embryo freezing

Is 40 too late for IVF?

May 17, 2021March 29, 2024
by Eva Hospital

You may have delayed childbirth for a variety of reasons and now you might be thinking it is too late for pregnancy or IVF at 40.

However, there is no age limit on this process as such. Many women across the world are planning their babies at forty years of age.

Controlling the quality of eggs, freezing your best quality eggs as well as the utilization of donor eggs are all possible with Assisted Reproductive Technology(ART).

What are your chances of becoming pregnant with IVF at or over 40, how to conceive, and when does it become too late for in vitro fertilization are the questions we would be answering in this article.

Chances of Getting Pregnant at 40

With natural ways, a woman under 30 has a 20% chance of conceiving every month while at 40 it is 5% for every menstrual cycle. However, IVF changes all that.

This happens because there is a decline in the number of eggs with time.

As the chances of becoming pregnant naturally over 40 are lesser, you can significantly increase your chances with assisted reproductive technologies such as in-vitro fertilization.

It increases the odds from 5% to up to 20% depending on your fertility, specific condition, and medical history.

IVF Treatment for Women Over 40

Apart from quantity, the quality of eggs also comes down at and after 40. The eggs’ quality is the most vital factor affecting the quality of the embryo.

However, with IVF, we aim to get multiple embryos so we can choose the best ones( by testing) and implant them back into the womb.

Another parameter that is affected with advancing age is the chromosomal status of egg cells. For women over 40 years of age, nearly one-third of the eggs have chromosomal abnormalities.

This percentage increases further with age.

ART provides the advantage of genetically testing the eggs for chromosomal disorders and discarding those.

It gives hope to women who want to embrace motherhood but are scared about genetic abnormalities and miscarriage.

Moreover, In-vitro-fertilization gives the option of becoming pregnant with your own oocytes rather than donor eggs.

New techniques are exercised in IVF that utilize a low and controlled use of follicle-stimulating hormones to get the best quality of eggs from the ovaries.

It is also called mini-IVF and is pretty successful for women over 40 who do not wanna use donor eggs.

With donor eggs, of course, the good quality ones out of those can be successfully used for fertilization and subsequent implantation.

Also Read: The Importance of IVF and The Possibilities it Offers

Conceiving Over 40

No matter what age, women should plan their pregnancies with their doctors in advance. There are a few diseases that are harmful to the reproductive system and may cause problems with fertility or genetic abnormalities in the future child.

In that case, you can freeze your eggs, embryos or both and preserve them for pregnancy via IVF later. You can try several things such as prenatal vitamins, exercising regularly and adopting healthy food habits, staying away from alcohol, smoking, and caffeine.

“Furthermore, there might be a risk of genetic abnormalities in the offspring,” says Dr. Shivani, leading Infertility Specialist in Ludhiana.

What Age Is Too Late for Ivf?

The process of IVF involves the entire process of ovulation, chromosomal screening, fertilization, and embryo transfer.

However, the woman has to carry the child for the next nine months and it is important that she be healthy enough for that.

There are different laws in different countries. There is a general ruling by doctors as well as governments that assisted reproductive technologies ART should not be used for women over 50.

Although there are many incidences and also the example of a woman who has given birth through in-vitro-fertilization at the age of 66! However, most clinics accept cases up to 50 years of age.

Conclusion

Recent developments along with advancements in IVF methodologies mean that more women can become mothers in their 40s.

An increasing number of women are freezing their eggs in their most fertile age( below 35). These eggs give them a chance to have their genetic offspring with in vitro fertilization without using egg donors.

If required, ‘Fertility clinics help you contact egg or sperm donors’, says Dr. Shivani. ‘ Our expert doctors have shown excellent success rates for IVF, almost a hundred percent.

The odds of a successful full-term pregnancy for women over 40 may differ from those who are below 35 years but we have had excellent results. It all depends on your medical history, discuss your options with those who care. Contact now.

IVF

Unexplained Fertility

November 20, 2019March 30, 2024
by Eva Hospital

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It is startling that globally about 10% of infertile couples have unexplained fertility. Approximately one in four fertility challenged couples are usually told that there is no explanation as to why they haven’t been able to conceive. This is an alarming proportion and the unexplained or idiopathic infertility, as it is usually called, can be a reason of frustration to the childless couples.

Good news is that Dr. Shivani Bhutani, Eva Hospital has made an indelible mark in treating patients with unexplained infertility. She often says to her patients that this is not the end of the world and shows them the magic doors to treating unexplained infertility.

Unexplained fertility or UI is an oft-repeated term where the doctors are unable to diagnose the type or reason for infertility. The couple has got all possible tests and even after negating the prominent causes of infertility, the reason or the cause for infertility in their case is yet unknown.

