Building a family can be one of the most exciting and challenging times in one’s life. From planning to pregnancy to birth, every stage of parenthood offers its own rewards and options. For couples or singles that face fertility challenges, building a family can be a daunting chore. With advances in fertility science and the help of an experienced fertility doctor in Raleigh, the path to building families has become viable and accessible.
IVF vs. INVOcell
One of the most common fertility treatments today is in vitro fertilization (IVF). This form of fertility treatment involves fertilizing eggs in a lab outside of the body. For IVF treatment, sperm is collected and eggs are retrieved. Using the sperm, an experienced embryologist will inseminate the eggs with sperm and put them in an incubator. In many cases, intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI is used to inject sperm into each egg.
An alternative and often more affordable fertility treatment to IVF is INVOcell. This form of fertility treatment involves placing the egg and sperm in an INVOcell device and then placing the device in the female partner for fertilization and incubation.
For both IVF and the INVOcell fertility treatment, once fertilization is complete, the fertilized egg will be removed from the lab’s incubator or INVOcell and placed in the mother’s or gestational carrier’s uterus with a fine tube.
Getting Started
Achieving a viable pregnancy with IVF or INVOcell starts with ovulation induction. To prepare the woman’s body, the fertility doctor will prescribe a series of medications that will help stimulate healthy eggs and make them more readily available during retrieval. The goal for ovulation induction is to retrieve as many healthy eggs as possible during one procedure.
Once ovulation induction has been a success, your fertility doctor will schedule an egg retrieval procedure. Using a local anesthetic and mild sedative, he or she will retrieve the eggs and store them.
For IVF, an experienced embryologist will inject each egg with sperm in the lab, and then they will be placed in an incubator. For INVOcell, the eggs and sperm are placed in the device where fertilization and incubation can take place in the woman’s body. After five days of fertilization, the embryos will be moved into the woman’s womb.
INVOcell Device
Clarifying Your Fertility Journey
One of the most interesting parts of IVF and INVOcell fertility treatment is that each treatment can help couples identify possible reasons for infertility.
As science has evolved, IVF fertility treatment technology enables fertility doctors to assist with fertilization, observer fertilization and embryo development, and much more. Therefore, IVF fertility treatment is also a strong fertility diagnostic tool that can help patients understand their infertility as they discover challenges they would not have discovered otherwise.
Is IVF or INVOcell Right for You?
Determining if you are a strong candidate for IVF or INVOcell begins with a visit with one of our experienced fertility doctors, Dr. Walmer or Dr. Copland.
There are many factors that can play a key role in fertility. Some patients arrive at INVOcell after they have tried ovulation induction with medications or insemination. Other patients arrive at IVF because INVOcell was unsuccessful and the need for ICIS (injecting sperm directly into each egg) is apparent.
How Do I Choose Between IVF and INVOcell?
Typically, INVOcell is a fertility path that is taken prior to IVF. If you are a strong candidate for INVOcell, your fertility doctor will develop a fertility treatment plan that honors your values and family goals. Many IVF patients have blocked tubes or low sperm count; however, there are several factors that can play a key role in finding the right fertility treatment for you.
Side Effects
The reported side effects for IVF and egg retrieval are minimal but can include:
- Mild cramping
- Mild bloating
- Spotted bleeding
- Nausea
- Breast tenderness
- Passing a small amount of fluid (may be clear or blood-tinged) after the procedure
Let’s Chart Your Fertility Journey Together
Facing infertility can be one of the most challenging times for a couple life. Finding the right path to build your family begins with a visit to an experienced fertility doctor that can help you build a path to fertility that honors your values and ensures that your heart and head are always in balance.
Schedule a visit with one of our experienced fertility doctors today to learn more about IVF and INVOcell and which fertility treatment is right for you.