In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a treatment done by the Carl von Linné Clinic. The woman’s egg(s) is/are fertilized by the man’s sperm outside the woman’s body (see IVF). The world’s first baby conceived by IVF, Louise Brown, ivf behandling was born 1978 in England.
IVF was first developed for women who had obstructions of the fallopian tubes. Currently, the method is used for couples with various causes of infertility. It is without doubt, the treatment for infertility with the best results.
When does IVF work?
IVF gives the best chance of pregnancy if the ovarian reserve is good. The ovarian reserve consists of the pool of eggs remaining in the ovaries and is determined primarily by the woman’s age and genetic makeup. Most women have a good ovarian reserve until about 30 years of age. At this time, the reserve begins to be depleted; however, www.ivfriga.se there are significant differences between women.
The ovarian reserve can be measured by a hormone analysis (blood test) and an ultrasound examination determining the number of immature follicles in the ovaries. These results give a prognosis of the individual couple’s chances of success with IVF.
But what about the sperm?
The sperm count, primarily the number of mobile sperm, is important for the chance of pregnancy during intercourse. However, for IVF, the sperm count plays an insignificant roll. This is because sperm with poor motility most often have a normal genetic makeup and are capable of fertilizing the egg.
If the sperm count is low, microinjection technique (ICSI) can be used. With ICSI, one sperm is injected into an egg. Even in cases where there is no sperm in the semen and sperm must be extracted directly from a testicle biopsy, the results are quite good.
If the woman is over 42 years old, the results of IVF are so poor that, in almost all cases, it is futile to try. This is because the ovarian reserve is so depleted that the majority of remaining eggs are defective.
Even women at ages lower than 42 years can have a very low ovarian reserve. This can be caused by genetic factors, smoking, operations, radiation or chemotherapy. Hormone analysis and ultrasound will determine if the ovarian reserve is low. In such case, egg donation is a possible alternative treatment.
Other scenarios are if the uterus lining has been damaged or if there are very large fibroids. In cases where sperm can not be extracted from the testicles, sperm donation is recommended.