The couple has consistently been failing to get pregnant despite unprotected sexual intercourse or any visible symptoms of anomalies. Even the experts in the field are also clueless about idiopathic infertility.

Unexplained infertility is justified if it is proven that:

The female is ovulating regularly
The female ovarian reserves are good
The female fallopian tubes are open and healthy
The sperm count, sperm shape and sperm movement is normal
Hysteroscopy reveals there are no uterine fertility issues.

When the normal infertility causes are ruled out, the following symptoms may be checked to detect the possible causes of unexplained infertility:

Some unrelated health ailments have come to light in cases of infertility. It could be celiac disease, diabetes, undiagnosed thyroid disorder or autoimmune illness that could affect fertility.

There may be improper functioning of cilia or the way in which fimbria picks up the egg during ovulation.

While the eggs may be mature, follicle inside which the eggs mature doesn’t burst to release the eggs. As a result the egg remains trapped inside the unopened corpus luteum. This anomaly is called Luteinized Unruptured follicle (LUF).

Too much stress, incompatibility, relationship issues are inexplicable reasons which may affect fertility in couples. Dr. Bhutani recommends some fertility yoga exercises and a diet to alleviate stress and help patients get pregnant.

The doctor may take time in guessing that with normal sperm count, the male sperm is unable to fertilize the eggs. During the transition period, the semen may reach cervix from the cervical mucus. The condition is called hostile cervical mucus and technically difficult to comprehend.

Endometrium lining or uterine lining can be a major barrier for implanting the embryo. Endometrial cysts may cause fallopian tube blockage or disrupt ovulation. A series of ultrasound scans have to be carried out to detect this cause of infertility.

A series of tests may be conducted if you are under 35 years and have been trying for one year or if you are over 35 and have been trying for more than 6 months. Various tests like laparoscopy (to detect endometriosis), semen analysis, blood tests (to check hormone levels), ovulation tests, Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) for detailed fallopian tube analysis, FSH/AMH tests (to check for egg quality) and analysis of basic medical history may be conducted to detect any unexplained cause of infertility.

Dr. Shivani is very optimistic for her patients and thoroughly conducts all the tests to determine the root cause of the problem. The treatment for unexplained fertility is empiric as the cause is not restricted to a particular impairment.

Following are the possible treatments that can help in unexplained infertility:

Gonadotropins are the hormones which help in stimulating the reproductive organs of the body. Treatments such as IVF and IUI use gonadotropins as a part of treatment to stimulate the ovaries.

In this process sperms are placed directly inside the uterus and moved to the fallopian tubes so that fertilization takes place.

FSG and LH are the natural hormones which are used to make medicine. These help to stimulate the ovaries and produce more eggs. This increases the chances of getting pregnant.

Eva Hospital offers the best diagnosis of infertility and Dr. Shivani insists that unexplained infertility is the result of incessant stress or ‘trying too hard’. She counsels her patients in the best way and offers logical and result derived conclusions. For any difficulty in getting pregnant get in touch with Dr. Shivani for best results.

Knee Surgery

Endometriosis and IVF

October 24, 2019March 30, 2024
by Eva Hospital

Infertility has been a major cause of depression among women. The causes of infertility may be many but one of the most debatable and discussed cause is endometriosis.

Endometriosis has been one of the most challenging diseases for gynecologists in helping women conceive. This is typically a condition where endometrial tissue which lines the womb, starts to grow outside the womb. Not only does it cause immense pain, it is one of the leading causes of infertility. The causes of endometriosis remain oblivious yet sometimes endometriosis may be caused due to genetic predisposition, immune dysfunction or may be environmental changes.

The process of endometriosis means chronic inflammation, scar tissue, and adhesions. Women with endometriosis usually complain of pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and the whole baggage of infertility. Endometrial deposits can cause disruption or obstruction in the fallopian tubes and can prevent fertilization. The endometrial deposits can lead to cysts and interfere with the process of ovulation.

Endometriosis has been reported to affect 6%-10% of the female population and nearly 25%-50% of infertile women suffer from this debilitating disease. What’s even more startling is that nearly 35%-50% of the women with endometriosis are infertile.

Endometriosis at all stages has been reported to affect female fertility potential. With inflammation and subsequent formation of adhesions in the pelvis, the anatomy of the pelvis is distorted and this directly affects the anatomical connection between ovaries and fallopian tubes.

Advanced stages of endometriosis may lead to tubal blockages and also the formation of hydrosalpinges. In fact even mild or minimal endometriosis adversely affects spontaneous conception.

With all said and done it can be noted that some laparoscopic surgery may be a good option for younger patients. However for patients beyond 37 years the situation is alarming.

IVF comes as a blessing to patients suffering from endometriosis and are relatively not so young in age. Various researches show that after 1-4 IVF treatments nearly 56.7% women even in stage 3 or 4 endometriosis were pregnant and a whopping 40.3% were successfully able to give birth.

