger the spouse, the higher their chances. For example, a couple aged 25 who are diagnosed with infertility has a 50% chance of becoming parents through IVF, and those who are over 30 years old already have 25%.
It is worth considering that for about 10-15% of couples the in vitro fertilization procedure will be completely unsuccessful. In this case, it will be necessary to consider alternative methods of becoming parents: the use of donor cells (sperm and eggs), surrogacy or adoption.
Temporary obstacles
It happens that when stimulating IVF, contraindications may be temporary. The list contains not only absolute obstacles, but also relative ones, which can be dealt with by choosing the right treatment regimen correctly. As a rule, this applies to women's health. For example, adhesions in the pelvic organs. You can get rid of it with the help of laparoscopy. Removing adhesions by surgery allows the couple to become pregnant naturally, without resorting to conception in vitro.
If the contraindication to IVF in a woman is the presence of fluid formation in the uterine tube cavity, which is an obstacle to implantation, then it is advisable to undergo a course of treatment and then try again to become pregnant naturally. This also includes chronic gynecological diseases, in particular the uterus and appendages.
Uterine fibroids and benign neoplasms in the ovaries also serve as temporary contraindications. In some cases, their presence does not affect the chance of becoming pregnant. However, if there is such a diagnosis, the doctor needs to control the size of the tumor during pregnancy and after childbirth. It can become a reason for the threat of miscarriage, delayed fetal development and premature onset of labor.
The right to become parents protected by law
Since 2014, the legislator has determined that all residents of the Russian Federation can apply for the right to become parents. The reason for this was the order on IVF issued by the Ministry of Health. Contraindications, as well as a complete list of indications, a detailed description of the arrangement of rooms and the grounds for the procedure are contained in this document. Therefore, the list of services at the expense of the federal compulsory health insurance fund has been replenished, and now even those who were previously unable to attend the procedure due to the presence of endocrine disease, endometriosis, infertility, uterine fibroids and several others can try to become parents of children conceived in vitro .
It is scientifically proven that such babies are no different from the rest. There are more than five million of them worldwide. Federal centers undertake even the most complex forms of infertility, both male and female.
For future parents who understand the legal documents, it is proposed to separately study the provisions of the order of the Ministry of Health on contraindications to IVF. It is quite detailed and includes, in addition to the above diseases, also:
- diseases caused by the activity of parasites and certain infections (tuberculosis of the nervous system and respiratory organs, viral hepatitis, HIV, syphilis);
- any malignant neoplasms;
- diseases of the blood, blood circulation and blood-forming organs;
- violation of nutrition, metabolism, endocrine diseases;
- nervous and mental disorders (including hereditary);
- cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, intestinal fistulas;
- diseases of the genitourinary, musculoskeletal system, including connective tissue.
Types of IVF
Depending on what was the indication for the use of in vitro fertilization, it is customary to distinguish several methods of its implementation:
- In Vitro Maturation (IVM) - means in vitro maturation or maturation. This term means that an immature egg is taken to carry out the fertilization procedure. In special sterile laboratory conditions, it is placed in a nutrient medium for final ripening. As soon as the eggs reach their peak of maturity, they are artificially fertilized and cultured. At this stage, specialists control the development of embryos. The advantage for a woman is that she does not have to consume a large amount of hormonal drugs. Which in some cases is a contraindication to IVF, as such.
- Intracytoplasmic injection (ICSI) - in which a specially selected healthy sperm is introduced into the egg. The procedure is indicated for couples in whom male infertility is the main reason for the impossibility of the onset of natural conception. The essence of the method is that a thin glass needle with one active sperm is inserted into the inside of the egg. Biomaterial is selected visually.
- A variation of ICSI is the Pixie method. The difference from it lies in a more thorough selection of sperm. For this, special tests are used. As a male biomaterial, only a mature and healthy sperm is taken.
- Ancillary hatching helps a fertilized egg to implant in the uterus. Hatching allows you to destroy the thin shell that surrounds the embryo, and does not allow it to attach.
