IVF 30 Years On

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml?xml=/education/2008/06/16/st_ivf30yearson.xml

When the first test-tube baby was born, it wasn't just the beginning of a new life but of a whole new approach to infertility. Olga Craig talks to some winners and losers in the IVF lottery and asks where do we go from here?


Really interesting article, including the push for a new "soft IVF" that reduces the risk of multiples, the cost, and the side effects. Why aren't more doctors using this if, as the article claims, the birth rate is the same?

Also, as a side note to our own election coverage, one of the moms quoted mentions that she went to National Health and there was a 2 year waiting list, so she had to turn to private medicine.

Thanks for posting this.

We are considering trying IVF to have another baby.
My tubes are tied, so this seems the way to go....except when I see the term "test tube baby", that turns me off a bit... :crazy:

I never had a problem getting pregnant...just thought i had all I wanted.
I wonder if the fact that I don't have any problems conceiving would make it more likely for me to have multiples?
Not sure I'm ready for all of that!


eta: I think it's great that alot of states now make insurances carry some kind of IVF coverage!

ember said:

Thanks for posting this.

We are considering trying IVF to have another baby.
My tubes are tied, so this seems the way to go....except when I see the term "test tube baby", that turns me off a bit... :crazy:

I never had a problem getting pregnant...just thought i had all I wanted.
I wonder if the fact that I don't have any problems conceiving would make it more likely for me to have multiples?
Not sure I'm ready for all of that!


eta: I think it's great that alot of states now make insurances carry some kind of IVF coverage!

Click to expand...

I guess it depends on how badly you want another. I have several friends who have done IVF, so I know there is no way I would ever put my body through it. Of course, I say that having 3 healthy children. I might think differently if we had not been able to conceive.

Do your research - one of my friends is convinced that there is a link between fertility drugs and all kinds of other problems, from preterm labor and HELLP syndrome to autism and breast cancer. I don't know how valid any of it is (maybe it just causes paranoia:crazy but she is SURE.

I would have to be desperate, and even then I would be very, very careful. I do like the concept of this soft IVF taking away the risk of super-multiples by only implanting one or two embryos at a time. That will save a lot of babies' lives, not to mention money and health issues.

Good luck with your decision.

My sister had ivf for her first two children. She had ivf done in 2004 and had 15 eggs that they aspirated. Then they inseminated them and froze 8 for later use. Out of the seven that werent frozen they did a 5 day transfer, only two made it fully to the five days (very common) and then they were placed inside of her again. My niece was out of that cycle and 15 months later my nephew was made out of the next batch the same way and they placed 2 the second time also. Technically they are twins born 1 1/2 years apart.

Most fertility clinics do not want super multiples and will hope to talk you into freezing the others or donating them to someone (you are paid) because they are so many risks including being born early when you have 3+ babies at one time. My sister ivf were not covered but my niece and nephew were well worth the cost

Many family members were being very cruel to her and telling her she was going against god which is not true. There is only a 15- 20% success rate with ivf so if god allows for you not to have biological children naturally you wont.