IVF provides a ray of hope for patients suffering from endometriosis. Women diagnosed with endometriosis have shown favorable results for conception when treated with IVF or FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer). In IVF, women’s eggs are retrieved and fertilized with partner’s sperms under controlled conditions in a laboratory. The resulting embryos are transferred in the uterus and pregnancy is ensured. Since endometriosis does not interfere with the fetus development, the pregnancy is healthy and so are the babies after IVF.

Endometriosis is a hindrance to conception and pregnancy. However under the aegis of an experienced doctor/gynecologist, the stumbling block can be removed and pregnancy can be accomplished. Dr. Shivani Bhutani, Eva Hospital, Ludhiana is a renowned doctor specialist in infertility and has handled umpteen cases of couples suffering from endometriosis successfully. She says, “Endometriosis has a detrimental effect on pregnancy. However with proper diagnosis and IVF/FET treatment, the infertility clause can be ruled out.”

Let there be million memories with your baby as you get rid of the infertility due to endometriosis. For any query or diagnosis, seek an appointment with the best infertility expert of Punjab, Dr. Bhutani.

Embryo Freezing

All You Need To Know About Embryo Freezing

September 11, 2019March 30, 2024
by Eva Hospital

You want babies but wish to postpone the decision of making babies into the near future because of the career boom, medical health, and medical treatment, or maybe gender change. Embryo Freezing is a medical boon and one of the greatest achievements of the ART- assisted reproductive technology.

Embryo freezing is a process that helps in allowing people to store embryos for later use. This process has existed for over two decades and is now increasingly seen as an option for reversing the ticking biological clock.

Women freeze their eggs because of multiple reasons. Some of the reasons are:

Career

Freezing embryo while at a younger age lets them focus on career and they can plan babies later in life.

Long-Term Partner

Lack of suitable long-term partner makes some women postpone the decision of having babies and freezing the embryos helps them benefit from younger eggs.

Post-IVF or ICSI

After the process of IVF (In vitro fertilization) or ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) treatment, there are good quality embryos left after embryo transfer. So patients opt for embryo freezing so that it can be used at a later date or for donating to siblings.

Same-sex Couples

The same-sex couples or other LGTBQ+ people who wish to make babies can benefit from embryo freezing.

Genetic Disorders

People with genetic disorders that can affect reproduction opt for embryo freezing.

Radioactive Treatments

Certain medications or medical treatment like chemotherapy makes embryo freezing the right choice just before the radioactive treatment.

The patient has injected hormone stimulation medication for over 8-12 days and this stimulates ovaries to produce multiple eggs. The eggs are fertilized using IVF before they are frozen and let develop into embryos. The frozen embryos are frozen in sealed containers at low temperatures of -321 degrees Fahrenheit.

At this temperature, no biological process such as aging can occur and hence the embryos can remain viable for any length of time.

The best fertility expert of Punjab, Dr. Shivani Bhutani, says that an embryo can be frozen for over 10 years to 50 years. Embryos are not affected by the length of time they are frozen for.

The biggest hindrance in the process of freezing is the water that gets collected within the cells, which can lead to crystals after freezing and can burst the cell. The process of Cryopreservation leads to replacing water with a substance called cryoprotectant.

The embryo is then frozen, using slow cooling process or fast freezing process called vitrification. Vitrification is a flash or fast freezing technology which has brought a phenomenal improvement in the success rate of cryopreserved embryos.

Dr. Shivani Bhutani has seen a radical change in the lives of patients who opt for embryo freezing on the following accounts:

Additional Chance to Conceive

In case fresh embryo transfer isn’t successful, frozen embryo gives the patient the possibility of trying again without going through the process of ovarian stimulation medications.

Greater Success Rates

During the ovarian stimulation process, if the progesterone levels rise, the endometrium or uterine lining becomes less receptive to embryo implantation. In that case, the doctor recommends using frozen embryos as the process can be performed without stimulation medications. This increases the chances of success rates better than the fresh transfer of embryos.

Plan Your Family Anytime

Vitrified embryos can help the patient maintain the reproductive potential far beyond the proverbial biological clock. The patient can plan babies at just any age.

Mitigates Risks

Patients with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHS) benefit from embryo freezing as the frozen embryo can safely be transferred. Even the couples who are at risk of passing on certain genetic conditions to their children can test the embryos for genetic mutations and ensure that no abnormality is passed on to the next generation.

When opting for embryo freezing, care must be taken in assessing the credentials and the number of success stories at the back of the doctor.

Dr. Shivani Bhutani is the most renowned IVF specialist in Punjab and has earned a name in addressing the concerns and doubts of the patients with her acumen and patience.

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