Types of IVF: description and characteristics

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

There are different situations in life. It happens that a married couple is diagnosed with some kind of infertility factor and the only method of conceiving a baby is in vitro fertilization, carried out strictly according to the protocol. What is it?

IVF Protocol

This is a preparatory scheme for a woman to receive an egg and then transfer an embryo. This technique consists of the following manipulations: ovarian stimulation, follicle puncture, embryo transfer, hormone support for engraftment, control pregnancy test. The growth of follicles is controlled by ultrasound examination of the ovaries. Today, there are different types of IVF protocols, both natural and stimulated.

Types of artificial insemination

Distinguish between stimulated and natural IVF protocols. The stimulated type of IVF consists of two varieties: short and long. In addition, there is still a cryoprotocol, a natural cycle protocol, and a Japanese IVF protocol. We can safely conclude that there are different types of IVF.

What about natural IVF?

In natural IVF, the use of hormonal agents is carried out at the stage of "engraftment" of embryos. In other words, thisis done only after transplantation and only when absolutely necessary. The main advantage of this type of IVF is that due to the lack of a large number of drugs, the pressure on the body decreases. There are also disadvantages of the technique - a low percentage of a long-awaited pregnancy.

Statistics say that with stimulated IVF, pregnancy occurs in 25% of cases, but in natural - only 12-14%. All due to the fact that it is difficult to calculate the right day for a transplant and create comfortable conditions for this purpose. Doctors can easily make mistakes in the calculations, and in the end it turns out that the embryo transfer took place at the wrong time and pregnancy will not occur.

Stimulated IVF look

Induced IVF provides more chances of conception due to the use of hormone therapy. When calculating the day of ovulation, the doctor almost never makes mistakes.

The stimulated type of IVF is divided into the following subtypes:

• Long.
• Short.
• Japanese.
• Protocol using cryopreservation.

What kind of subspecies are these? Let's analyze the characteristics of IVF types in more detail.

Long protocol

The presented type of IVF protocol is the most productive, and it is he who gives positive results in most cases. All due to the fact that the patient is long and carefully prepared and closely monitored for fertilized eggs.

The protocol continues for forty to fifty days. it's oneof the longest protocols. Why exactly does it give good results? It's simple, to increase the chances of pregnancy, as many eggs as possible are taken. You can get about twenty types of embryos in IVF with a long protocol. This will allow specialists to make a careful selection of eggs and start fertilization, however, a lot is not a sign of quality. To get as many eggs ready for fertilization as possible, good hormone therapy will be required, and it will always be selected on an individual basis.

Usually a long IVF protocol is recommended for:

• myoma;
• endometriosis;
• infertility due to excess weight;
• hyperandrogenism;
• failure to conceive while undergoing short IVF.

The initial stage of long IVF occurs on the twenty-fifth day of the cycle approximately. During this period of time, drugs are prescribed to “turn off” the natural production of hormones and “control” the ovaries. In the middle of the cycle (this is about the twentieth day or a little earlier), the drugs completely block the functions of the pituitary gland and the second stage of artificial fertilization begins. On the third or sixth day of the cycle, superovulation begins, which means that it is time to take the remedy to stimulate the active growth of the follicle.

Under natural conditions, the female body can produce only one follicle, but strong therapy can increase this figure tenfold. On the twenty-second day, approximately the puncture of the eggs occurs, after which they are fertilized andare transferred to the uterine cavity. In order for pregnancy to still occur, doctors prescribe a special hormonal therapy based on progesterone to the patient. After a week or two, with the help of a control analysis, the doctor will be able to say exactly what gave IVF - positive results or negative.

The technique is highly productive, but it also has a drawback - a high risk of developing OHSS. This condition is extremely dangerous for a woman and can negatively affect the development and formation of the embryo.

Short protocol

This type of protocol is not as effective as the long one. All due to the fact that the corrective phase is not carried out, which means the quantity and quality of the eggs obtained after puncture.

The first stage of the short protocol is carried out on the third day of the menstrual cycle, drugs are immediately prescribed to stimulate ovarian activity. After taking the medication, doctors prescribe gonadotropins, they will need to be drunk for a couple of weeks. Then you need to drink funds to activate ovulation, and the follicles will be punctured, then all the same manipulations are performed as with the long IVF protocol.

Description of the IVF type of the short duct is worth reading for women:

• who are over thirty-five;
• with normal ovarian activity;
• whose long IVF protocol did not give the desired results.

The main advantage of this technique, in comparison with long IVF, is the low risk of developing OHSS. ContinuesIVF for four weeks, no less. The disadvantage of the technique is the low percentage of positive results.

Cryoprotocol and Japanese protocol

Japanese protocol is the safest method of artificial insemination. All due to the fact that the minimum amount of hormonal agents is used. What matters most here is not the number of follicles, but their quality. Often, during a similar technique, embryos are frozen before transplantation, and only then transplanted at the best moment.

The main drawback of the technique is the low ability of embryos to divide and further develop after defrosting. Pregnancy occurs only in ten percent of cases. The same applies to the cryoprotocol. The main advantage of these methods is that embryos can be frozen at any stage of development, and then they can be used at the best moment.

Successful IVF protocols

Each type of IVF has contraindications. The skin, organs and everything else can be severely affected, and pregnancy may not occur, so you only need to trust a trusted doctor. He will take into account the individual characteristics of each patient, consider a set of data and, based on them, develop the most successful scheme. Therefore, it is impossible to immediately say which type of IVF is the most successful and best in a particular case. All successful IVF protocols are selected competently and responsibly, so look for a good doctor for this purpose.

Statistics of different methods

World statistics of IVF protocols have shown that the best results are achieved by leading clinics that have all the equipment necessary for procedures, and doctors have great practical experience. Positive results can be achieved on average in thirty percent of cases, which is quite a lot.

If you use the standard method, then pregnancy occurs in about thirty-six percent of cases. If the cryoprotocol - in twenty-six percent of cases, the Japanese protocol performed better - forty-two percent, but donor embryos lead to pregnancy in forty-five percent of cases.

How to choose a protocol?

Usually, the decision on the application of the IVF protocol is made by the doctor-reproductologist himself, the spouses cannot choose the technique themselves. All due to the fact that the doctor will need to take into account a lot of different factors: age, the causes of infertility, the reaction of the female body to drugs, the results of unsuccessful attempts, the financial capabilities of the couple. The doctor will conduct a complete examination to determine all existing diseases, to establish problems that may affect the pregnancy. Having received all the necessary results, the specialist will determine the method of artificial insemination.

The most budgetary methods are Japanese, ultra-short and natural. All due to the fact that the presented methods use a small number of drugs.

A small recommendation: if you do not have any he alth problems, then it is best to use the IVF protocol whennatural cycle. If it does not help you in solving the problem, then you can use other methods, however, first you need to establish the reason why the pregnancy did not occur, so that negative results could be avoided in the future.

In Russia, there are more than a million couples who cannot have children due to an imperfect state of he alth. Drug treatment in some cases does not bring the proper result, so many are forced to use the in vitro fertilization program. This is the only option for some couples who want to have children of their own but fail to do so for a variety of reasons.

In vitro fertilization is a unique opportunity to have children for families who have not been able to do it on their own. Be responsible in choosing a clinic and a doctor, because each type of IVF fertilization will require a professional of the highest level.