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Why IVF ?

3 April 2009

IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) is an Assisted Reproductive Technology used to help couples conceive. If you have undergone hormonal therapies and artificial insemination without any success in conceiving, then IVF might be for you. To date, IVF is the most popular of all assisted reproductive technologies available.

IVF is the process of creating a fertilised female egg in a laboratory. It involves extracting an egg from the female and sperm from the male, and then placing them together in a lab dish to enhance the chances of fertilisation. If the egg is successfully fertilised it is placed back inside the female’s uterus ready for embryo development.

IVF success rate is dependent on several factors. The two biggest of these being the age of the woman and the skills of the physicians performing the IVF treatment. Both can swing the success rate from between 50% at its highest down to 25% at its lowest. To put these figures in perspective, couples who have unprotected sex generally have a one in four chance (25%) of conceiving. IVF therefore represents a very good opportunity for those who have experienced problems in conceiving.