Couples who want to have a baby with advanced techniques always choose IVF. But only few people know about IVM (In Vitro Maturation), in which immature eggs are collected from the ovaries and mature in laboratory conditions. The procedure is quite similar to IVF but is IVM a better alternative to IVF?
IVM is the best form of infertility treatment for women suffering from PCOS and infertility causing conditions. IVF works for couples who are experiencing infertility issues. However, the question is still here; which method is better for conceiving IVF or IVM? To get the answer, read the post to know which method suits you the most.
In This Article
- What is IVF?
- What is IVM?
- How Does IVM Work?
- What Are The Advantages of IVM?
- For Whom is IVM Suitable?
- How to Prepare For IVM?
- Are There Any Side Effects of IVM?
- FAQ’s
What is IVF?
IVF is an assisted reproductive technology in which mature eggs and sperms matured in the ovary and testis are taken out from the body and fertilized in a laboratory. This technique is the best option for couples who have infertility problems. Women who don’t ovulate regularly and face difficulty conceiving can choose IVF to conceive.
However, your doctor or infertility specialist will pick this procedure for you have if you have the following conditions
- Blockage in the fallopian tube can create difficulty conceiving because the egg doesn’t reach the tube for fertilization.
- Men having low sperm count and suffering from semen abnormalities is also a reason for infertility in women. Therefore, a couple experiencing this issue can take IVF treatment for conceiving.
- In some couples, the reasons for infertility are unknown, and the cause of infertility remains undetected. This is why a lot of couples choose this procedure.
The technique is quite expensive. The fertility hormones injected into the women, such as gonadotropin, may cause OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome). As a result of this, IVF is best for only a few couples, especially those who can afford the procedure.
What is IVM?
IVM (In Vitro Maturation) is also assisted reproductive technology or ART. It involves collecting immature eggs from the unstimulated ovary and stimulated ovary. The immature eggs are within (COCs) cumulus-oocyte-complexes and then undergo maturation and fertilisation in the laboratory.
Moreover, the eggs can be used later and frozen using liquid Nitrogen. When the eggs are matured, they can be injected again into the uterus of women for natural fertilization.
How Does IVM Work?
The IVM procedure starts on the day of the menstrual cycle. The procedure is as follows
- The transvaginal ultrasound is usually performed when the menstrual begins to confirm the presence of egg follicles within the ovaries.
- After that, HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin) is injected into the women’s body.
- The immature eggs are retrieved 36 hours later with the help of microinjections or a minimally invasive procedure.
- These eggs are then placed into the Petri dishes with special fertility media that help mature eggs. However, the matured eggs cannot be combined with sperms as done in the IVF techniques. Instead of this, individual eggs combined with sperms in ICSI (IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injections)
- The fertilized egg is cultured in the lab for more than six days. The time helps to mature the embryo enough to transfer into the uterus.
- The procedure is similar to what experts do in IVF.
- During the maturation time, women receive progesterone and estrogen that help to prepare the uterus for further development.
- The healthiest embryo is selected for the process of preimplantation. This is to improve the success rate of pregnancy.
- Once the embryo is injected into the uterus, pregnancy can be confirmed within one or two weeks.
What Are The Advantages of IVM?
IVM offers significant advantages over IVF, which are as follows
- The egg maturation requires fewer hormonal injections as compared to the IVF method. This method further helps to reduce the risk of side effects that happen to women due to overdose of hormonal injections.
- The method protects women from ovarian Hyperstimulation syndrome, which is potentially riskier for women’s life.
- The technique is ideal for those women who are suffering from PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome) and for those women who are at greater risk of OHSS in IVF treatment.
- IVM method reduces the risk of relapse, and ovarian stimulation is small as compared to IVF
- In IVM treatment, eggs can be frozen to use later.
- The method is cost-effective as compared to IVF.
For Whom Is IVM Suitable?
The IVM is the best assisted reproductive method for the following candidates
- Women under the age group of 35 years are preferable for the treatment. But it would be excellent for those women who are below 30 and have conceiving problems
- Women having excessive follicles, ideally more than 15 per ovary, are best suited for the IVM treatment
- The Anti-Mullerian hormone level must be at good levels in the women in the 30-35 years of age group.
- The women who previously adopted the IVF cycle to stimulate the ovary and produce a maximum number of eggs are best.
- Women having a healthy weight are an ideal candidate for the IVM treatment; if women are overweight, they need to reduce their weight before starting treatment.
How to Prepare For IVM?
Before you move for the IVM treatment, do ensure to follow these regimes to prepare your body for the IVM.
- Consume a healthy and nutrition-rich diet.
- Maintain an ideal body weight
- Avoid consuming alcohol and quit smoking
- Increase your intake of prenatal vitamins.
- Hormonal injections will be given to the women to release premature eggs from the ovary.
- Reduce your intake of certain medicines and drugs, such as caffeine.
- In addition to this, you can join yoga classes to increase body flexibility and reduce high blood pressure conditions, if any. Yoga will also contribute to stress relief which is vital in this phase.
Are There Any Side Effects Of IVM?
The IVM procedure, by itself, does not carry any risks. However, the hormonal injections can cause the women undergoing the procedure to experience certain effects.
The side effects of the IVM procedure include
- Confusion and seizures
- Vomiting and abdominal pain
- Muscle cramps
However, these side effects disappear with time, or once the woman is able to conceive.
IVF and IVM are both exceptional and largely successful assisted reproductive techniques for couples having infertility issues who want to conceive and have healthy babies. However, out of these two methods, IVM is considered a safer and highly cost-effective treatment for women suffering from PCOS and obesity.
So, is IVM a better alternative to IVF? There is no straight answer to this question. Both the procedures are different and are used depending on the age and health conditions of the couple undergoing infertility treatment. The final call will be taken by the doctor after taking into consideration the reproductive health conditions of the couple.
FAQ’s
1 Do I Need to Reduce my Weight Before Proceeding With IVM?
Yes, you need to reduce your weight to improve the chances of success of the procedure. It would be better to shift to a healthy lifestyle and practice yoga.
2. Is There Any Guarantee of a Successful Pregnancy After Undergoing IVM Treatment?
Yes, during IVM treatment, multiple embryos are transferred into the uterus, which increases the chances of fertilization.
3. What Precautions do I Need to Take While Having IVM Treatment?
Women who are having IVM treatment make sure to avoid drug and alcohol abuse. If you have any medical condition and are on medicinal treatment, consult with your doctor before starting treatment.
