If you’re reeling from the after-effects of a failed IVF cycle, disappointment, anger, and grief would be some of the emotions troubling you. And you are justified in feeling so as your expectations have been let down. However, if it’s any solace, let us tell you that an IVF failure is quite common, especially in the first 2 cycles. Therefore, while you cannot shun the sadness from your heart right away, you should also not despair. Most women need at least 3 IVF cycles to get success. And there are many reasons that can lead to IVF failure, so, talking in detail to your fertility doctor will help. Here we will discuss the common reasons for IVF failure and then, see a few tips that we think will aid you in deciding your future course of action.
What might lead to IVF failure?
Being a series of medical procedures, IVF has some critical steps that, if gone wrong, can lead to failure.
Poor egg quality or a low number of eggs
Poor sperm quality or low sperm count/motility
Problem with the egg retrieval procedure
Weak or poor quality embryo
Abnormal embryo development (embryonic arrest)
Problem with the embryo transfer process
Poor uterine receptivity
Health problems like obesity or lifestyle issues like excessive drinking
Conducting a pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) can be helpful in knowing which of these can cause a problem in the future. Some other tests that can help ascertain the cause of IVF failure are- hysterosalpingogram (HSG), sperm DNA fragmentation test, and endometrial receptivity assay (ERA).
Tips to follow
If you think your current clinic/ doctor isn’t up to the mark, you should think of changing them for a better one. If you live in or near Delhi, you can check and find the best IVF center in Jammu. This is because the IVF success rate in the capital is higher than the national average.
Talk to your doctor about what might have gone awry in the previous IVF cycle. There are tests like hysteroscopy that can improve your chances of success in the next cycle. Or, if you get to know that the problem is with sperm quality, you can go for ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) next time. ICSI involves the same steps as IVF with an added step of selecting only the best quality sperms to manually fertilize the eggs which ensures better chances of success.
In the meanwhile, you have to be patient and maintain good health. Remember, success also depends on your health, so eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and abstain from alcohol/ smoking during this period.
Be with people who support and encourage you. This is an emotionally taxing time that can be made smoother by loving friends and family members. At Grace Fertility, we provide you with an experienced and caring environment, so that you can overcome any such difficulty.
Don’t let failure get to your heart. Many women conceive in their 5th or 6th IVF cycles. And some even conceive naturally after several failed IVF attempts! On the other hand, being depressed can reduce your chances of success.
It is better to slowly realize that not having your own baby doesn’t mean the end of the world. There are other options available to you like surrogacy and/or adoption. However, if you are not comfortable with either of these, the only other option is to try and make your life complete without a baby. IVF, or any other technology for that matter, can only do so much. There is no guarantee of success in any of these.
Conclusion
One failed IVF doesn’t mean total failure. You can conceive in even the 6th IVF cycle. Most importantly, you need to know why the previous IVF cycle failed, so talking to your doctor about it is necessary. Once you are able to spot the problem areas, you can work on them to make the next cycle successful. You can look for the best IVF center in Gurgaon as the IVF success rate is better in this region. But at the end of the day, you need to realize that IVF is just a technique and it can fail to give results. So, it is good to be open to other possibilities like surrogacy or adoption. However, we do understand that these solutions are a matter of choice. In any case, know that your family is complete with or without a child and there are many couples who can’t have a baby. Internalizing this fact and making peace with the truth will help you happily move ahead in life.
