An infertility diagnosis can be extremely overwhelming to handle. With the daunting infertility treatments, stress, and anxiety related to the lack of information, infertility is affecting many couples worldwide. While women are still blamed for not being able to conceive, in reality, men are equally likely as women to have fertility issues.
When fertility medications, artificial insemination, or surgery corrections have not helped couples, In vitro fertilisation or IVF is usually recommended as the next line of treatment for infertility.
In IVF, the retrieved eggs and sperms are combined outside the womb. The embryo developed in the laboratory is carefully transferred into the woman’s uterus. The crowd-influencing section of the society- authors, journals, and Bollywood celebrities have all opted for IVF, making it one of the common assisted reproduction techniques used in India.
During the IVF, the couple can opt for using their gametes (egg and sperm) or can choose to go with donor options, which makes IVF even more flexible and beneficial. This article discusses everything you need to know about self-cycle IVF and donor cycle IVF.
In this Article
What is Self-cycle IVF?
In Vitro fertilisation or IVF is a very extensive procedure, involving the use of a couple’s gametes- sperm and the eggs that are fertilised in the lab. If the couple is using a self egg and partner’s sperm in IVF cycles, then the IVF is a self-cycle IVF.
Here, the gametes used are the couple’s own sperm and eggs retrieved through IVF and fertilised to develop an embryo having the DNA of the biological parents.
The child born from a self-cycle IVF will inherit the genetic material from the biological parents.
Who will benefit from a self-cycle IVF?
The IVF success rates for self-IVF cycles are good in young-aged women. And so, Self IVF cycles benefit women undergoing IVF at 35 years or below. However, before moving ahead with a self-cycle IVF, couples need to have a detailed assessment into understanding the fertility condition and how the IVF process goes about.
Self-IVF cycles can benefit many with the following possibilities.
- It helps couples who want to begin IVF treatment for the first time.
- It can benefit young women below the age of 35. As a woman’s age advances above 35, the quality and quantity of eggs may decline, affecting the IVF success rates.
- Couples having issues like blocked fallopian tubes, sperm transporting ducts, ejaculation issues, ovulation problems, and poor egg and sperm parameters can opt for a self-cycle IVF with ICSI for better outcomes.
What is donor cycle IVF?
In a donor cycle IVF, the couple will consider using a donor egg, sperm, or an embryo to have a child through IVF. The donated sperm or egg are fertilised with their opposite gamete in an IVF cycle. Or if a donor embryo is considered, the IVF embryos are transferred to the intended parents.
The child born through a donor IVF cycle will not inherit the genetic material from the biological parents.
Who will benefit more from a Donor cycle IVF?
Though the donor cycle IVF is expensive compared to self-cycle IVF, the success rates of donor cycle IVF are comparatively high. Here are some of the possibilities for who can benefit from a donor cycle IVF.
- For women above the age of 35 or 40 having compromised egg quality and quantity.
- Women with low ovarian reserves- showing elevated follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and low antral follicle count (AMH)
- Women with primary ovarian insufficiency (POF) or premature ovarian failure.
- Men with impaired sperm factors or azoospermia, especially when surgical aspiration methods like testicular biopsy also have failed to retrieve healthy sperms.
- Couples who have had repeated IVF failure.
- Couples having poor sperm and egg quality or quantity- from previous treatment records or a diagnosis.
- Couples having unexplained infertility and repeated IVF failures.
- Couples have the risk of passing on genetic and chromosomal defects to the child.
Conclusion
Both self-cycle IVF and donor cycle IVF can help couples accomplish their parenthood dreams. While self-cycle IVF uses the couple’s own gametes, the donor IVF gives the couple an advantage to consider a donor egg, sperm, or embryo, when they cannot use their own.
Self-cycle IVF is more successful when the woman is below 35. But for advanced-aged women, donor IVF has proven beneficial in having children. Connect with your fertility experts to know more about IVF and to fulfil your dreams of having children through comprehensive and personalised fertility treatment plans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the donor cycle IVF more successful?
Yes, the donor cycle with donor sperm, egg, or embryo is associated with a higher success rate. According to experts, the success rate of a donor cycle IVF is said to have 50 to 60% higher chances of conceiving in the first attempt.
How successful is a self-cycle IVF on the first try?
In a woman below 35, the self-cycle IVF success rate can go up to 55% if she has had a good retrieval of mature eggs in the first stimulation cycle.
What factors decide the IVF's success?
The success rate of an IVF attempt varies from clinic to clinic. In fact, the success rate also differs individually. It depends on the age of the couple, infertility condition, and techniques utilised among many others.
Is the donor cycle IVF more successful?
Yes, the donor cycle with donor sperm, egg, or embryo is associated with a higher success rate. According to experts, the success rate of a donor cycle IVF is said to have 50 to 60% higher chances of conceiving in the first attempt.
How successful is a self-cycle IVF on the first try?
In a woman below 35, the self-cycle IVF success rate can go up to 55% if she has had a good retrieval of mature eggs in the first stimulation cycle.
What factors decide the IVF's success?
The success rate of an IVF attempt varies from clinic to clinic. In fact, the success rate also differs individually. It depends on the age of the couple, infertility condition, and techniques utilised among many others.
