What IVF is considered successful? Feelings during pregnancy

Many infertile couples find hope in the intricate process of in vitro fertilization (IVF). But many people are left wondering what precisely makes an IVF cycle successful after the procedure. Is there anything more to think about, or is it just a positive pregnancy test?

Beyond the initial thrill of a successful outcome, one must comprehend what constitutes a successful IVF experience. It entails keeping an eye on the pregnancy’s progress and the woman’s mood during these critical phases.

Pregnancy can cause a range of emotions and physical sensations, and each woman’s body responds to IVF differently. It’s critical to understand what to anticipate, how to deal with these emotions, and when to seek medical attention if something feels off.

What the outcome depends on?

An effective in vitro fertilization protocol is one that results in pregnancy. Any couple who has chosen to use assisted reproductive technologies to overcome infertility hopes for successful protocols on their first attempt. But in real life, things are not always as clear-cut.

The number and caliber of eggs obtained determine the protocol’s success. There is a good chance of getting more eggs if ovarian stimulation was performed, all medication dosages and combinations were chosen appropriately, and the ovaries responded to stimulation appropriately. Reproductive specialists need to collect a minimum of three eggs to improve their chances of success.

The quality of the man’s sperm, which is utilized for fertilization in a lab, may also have an impact on the outcome. The likelihood of fertilizing the oocytes increases if there are enough viable, motile sperm present. A man may be able to produce stronger and more viable embryos if his spermogram shows no morphological changes.

The tactics of embryo transfer are also important. Too early transfer reduces the chances of implantation. If a woman is transferred a 5-day embryo, the chances of successful implantation in the uterine endometrium increase compared to 2-day embryos. Compliance with all the doctor"s recommendations after the transfer increases the likelihood of success. Violation of recommendations, on the contrary, increases the risks of a "failure" protocol. It is important for a woman to lead a calm lifestyle, not to lift heavy objects, not to go to the bathhouse or take hot baths, not to be nervous and stay calm. If hormonal support drugs are prescribed, they must be taken in strict compliance with the recommended regimen, dosage and frequency.

The patient’s age is one of the key influencing factors. The likelihood that the IVF procedure will be successful increases with the woman’s age at initiation. After 35 years, there is a significant drop in the likelihood of success. The quality of a man’s sperm and its DNA set are the only factors that matter when determining his age. Anomalous motility and morphology of sperm are more likely in older men.

They attempt to implant 1 best-quality embryo into the uterus in order to boost the likelihood of becoming pregnant. As evidenced by practice, selective transfer of one embryo results in pregnancy with the same outcomes as transfer of two, but without the complications that come with carrying multiple pregnancies. In an IVF program, obtaining multiple embryos at once is required, but not so much to transfer them all at once as to: – select the best candidates for transfer; – preserve embryos for the next attempt in case the first protocol fails.

The likelihood of a successful implantation is decreased in cases where the patient has endometrial heterogeneity, postoperative scarring on the uterus, diseases of the uterus and its appendages (ovaries, fallopian tubes), and fluid buildup in the uterine pipes. The likelihood of obtaining the necessary quantity of eggs is greatly reduced in cases where the ovaries are exhausted.

Probability of success

Regardless of the number of attempts the couple makes, this question is relevant to everyone considering in vitro fertilization as a means of getting pregnant. For women under 35 who do not have concurrent serious reproductive system diseases, the chances of becoming pregnant on the first try range from 35 to 45 percent. This probability is no higher than 8–10% for women over 45.

The chances of success are usually 5–10% higher on the second and third attempts. After the fourth try, the odds start to drop once more. Nobody can promise that an IVF cycle repeated after the first one is successful. If the initial procedure went well and the baby was born healthy, then there may be a number of disorders that arise during pregnancy, during childbirth, or in the postpartum phase that could hinder the recurrence of the same simple onset of pregnancy.

Which protocol is most likely to result in pregnancy is a question for which there is no definitive answer. After the first failure, many people finish the second or third protocol without any problems; some need to try eight or nine times.

It should be noted that any protocol in which pregnancy occurs is considered successful, and it does not matter how it ended. The very fact of pregnancy is considered by doctors as a positive protocol. In 15% of cases, pregnancy, which became possible thanks to IVF, is terminated in the early stages. Miscarriage or frozen pregnancy can occur for a wide range of reasons. In 10% of cases, premature birth occurs. In 1-2% of cases, an ectopic pregnancy develops after embryo transfer. Pregnancy after IVF ends with the birth of a live child in 80-85% of cases. It should be understood that with natural conception, a non-developing pregnancy or miscarriage can also occur, and not every pregnancy ends with the birth of a healthy child. And the cause of failures is not in eco, but in the cells themselves and related diseases, which are often the cause of infertility.

By joining the extractoric fertilization protocol, a woman and her partner should be well aware that the payment of the clinic’s services according to the Medical Services Agreement is not a guarantor of the success of an attempt. In case of unsuccessful attempt, the patient does not return. You should not lay too much hopes for pregnancy, because in more than half of cases after the first attempt, the woman begins the next menstruation, and it can be quite difficult to get rid of disappointment and depression. Therefore, the correct mood and awareness, understanding of the entire process, the lack of unjustified expectations in cases where the chances of obviously very low (usually applies to patients of senior reproductive age) is important.

