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IVF FAQ

Read our IVF FAQ for answers to common questions about in vitro fertilization

When it comes to IVF, you need reliable information straight from the experts. Our team of reproductive endocrinologists, who have deep experience providing IVF in Texas, are happy to provide this IVF FAQ to help answer many common questions about in vitro fertilization.

IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is an assisted reproductive technology in which sperm and eggs are combined outside of the body to create embryos, which can then be transferred to a woman’s uterus to create a pregnancy. This fertility treatment has high success rates and has helped millions of people overcome infertility and create families since the first IVF baby was born in 1978.

The IVF process includes five basic stages: Ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilization, embryo culture and embryo transfer.

With IVF, a woman takes fertility medications designed to stimulate her ovaries to mature multiple eggs at the same time. These eggs are then removed in an outpatient procedure, using a long, thin needle. In the IVF laboratory, the eggs are fertilized with sperm, either by being placed together in a lab dish or by a process called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), in which a single sperm is injected directly into each egg.

The resulting embryos are then typically frozen. Before the embryo transfer, the woman takes medication to build up her uterine lining, making it optimal for an embryo to implant and grow. At the right time, one embryo is transferred in a simple outpatient procedure using a thin catheter inserted through the cervix. About two weeks later, a pregnancy test is performed. Any leftover embryos can be safely stored indefinitely for future attempts at pregnancy.

This IVF FAQ is an important one to understand if you are trying to conceive. The answer is that IVF allows for greater control over the conditions necessary for pregnancy. IVF patients are closely monitored through every step of the process, with frequent blood tests to check hormone levels and multiple ultrasound examinations to track the maturation of eggs in the ovaries. In the IVF lab, andrologists isolate only the healthiest sperm for use in fertilization.

Embryologists then carefully monitor every step of fertilization and embryo development, under tightly controlled conditions. Then, the woman undergoes additional testing and monitoring to ensure that her body is ideally prepared to receive and nuture the embryo. She will continue to make medications and come in for monitoring through the early stage of pregnancy to ensure that the embryo has everything it needs to develop and grow into a baby.

Most women do not experience significant pain during the IVF process. Some of the medications used in IVF must be injected, and training is provided to each patient to ensure that injections are performed correctly and with minimal pain. As eggs develop in the ovaries, some women report achiness or bloating in the abdominal area.

The egg retrieval is performed under light anesthesia, and most women report minimal discomfort and return to their normal activities within a day or two. The embryo transfer is essentially painless for most women, though some report feeling mild cramping or a pinching sensation in the cervix, similar to a Pap test.

Women can take over-the-counter pain medications to manage any discomfort they experience with the IVF process. For men, IVF is a pain-free experience, as their role is typically to provide semen samples – along with emotional support for their partner.

For most people, the IVF process takes about four to six weeks. Some women begin by taking medication to suppress ovulation, then move on to the ovarian stimulation medication phase, which typically lasts about two weeks. Egg retrieval is an outpatient procedure performed in one day. Once the eggs are fertilized, embryos are monitored in the lab for up to six days before the embryo transfer. Then, the pregnancy test is performed about two weeks later.

IVF has the highest success rates of any fertility treatment available today. Each person’s unique situation will affect their personal IVF success rate. Factors that affect IVF success include the cause of infertility, the woman’s age, and any underlying medical conditions.

Your fertility specialist can give you a good idea of what kind of success you are likely to see with IVF, based on your diagnosis and other critical factors. Fertility centers in the United States also report their IVF outcomes annually to the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology, or SART, which is a good place to learn more about an individual IVF clinic’s success rates.

IVF is a recommended fertility treatment for people facing certain causes of infertility, including low sperm count or severe male factor infertility, ovulation disorders, endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes and unexplained infertility.

Because embryos created through IVF can be genetically tested, it is an ideal treatment for people who are carriers of inherited genetic disorders that they do not wish to pass down to their children. IVF is also a pathway for single men or gay male couples to have a biological child using donor eggs and a gestational surrogate.

