9 IVF Facts You May Not Know

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the birth of Louise Brown, the world’s first IVF baby. Since then, many people have built families via IVF, but Louise Brown will always be the most celebrated IVF baby ever. To mark this special occasion, I’ve put together 9 IVF facts that you might not know just to have a little fun.

Whether you are an IVF baby yourself, or have been through the process, you can learn something here. IVF is an incredible advancement of reproductive technology and the procedure has changed so many lives in the last 40 years. Read on for more.

IVF Facts Trivia

These facts and tidbits are interesting little knowledge nuggets that I found while reading. I thought they were interesting, so I’ve put them all together here just so everyone can learn a little more about IVF. This year on July 25, 2018 Louise Brown turns 40. That’s 40 years of successful IVF treatments globally. AMAZING!!

IVF Stands For…

Okay, this is an easy one, but not everyone knows it. And what better way to start out the trivia than with what IVF stands for – In Vitro Fertilization. This means the egg is fertilized outside of mom’s body and then reintroduced to the womb.

Infertility Isn’t Uncommon

Although it can feel like you’re alone, you’re not. 12% of the world’s population suffers from infertility. In Canada statistics are often quoted as 1 in 6 couples. In the USA 1 in 8 couples of childbearing age struggle with infertility. To read more about Infertility check out any of my 9 Things We Want You To Know About Infertility post.

Acupuncture Helps with IVF

Specialized acupuncture used before, during, and after IVF cycles has been shown to increase IVF success rate.

The Age of the Eggs is What Counts

Often the general public with limited infertility experience and knowledge might think infertility is related to age. Women waited too long to have babies. We’ve heard all of that before. It’s not technically Mom’s age, but the age of Mom’s eggs that matters. Egg Health is a big factor impacting rates of conception. A woman in her 40’s who uses the donated egg from a woman in her 20’s will have a much higher success rate of getting pregnant.

More Sleep Equals Higher Success Rates

Studies have shown that getting a good night’s sleep increases the success rate of IVF. Too little OR too much sleep reduces your odds.

IVF Rarely Produces Quadruplets or Higher

A common misconception in IVF facts is that it can produce a high likelihood of multiples. Actually, the likelihood of twins is the only one that increases. Triplets, quads, and other high multiple pregnancies are usually the product of a completely different procedure (IUI or fertility medications). WHEN IVF is coupled with a single embryo transfer policy the success rates for a health viable pregnancy and healthy baby are high and the process is fairly controlled.

Not All Eggs are Good Eggs

Just like with unassisted pregnancy, not all eggs will be good candidates for insemination. Out of the 10 to 20 eggs harvested, only a few may be viable for IVF. This may sound frustrating, but the same can be said for natural conception. The percentages are higher with IVF.

Other Countries Could Learn from Australia

Australians struggling with infertility have an easier time with IVF treatments. Australian Medicare and their Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme subsidize IVF cycles. Australia has been supportive of IVF process for many years now. In Ontario, we have the Ontario Fertility Program which helps people become parents by financially alleviating the stress of the first cycle.

The Proper Term is NOT Test Tube Baby

You’ve all heard someone use the term TEST TUBE BABY. It’s actually offensive to infertile people and it’s inaccurate as well. Babies aren’t conceived in test tubes. With IVF, sperm and egg are introduced in a Petri dish and then left to do their natural job of creating an embryo. A healthy embryo is then transferred into the uterus. Louise Brown was the first IVF baby for her parents and for the world. Four years later, her parents used IVF to conceive her baby sister.

Interesting IVF Facts for a Ground-breaking Subject

I’ve always found the idea of IVF fascinating. Many of my friends have been through the treatment and successfully built their families in the last 40 years. Having the technological and medical skills to fertilize an egg and transfer an embryo, which will one day become a human, is amazing. I hope you found these IVF facts fun and interesting. This procedure changes lives for the better and really is a miraculous advancement.

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