IVF or in-vitro fertilization is a highly effective and successful assisted reproductive technology that helps increase the chances of successful pregnancy and a healthy baby. Couples suffering from male or female infertility factors can avail it to enjoy the essence of parenthood.
Among all the IVF methods, natural cycle IVF or drug-free IVF has a lesser amount of side effects and follows the holistic method of natural conception. If you are experiencing symptoms of infertility and have any queries regarding natural IVF or other IVF methods, then you can visit the best IVF centre in India.
Natural cycle IVF is mostly recommended to patients, who have a history of hormone-dependent cancer. Infertility caused due to male factor sub-fertility, pelvic adhesions, hormonal imbalance, tubal occlusion, and endometriosis can also opt for this treatment to get a successful pregnancy.
A patient also has to be less than 45 years old with a normal uterus and menstrual cycle to avail of natural IVF. In this method, the natural ovulation cycle is followed and a matured egg is retrieved for fertilization. Herein, no drug is provided for ovarian stimulation to produce multiple eggs.
Pros Of Natural IVF
1. Reduced side effects from the drugs- Natural IVF can significantly reduce the painful side effects of the injections and drugs. Some of the side effects that are eliminated include headaches, mood swings, bruising, and severe pain.
2. Reduced chances of multiple pregnancies- In natural IVF, only one naturally matured egg will be retrieved, and fertilized. This reduces the chances of multiple pregnancies as compared to conventional IVF where more than 1 embryo is inserted to increase the success rates.
3. Safer procedure- Extremely minimal time and monitoring is required in this method of IVF. The process of retrieving only one egg is not only quicker but is also way safer than other IVF methods. The risks of post-procedure bleeding are also hugely reduced with it.
4. Lower chances of developing ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome (OHSS) - The drugs used in conventional IVF increase the chances of OHSS, which leads to the development of some distressing symptoms. Some of the symptoms include blood clots, weight gain, nausea, and shortness of breath. These issues are eliminated by natural IVF since no drugs are used in it.
Cons Of Natural IVF
1. Higher chances of premature ovulation- In natural IVF, the fertility drugs don’t control the ovulation period and this increases the chance of missing the ovulation period. This will lead to the cancellation of the entire egg retrieval planning and the patient has to wait for the next cycle.
2. Lower success rates- The success rate of natural IVF is extremely low in natural IVF as compared to other methods. The rate mainly drops because of the usage of only one egg and if that egg is unhealthy, then the entire process will fail.
3. No extra embryos for future use- This one-chance cycle doesn’t provide the chance of retrieving more than one egg to freeze for the next cycle. Hence, if the first cycle fails then the patient has to go through the entire egg retrieval step again.
Despite the side effects, majority of the infertility patients opt for natural IVF due to the decreased impact on health and low cost. If you’re also willing to use this procedure for a successful pregnancy, then you can visit the best IVF centre in India to seek expert guidance.