Since stress hormones only lower the likelihood of a successful fertilization of the egg, having the correct attitude and knowledge of all statistical probabilities will help one react more appropriately and increase the chances of becoming pregnant.

This post will discuss the factors that contribute to a successful IVF cycle as well as what to anticipate mentally and physically from a pregnancy. We’ll dissect important success metrics and offer insights into the typical emotions and experiences of IVF patients, enabling you to make sense of the process and know what to expect.

Signs and symptoms of pregnancy before a delay

Following the embryo’s transfer to the uterus, the woman starts to "listen" to her body and emotions more intently in an effort to identify any early indicators that the protocol worked. It takes until the embryo has successfully penetrated the uterine mucosa and started to develop before the first changes in the typical sensations become apparent. Human chorionic gonadotropic hormone, which is the foundation for early pregnancy diagnosis, is produced by the chorionic villi starting on the first day following implantation.

The hormone concentration will progressively rise, roughly doubling every two days. The majority of the time, implantation happens 3–6 dpt (day after transfer). Therefore, it will be possible to track the hormone’s growth in the woman’s blood starting 10 to 12 days after the transfer.

However, because it can be challenging to pinpoint the exact moment of implantation with IVF, blood donations for hCG should be made no earlier than 14 days following the transfer of embryos.

To avoid suffering from bitter disappointment afterward, you should avoid continuously searching for symptoms and indications of pregnancy in yourself during these two weeks. The best things to do are to engage in interesting activities, interact with others, go for a walk, spend time reading books that interest you, do needlework, lie down more, and avoid lifting weights. It’s crucial to eat healthily and in moderation—no diets—and to get adequate sleep. Taking folic acid and vitamins is advised.

A woman may notice the first symptom three to six days following the transfer. A tiny, sparse hemorrhage may occasionally (far from always and not always!) accompany a breach of the uterine mucosa during the implantation of the embryo into it. We refer to this phenomenon as "implantation bleeding." A woman may experience mild discomfort the day of implantation, and there may be a brownish or bloody spot on the pad.

There is absolutely nothing to be concerned about if the bleeding does not worsen, is not accompanied by excruciating pain, or results in a general decline in health. Implantation bleeding does not raise the risk of miscarriage or frozen pregnancy. Thus, it has no effect whatsoever on the child’s health. Such bleeding usually stops in a few hours or, at most, a few days.

Because minor bloody discharge from the genital tract is common and considered normal for two weeks following the transfer, many women may not notice this sign following IVF. Even if there is absolutely no implantation bleeding, the procedure may still be successful.

After IVF, late implantation can sometimes happen just eight or ten days after the transfer. Although the likelihood of such a phenomenon is remote, it is still possible. As a result, even a blood test for hCG performed on the fourteenth day may not consistently reveal an adequate concentration of this drug. Only after 21 days postpartum, when the first ultrasound is carried out to confirm the pregnancy, can success be assessed.

In addition to other symptoms that might (or might not) exist, women frequently report feeling less happy. Women frequently become so accustomed to their own mood swings due to the hormonal changes involved in the IVF protocol that they may not give much thought to the fact that, a few days after the embryos are transferred into the uterus, they may feel the need to cry uncontrollably or become more irritable, which will undoubtedly affect their loved ones.

A week following the transfer, some women report feeling overly tired, experiencing fatigue more quickly, and finding it difficult to focus on any one thing. This is how the body starts to respond to progesterone. Progesterone side effects are not particularly important because a woman taking progesterone drugs during a stimulated cycle is supporting a possible pregnancy; symptoms that are typical of the early stages of pregnancy that occur naturally will not always indicate pregnancy after IVF against the background of hormones.

Women who had successful IVF protocols frequently recall that, approximately one week after the implantation, their body temperature started to rise. They experienced chills every day after lunch or in the evening, and their thermometers read between 37.0 and 37.5.

After implantation, the mammary glands may become more sensitive in as little as a few days. However, this sign should not be interpreted as definitive either, since the changes in the mammary glands may have resulted from hormonal stimulation of the ovaries during the first stage of the protocol in order to achieve superovulation.

Toxicosis is not something you should anticipate because it is too early and not all pregnant women will necessarily develop toxicosis. However, progesterone will start to build an energy "reserve" for the baby a few days after embryo implantation, which could lead to an increase in appetite. Moreover, frequent urination is one of the early indicators.

A healthy, continuing pregnancy and a positive pregnancy test are frequently used to gauge the success of IVF. But the adventure doesn’t stop there. Being well and exhibiting typical pregnancy symptoms are encouraging indicators that your body is getting used to the new routine. It’s critical to keep in mind that each pregnancy is different and that individual experiences can differ greatly.

It’s important to pay attention to your body and maintain communication with your healthcare provider. To make sure that you and your child are doing well, routine examinations and observation are helpful. Please don’t hesitate to seek assistance if you have any questions or strange symptoms. Although the IVF procedure can be difficult, it can be made a little bit easier by being informed and knowing what to anticipate.

Video on the topic

Feelings after embryo transfer, IVF results and first tests

WHAT TO DO AFTER EMBRYO TRANSFER?

Pregnancy management after IVF

Embryo development

How to correctly calculate the gestational age after IVF?