Paid or by quota?
This question excites many. However, for those couples who want to become parents, the price for an IVF procedure is insignificant compared with many years of painful expectation.
There are two options to undergo in vitro fertilization: paid or by quota from the compulsory medical insurance fund. The first option is available at any specialized medical center. In large cities, there are a large number of them, and prices differ depending on the level of service. On average, the cost of one procedure is from 110 thousand rubles. For those who do not have the opportunity to pay for the procedure, the state offers to use the service for free in the order of the existing queue.
If there are no contraindications for IVF for compulsory medical insurance, then the couple can go to the medical institution that received the quota. However, there is a possibility that when they consult a doctor, patients will find out that there are no empty seats for the current year. All that remains for them is to either wait for their turn, or go to the institution where quotas still remain. Not always the level of service meets expectations. Therefore, future parents can either pay for IVF, or wait for the moment when the turn comes to them.
General contraindications
There are contraindications for any medical intervention in the body’s natural processes. And this also relates to IVF. Each case should be examined by an observing physician, and only he, having a clear idea of the patient’s state of health, after studies and analyzes can give approval for this procedure. In vitro fertilization should be carried out only in a specialized medical institution, after a series of studies of female and male health.
The first reason that may serve as a contraindication to IVF is the short period of unsuccessful attempts to conceive naturally. In medical practice, it is accepted that the reason for contacting a specialist is the absence of pregnancy during the year. This is the basis to suggest the likelihood of infertility in the couple.
The reason can be determined after a number of studies that even reveal hidden factors, for example, a sluggish inflammatory process or the presence of chronic diseases.
How is everything going
An integral part of the preparation is hormonal stimulation, which is why it is important that a woman has no oncological diseases and there is no tendency to develop them. The duration of the first stage is 2 weeks. A woman is prescribed hormones that contribute to the maturation of the egg. The degree of readiness is determined by ultrasound, then eggs are extracted from the ovary by means of a puncture, and under laboratory conditions they are connected to spermatozoa.
The fertilized cell is placed in the incubator for 5-6 days. In case of a successful process, the specialist checks the cell for the presence or absence of pathologies, gene abnormalities. If the embryo meets all the criteria, using a special catheter, it is transplanted into the woman's uterus. According to the current instructions, for a month after the removal of the egg, the woman continues to take hormonal drugs that minimize the risk of developing a miscarriage.
The effect of conception in vitro
In men, contraindications to IVF are somewhat less. Do not assume that all responsibility lies solely with the woman. The success of the whole procedure depends on the quality of the seed used. Since the cells of both partners are involved in the fertilization process, it is important to monitor health together and adhere to all the doctor's recommendations.
It happens that during preparation temporary contraindications to IVF were revealed in a woman (according to the quota or for a fee - it does not matter). In this case, you must immediately begin treatment or eliminate the cause. The more time passes, the less is the chance of becoming pregnant even with IVF.
What is not possible in preparation for IVF and during it
It is important to pay attention to what contraindications to IVF are available in general. Among other things, there are rules of conduct that are binding. First you need to normalize your health, abandon bad habits, stabilize sleep and avoid stress.
It is worth noting separately that the use of drugs during the preparation and the IVF procedure itself without the consent of a doctor is prohibited. Even if earlier they brought the desired result. This also applies to the massage pad "Pranamat Eco", a contraindication to the use of which is pregnancy. In extreme cases, it is advisable to clarify with the observing physician the desirability of its further use. It is possible that with a successful attempt to get pregnant, it will be allowed to be used only if certain conditions are met.
It is also worth paying attention to various kinds of biologically active additives, which are now widely distributed on the market. For example, Eco Slim. In the instructions for use in contraindications, the manufacturer indicates that the drug is not recommended to be taken during pregnancy. Therefore, during the planning and preparation period before IVF, it is worth giving up drugs that affect weight loss.