RISKS OF IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION
IVF IS NOT WITHOUT RISK

Embryo reduction

If a woman becomes pregnant with a high-order multiple gestation, then the pregnancy is at higher risk of complication. If higher-order multiple gestation occurs, the woman will have to consider whether to have an embryo reduction procedure. This procedure causes demise of one or more of the early fetuses so the remaining fetuses have a better chance of survival and being delivered at full term.

Ethical dilemmas and additional IVF costs

Some women will have multiple eggs retrieved during an IVF cycle. Many of these eggs may fertilize but not all of them will be placed in the uterus.

The remaining fertilized eggs must either be discarded or frozen.

If they are frozen the patient has to pay for the yearly additional IVF cost of freezing the eggs and if they are not used in the future they either must be discarded or donated.

IVF and risk of cancer

This is a controversial subject but many believe the exposure to high doses of hormonal medication may increase the risk of future development of cancers of the breast and female reproductive system.

Recent studies suggest a higher risk of ovarian cancer in women who have undergone IVF treatments.

Emotional stress

IVF can exert a tremendous amount of emotional stress on both the patient and her partner. The high doses of injected hormones can cause extreme mood fluctuations and emotional instability in some women.

The high monetary cost of the procedure and desire to produce a child adds to the stress of the process. If patients start the IVF process and are discovered to be non-responders or have a cycle cancellation, this can be difficult for some to deal with. Should a high-order multiple gestation pregnancy occur, patients may have the difficult choice of whether or not to undergo embryo reduction.

Pressure to be successful

Many patients have to pay directly for most, if not all, of the cost of IVF.

As a result, there is an increased amount of pressure to be become pregnant with every attempted IVF cycle.

Patients will often judge the quality of an IVF doctor by the doctor’s pregnancy success rate.

The pressure to be successful sometimes can cause patients to pressure their doctors to insert more than the recommended number of fertilized eggs into the uterus.

The IVF doctors also feel pressure to maintain a high pregnancy success rate, both for their patients and for the advertisement of their practice. This leads to transfer of multiple embryos, which is often the cause of multiple gestation.