According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one in eight couples (or 12 percent of married women) have experienced difficulty falling pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy. This calls for a timely intervention and awareness among patients of when to consider medical intervention.
Recent statistics show that timeous IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) treatment has a higher success rate than a delayed initiation. Depending on the criticality, patients might opt for less invasive treatment options before going ahead with IVF, including reproductive medications, increased production of eggs, or intrauterine insemination. However, if a couple has repeatedly failed to conceive after all other treatments and desires to attempt IVF, they should be aware of what the procedure entails and importance of time, she says.
Dr Lakshmi Chirumamilla, a fertility consultant at Nova IVF Fertility in Hyderabad, explained it in detail:
Patients planning to undergo assisted reproductive treatment (ART) such as IVF should first understand that the procedure is usually done using their own eggs and their partner’s sperm. It may also involve eggs, sperm or embryos from an anonymous donor. When a couple shows the first signs of infertility, they should consult a fertility expert to determine their biological risk stage, as the process and success rate will depend on their ability to produce eggs or sperm. Patients go through a series of tests including an evaluation of ovarian reserve, semen analysis and uterine cavity exam and only after that is IVF initiated.
With age, women’s ovarian reserves become depleted and men tend to have a lower sperm count. Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR), which happens when women’s ovaries lose their reproductive potential, causes permanent infertility. Here, the most vulnerable women are those older than 37. In a situation like this, fertility treatment becomes complicated with intricate procedures like embryo transfer as a next step.
"This whole procedure strictly includes a time-sensitive diagnosis and here, a delayed decision of IVF and other ART treatments can often lead to complications on the treatment outcome and that can lead to feelings of depression, anxiety, isolation, and loss of control. As per WHO, depression levels in patients with infertility have been compared with patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. These negative feelings may lead to varying degrees of depression, anxiety, distress, and a poor quality of life," reiterates Chirumamilla.
Chirumamilla added: "We have witnessed varied cases where time played a crucial role in the IVF process. We had a couple seeking fertility treatment, where the 28-year-old woman had been trying to conceive with her husband for the past 3 years. Upon further examination, we figured out that the husband's semen analysis was normal, while woman had a low ovarian reserve. Here, the woman was advised to opt for IVF over a year ago, but had refrained from going ahead with it. When, a year later, they finally decided to go for an assisted reproduction, the chances of the couple conceiving had decreased drastically due to her prolonged low ovarian reserve. Nevertheless, we opted for the procedure and after the first cycle of IVF, we ended up retrieving only two eggs and performed a single embryo transfer, which unfortunately came out negative. In the second cycle, we managed to retrieve three eggs from the woman that then resulted in 2 embryos. After performing a single embryo transfer in the second cycle, the woman was finally able to conceive."
The couple is happily awaiting the arrival of their little one, said Chirumamilla.
It is always important to remember that age is not an indicator of when to undergo IVF treatment. When IVF is needed it is better to do it sooner rather than later. Treatment will always be advised according to the cause.
Assisted reproductive technology has aided many couples around the world to conceive. There are countless success stories to inspire couples looking to undergo the procedure and fulfil their long-time desire to have a child.
There is no wrong time to have a baby, but it is wiser to not delay the process just because social stereotypes or the present pandemic. Don’t neglect the early signs of infertility, consult a specialist. Considering the present scenario, patients should always be cautious about the safety measures taken at IVF clinics and how stringently they are adhering to the government directives. Whenever visiting the clinic it is important to maintain a distance of at least 1m from other people. Carrying hand sanitiser and a masks is compulsory as well as frequent hand washing.