Wednesday 2 October 2013

Mini-IVF, the shortcut method of success

Mini-IVF, the shortcut method of success

It is quite a difficult task for me to explain the requirement of a particular procedure to my patients during the infertility treatment. They are so much aware nowadays with the popularity and availability of information on the internet. For example, a couple recently insisted for MS-IVF, a shortcut alternative to the traditional IVF with certain limitations. The case was not ideal for MS-IVF and I succeeded ultimately in explaining the suitability of traditional IVF to them. However, it took a great amount of time and energy in doing that.

The process is also known as Mini IVF or even Micro IVF, the more stylish names! Fundamentally this procedure uses lesser hormonal stimulation and equivalent lesser monitoring and laboratory work, reduced risk to hyper stimulation syndrome and fewer chances of multiple pregnancies. The procedure is quite inexpensive as well.

The advantage

MS-IVF is especially suitable option to achieve conception with some distinct advantages:

It is especially a better option for older patients where Gonadotropin stimulation is not much helpful. As women grow older, there is a reduction in the number of follicles and eggs.  I have observed that the yield of eggs in MS-IVF is as good as complete IVF stimulation.

There is a risk of hyper stimulation of ovaries in some women. In my opinion MS-IVF is the best procedure It has the minimum risk of over stimulation and problematic pregnancy with reasonable high success probability.

The process requires much lesser time for egg retrieval and hence it can be performed under local anesthesia. It lowers the discomfort, time and obviously a lot of cost as well.

Some patients do not like the idea of cryopreservation of embryo that is a mandatory process in traditional IVF. In this case, only one or two follicles are extracted and all are used for transplantation.
There would be an obvious question crop up in the mind that why clinics do not offer Micro IVF instead of complete IVF program, if it is so much effective? Well, there are two reasons. Firstly, the success rate of complete IVF is almost double as compared to Micro IVF. Secondly, they are not counted two different procedures statistically. Obviously lower success rate of Micro IVF would lower down the overall success rate of IVF procedure in an infertility clinic. Nobody would like to drop the success rate of a clinic because it is one of the major parameters considered by the patients before joining an infertility program.

For me, obviously the welfare of my patients takes the front seat. I would never recommend a procedure that is unnecessary or may harm the patient’s health. While the objective is always to achieve a successful pregnancy, I would always weigh the negative aspects and then take the appropriate decision.  My endeavor is always to take the best and most cost effective decision with the maximum probability of building a family. I always wish that IVF brings the safest successful pregnancy to the couple desperately waiting for it!

1 comment: