Motherhood is one of the most sought-after phases of a woman’s life. Many women can conceive naturally. But there is a percentage of women who cannot conceive naturally because of various factors, which may lead to depression and sadness. But with the latest technological innovations, even those who cannot have babies naturally can enjoy motherhood through IVF and IUI. But are there differences during pregnancy between IVF vs. natural conception? Read below to learn more:
Motherhood is essential for the growth of society. But in recent times, many young people have experienced infertility. It is an issue where a couple cannot get pregnant even after having intercourse for more than 6 months without any birth control. Those who struggle with natural conception, opt for IVF (in vitro fertilisation). It is a powerful treatment option for couples with infertility. It is a method of getting pregnant with the aid of assisted reproductive technologies. But even educated people have many misgivings about it. One of the common IVF misconceptions is that these pregnancies are not normal, and as they are a product of technology, they assume the babies are critical. So debunking the IVF myths and educating people about IVF and natural pregnancies is vital.
First of all, it is essential to know what IVF is. It is a set of procedures that are used to treat infertility and assist with the baby’s conception. The IVF procedure is explained below.
The eggs are taken from the ovaries of the women, and the sperm is drawn for the men. The sperm and the eggs are then fertilised in a lab. Then the fusion happens inside an incubator instead of the fallopian tube. This is then injected directly into the uterus under the guidance of an IVF specialist. The benefit of IVF is that it can successfully overcome the common issues that arise during natural conception. The IVF specialist assesses the health of the eggs and embryos and then transfers them to the uterus.
The benefit of natural conception is that the eggs are fertilized by the sperm that are in the vagina. The fertilised egg becomes an embryo in the fallopian tube and then gets implanted in the uterus.
During the IVF pregnancy, the fertility specialist supervises your progress. The main difference in this stage when compared to the natural conception process is that you will be monitored intensively and given ultrasounds once every week or for 2 weeks. Also, you
may have more pregnancy symptoms like increased urination, cravings, and morning sickness than a woman who conceives naturally. The other difference is the presence of OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome symptoms). It is one of the IVF risks and side effects where you experience severe bloating, nausea, or cramping. It is best to take medical advice rather than suffer through it as a natural pregnancy symptom. The doctor will help manage the symptoms, and there is no risk to the baby because of this.
From this point on, there is no difference when comparing IVF and natural pregnancy. But one of the IVF side effects is stress and the worry of whether you can give birth to a normal baby. However, after 12 weeks, it is safe to announce the news and relax as much as possible. The emotional aspects of IVF and natural conception remain the same, as both pregnancies have the same emotional ups and downs.
Understanding fertility treatments is important to overcome this misconception. IVF is an assisted reproductive technique and not an artificial reproductive technique, so the misconception is because of the similar nomenclature. So it is a myth that an IVF baby is not normal when it is born because of the doctor's technical expertise. Some people even consider IVF babies to be different because of surgical mechanisms. But the actual truth is that IVF is a different conception method from normal conception; the children born from IVF are as normal as the children born from natural conception. There is no way to distinguish IVF babies from others, as they have the same physical and mental abilities and attributes. Also, as per research, there is no difference in the psychological development of the child after IVF or in the relationship between parent and child. Also, the IVF vs. natural birth experiences remains the same. The difference is in the conception procedures and the reasons for opting for them. Additionally, if IVF vs. natural conception costs are taken into account, IVF costs are much higher. The birth of the first test tube baby was in 1978. Since then, more than 3 million children have been born due to ART. Many of them are leading a perfectly normal life with the same challenges and opportunities as naturally born babies. So the final IVF vs. natural conception outcome remains the same.
At the start of each cycle, the body produces new eggs that get stimulated in that month. Mostly, only a single egg matures, and the rest die. The eggs that get recruited, as well as the eggs produced naturally, have a chance of maturing. The eggs that are in the ovaries during the subsequent menstrual period remain intact.
A healthy vaginal delivery is highly achievable, and IVF conception is not an indication for a C-Section birth.
This is one of the comIVF vs. natural birth experiencesmon misconceptions about IVF that is not true. There are various studies conducted on this that suggest there is no such concern about ovarian stimulation causing cancer.
There are many easy ways to check for the right medication dose. Regular consultations can help adjust the ovarian response rate. There are different types of medications that help in safe and effective egg release and also reduce estrogen levels after egg retrieval.
IVF treatments are the only way to control the number of embryos implanted. With other treatment options, one of the natural conception facts is that there is no such control. Also, due to advancements in embryo culture methods, elective single embryo transfer is possible, and with that, you can have a singleton pregnancy.
IVF is one of the many ART procedures, and it is not the answer to all infertility issues. The IVF success rate is high, but exploring assisted reproduction options based on the infertility issues faced by couples with the help of experts is needed.
