Under normal circumstances, each month a woman develops a single egg is released during ovulation and is captured by one of her Fallopian tubes. In the tube, the egg may be fertilized by a sperm. The newly formed embryo moves down the tube into the uterus where it may implant to establish pregnancy.
In Vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process of fertilization where egg is combined with sperm outside the body in Vitro(“in glass”).
For a woman undergoing in Vitro Fertilization(IVF), each step of this process has been fine-tuned to augment her chance of pregnancy. The IVF process can be considered to involve 4 steps:
Recruitment of multiple eggs from the ovaries using several different medications.
Collection of the eggs from the ovaries using vaginal ultrasound guidance under light anesthesia.
The mixing of sperm and egg to facilitate fertilization while in culture.
The placement of the embryos into the uterus using a fine catheter (tube).

IVF is the most commonly recommended therapy for patients who have been diagnosed with infertility. The treatment was originally designed for women with Fallopian tubes that are either blocked, severely damaged, or absent. In Vitro Fertilization is now also a therapy for patients with severe endometriosis, immunological infertility, cervical factor infertility and unexplained infertility, chronic PID, Bilateral tubal block, Frozen pelvis, Recurrent IUI failure. In addition, IVF is an excellent choice for couples with mild to moderate and severe male factor infertility. One of the advantages to selecting IVF is that fertilization of the egg can be identified, and embryo quality can be assessed in the IVF laboratory. Such assessment may provide insight regarding possible causes of infertility and the direction of any future treatment.

About two decades ago we started performing IVF on patients without using fertility drugs, otherwise known as a natural cycle IVF. The objective was to collect the single dominant follicle egg and use this egg to produce an embryo that would offer a reasonable pregnancy rate in younger woman with tubal factor.
The best candidates for mini IVF are those patients who only need one embryo to have a good pregnancy rate, i.e. women under 35 years of age, whose AMH is within normal limit and good antral follicular count. Another group that can benefit from natural cycle IVF are those women with very poor ovarian reserve, who even with extremely high doses of costly injectable fertility drugs do not yield more than one or two eggs. Thus, it is cost-effective to treat both these groups and utilize all the comprehensive treatment power of in-vitro fertilization even for one egg and embryo.
The clear advantage in utilizing mini IVF is cost, with respectable pregnancy rates between 20-30% depending on age for good prognostic patients. The down side is that the cycle will not yield supernumerary embryos for a freeze, and will be very limited in supporting a management plan that involves pre implantation genetic testing or screening as multiple embryos are needed for both. In our hospital natural cycle IVF is for very low cost Rs.20,000/-onwards.

The length of time that you will be taking the injections will depend on the in-vitro fertilization(IVF) protocol chosen for you. Typically, patients receive injections for 8 to 10 days, but some must take them for a little longer.

IVF treatment side effects vary from patient to patient. However, reactions to medications may include skin irritation, pain at the injection site, abdominal bloating, headaches, breast tenderness, and nausea.

Day one of your cycle is considered your first day of full flow menstrual bleeding, not spotting. If this occurs after 4 p.m(noon), the next day is considered day one.

This will depend on your individual response to the medications. During an IVF cycle at our clinic, you will have between six and nine appointments, including one for the egg retrieval.

After your embryo transfer, we ask that you refrain from intercourse until your pregnancy test, which is about two weeks later. If you are pregnant, as long as you are not experiencing bleeding or discomfort, intercourse is okay after we are able to detect the baby’s heartbeat. This will be approximately two weeks after your positive pregnancy test.

No, not generally. It lasts approximately 20 to 30 minutes, and IV sedation is administered so that you will not be awake during the process. Some patients have mild cramping after the procedure and are discharged with a prescription for pain medication.

A pregnancy test is scheduled approximately 14 days after the embryo transfer.

Typically, you will not be discharged to your Ob-Gyn until 6 to 8 weeks into your pregnancy. You will have several blood tests and ultrasounds to determine the development of the pregnancy before you are released into their care.

Variety of treatment plans are available at our hospital.  Natural cycle IVF, minimal stimulation, IVF done at very cost.  Oocyte retrival and embryo transfer were done at the same cycle.

Multi cycle discount plan includes one or two cycle of Oocyte retrival and 3 frozen embryo transfers were done to improve the chances of pregnancy.

Multi cycle discount plan II includes 2 to 3 cycles of Oocyte  retrival and 6 frozen embryo transfers were done to improve the success rate.

Baby guranter plan, includes unlimited number of frozen embryo transfers until you become pregnant.

Donor sperm, Oocyte, embryo options are available at SISU hospital. Patient can choose any of the above plans.

Single IVF success rate at our hospital  is 40 percent. Cumulative IF success rate is at around 70 to 80 percent. All will be explained clearly before starting the IVF by our consultant and counselor.