is ivf painful ,does it work ,and is it expensive?

Answer 1

It can be hard on your body.

My cousin has had several unsuccessful IVFs.

Firstly they pump you full of drugs to suppress your natural hormonal cycle ("down-regging") and then another lot of drugs to make your ovaries produce lots of eggs (instead of just one as usually happenes each month) (this is called "stimming" or "stimulation".)

My cousin found these drugs made her feel very sick and generally not very well.

The then will check your ovaries (with a transvaginal ultrasound) to see how many egg follicles you have produced.

The eggs need to be retrieved and its often done under general anesthetic - a large needle is put inside your vagina up through into your ovaries and the eggs are retracted. You should be able to go home the same day provided you get over the anaesthetic OK.

Next step is for your other half to produce a sperm sample, which is then "washed" at the laboratory. The sperm is then mixed with the eggs in a petri dish and allowed to fertilise.

The fertilised embryos (hopefully several should be produced) will then be transferred to your uterus (they use a thin catheter and its painless, you are awake for this), and you then have the awful 2 week wait to see if any of the embryos have implanted.

At the end of the two weeks you get your pregnancy test.

IVF actually doesn't have a great success rate. In the best clinics its about 30%. Many people have to go through all this trouble and expense (£4,000+ in the UK) and still don't get pregnant.

But sadly if IVF is the only chance you have of getting pregnant it has to be done.

As regards cost, in the UK you can sometimes get treated on the NHS but sadly the guidlines about this are all over the place and its a "Postcode lottery" - people living in one area covered by one Health Authority will get it on the NHS and people living somewhere else won't. Plus they usually only "allow" you one cycle of IVF on the NHS(many people need to repeat the process several times to get success) and some HA's won't treat you at all on the NHS if you or your partner already have a child. Plus there's usually a 3-4 year waiting list.

So if you can afford it, going private or doing it through "egg share" (when they take lots of eggs from you and use the extra ones to treat a woman who had no eggs of her own) is better - egg share usually means you'll get treated at a very reduced rate, although they won't let you do it if you're over 35.

Answer 2

i don't know if they will remove your tubes or not . . . most likely not at the same time as IVF as there is not actual incision for the egg retrieval and they will not want to cause any more trauma to the area. We completed our IVF cycle in December / January. The egg retrieval was not bad. You are under anesthesia so there is no pain when it is happening. They use a hollow point needle to go in and extract the eggs. Afterwards, you will be a bit loopy from the anesthesia, maybe nauseas and sore. It felt as if I had done way too many crunches. The procedure took about 15 minutes and I spent an hour in recovery waking up, eating crackers etc . . . After that, I was cleared to go and was able to get up and walk to the car without an issue. You will not be allowed to drive, so make sure that you have a ride. On the day of retrieval you will want to sleep and relax on the couch for the day. Due to the anesthesia, they will not want you to be alone so make sure that your partner, a friend or a family member can hang out with you. The day AFTER retrieval, I was fine. . . I could have gone back to work but opted to take another day at home. My job is more or less office work so it is not like there is alot of lifting or stretching etc . . . but I had not idea how I would react to the retrieval so I had already requested the day off. Egg transfer is a breeze - sort of like a pap smear. They go in and put the embryo(s) back in. No anesthesia etc . . . I did spend the day resting at home but so long as you don't do anything strenuous, you should be fine to go about your life. Just get someone else to carry around the groceries and laundry! Good luck!

Answer 3

Uh, yeah, it's painful and anyone says that it's not hasn't done it. Even the doctors that reversed my husband's vasectomy told me IVF would be painful if the reversal failed and we had to take that route! Most painful, water sonogram; this is where they pressure wash the inside of your cervix to rid of any growths. Next most painful, Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS); this is where you make more than 20-30 eggs (they got 36 from me!) and you have trouble eating, sleeping, sitting, breathing...just about everything for weeks. More pain, progesterone shots; should you conceive, you will do these for 3 months and, towards the end, the oil will not dissolve into your muscles and you will get painful humps on your lower back, which get more painful with each shot. Unnecessary pain, collapsed veins; this will occur when you have unskilled/bad nurses taking your blood and some that collapse your veins (My arm was white and numb for 2 days!). And lastly, the psychological pain that I experienced when I miscarried my twins and how they make you take blood tests to watch them die (More pain = $50 per test). Egg retrieval day isn't pain-free either; However, the woman next to me wasn't in any pain or so she said. The average person needs 2 fresh cycle tries and that's what I had---I'm now pregnant. Is it expensive? Only if you think all this wasn't worth the 40+K we spent to have this 1 baby. Best advice---research, research, research. The first clinic I found I chose due to word of mouth and they were horrible. The second was SIRM and I got pregnant there on the first try and it was a much more pleasant experience. I will be going back there for more IVF after I'm done breastfeeding this one. Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Is Ivf Expensive

Answer 5

IVF is painful in parts as with all gynaecological matters, it is very expensive if it's not available on the NHS in your area and some people are lucky with their first attempt while others can go for several cycles without success. What people don't realise is the emotional baggage it brings. The constant feeling of failure when it fails. You have to be strong and have a supportive network around you to make it through.

Answer 6

IVF is not painful, assuming that you have no problem with shots and drawing blood. Yes it does work. I am 8 weeks pregnant with my first as a result of IVF. It is expensive. Mine cost me $10,500.00. But it was worth every penny.

Answer 7

I think its more painful in an emotional way, it does work for some people but not all, and yes, it is expensive (around £3000 a go privately!)

My brother in law and sister in law have had 5 goes (4 of them privately) and still no baby - another friend of mine is 26 weeks pregnant on her first attempt!!

Good Luck - I hope you succeed xx

Answer 8

Don't know about painful, but yes, it is expensive and there is no guarantee that it will work. The NHS states that there is only a 15% chance of success.

Answer 9

No it's not painful and yes it does work. I'm 38 weeks pregnant! It is expensive

Answer 10

My best friend had it after her 2nd baby, and she said that it's not a painful procedure or any pain after and it's been working for over a year and last for 10 years. Sorry I don't know how much it is because she had the insurance cover it. Hope this helps.