Both male and female partners undergo extensive fertility testing prior to IVF. For men, semen analysis is performed to understand how many sperm are present, and whether those sperm are normally shaped and able to swim normally. Both male and female partners will have bloodwork to check hormone levels.

The female partner will also have a vaginal ultrasound exam to check the ovaries and egg-producing follicles, as well as a hysterosalpingogram (HSG), which is an imaging study of the uterus and fallopian tubes. Based on the findings of these tests, our fertility specialists will create a treatment plan designed to achieve the fastest path to pregnancy.

Through genetic testing of embryos, it is possible to determine the sex of each embryo created through IVF. However, genetic testing is not typically used to choose the sex of a baby. Several types of genetic tests are available, including tests to check whether embryos are chromosomally normal (PGT-A, PGT-SR) or to look for specific gene defects tied to specific genetic conditions that run in families (PGT-M).

These tests are all designed to help our team select the healthiest embryo to transfer in order achieve a successful pregnancy. When these tests are performed, parents are given the option to learn the sex of their embryos, but they can also choose not to.

Most of our patients say that the hardest part of IVF is the emotional journey. Many people arrive at IVF after experiencing months or years of infertility. The treatment can be stressful and physically demanding, involving daily medications and frequent office visits.

Medications may need to be tweaked or changed mid-cycle to optimize results, and it may take more than one embryo transfer or IVF cycle to achieve a successful pregnancy. Many patients feel heavily emotionally invested in every step of the IVF process. Our compassionate team works with each patient to lend a sympathetic ear, provide professional guidance and help reduce stress along the way.

Because women are born with a lifetime supply of eggs, which diminish in quantity and quality over time, there is a link between aging and female infertility. After the age of 35, most women experience a dramatic decline in fertility. This means that the closer a woman moves toward menopause, the less likely she will be to get pregnant using her own eggs, with or without IVF.

However, IVF is the most successful treatment that exists for women of advanced maternal age. Additionally, IVF with donor eggs makes it possible for women of any age to experience pregnancy, birth and motherhood.
If you are in your mid-30s or older and considering having a baby, we encourage you to visit our experienced fertility specialists and ask for fertility testing, so that you can make informed family-planning decisions.

In the majority of cases, the answer is yes! Each IVF cycle is designed to maximize the chances of success for each individual patient or couple. In addition to state-of-the-art clinical and lab services, Texas Fertility Center provides access to advanced IVF services including genetic testing, donor eggs, donor embryos and gestational surrogacy. These options make it possible for virtually anyone to bring home a much-wanted child. Contact us to learn if you are a candidate for IVF in Texas.

This is one of the more common IVF FAQs we hear, and the answer is that there is no single answer. The average cost for a single IVF cycle will vary based on each patient’s diagnosis and personal situation. This is mainly because medications used in IVF must be carefully calibrated to maximize the number of eggs retrieved for fertilization.

The cost of IVF also includes multiple office visits for ultrasound monitoring and bloodwork, IVF lab fees, and procedures including the embryo transfer and egg retrieval. All of these costs will vary case by case. Your fertility specialist will provide a complete estimate of all expected fees before your IVF cycle begins, so you will have a good idea of what to expect.

IVF insurance coverage varies by state law. In Texas, insurance companies are required to include IVF coverage as part of group health benefit plans offered to companies providing pregnancy benefits. However, those companies are not required to offer that IVF insurance coverage to their employees.

In most cases, insurance plans do cover diagnostic services, including fertility testing for men and women. Our experienced billing team works with every patient to maximize their insurance benefits and provide accurate estimates of any out-of-pocket costs.

We are here to answer all of your IVF FAQs

Our experienced team of fertility specialists creates custom treatment plans for every patient. We tailor treatment to help you meet your own goals, whether you need IVF in Texas, fertility surgery, intrauterine insemination (IUI) or another type of fertility care.

If you’ve read this IVF FAQ and still have questions, we urge you to reach out to schedule an appointment. Don’t wait to get the help you need to make your dream of a family come true. We are here to help.