Who Is IVF Right for?
As the most advanced and effective fertility treatment available today, IVF helps people from all walks of life achieve their family-building goals. IVF is often recommended to patients experiencing a wide range of fertility and reproductive challenges, including:
Additionally, other factors that might contribute to your decision to proceed with IVF are:
- You and your partner both have uteruses and would both like to have a biological connection to the pregnancy, also known as reciprocal IVF.
- You’d like to use eggs frozen during fertility preservation.
- Your partner produces sperm but has low sperm count, poor sperm motility, and/or abnormal sperm morphology.
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IVF Using Fresh vs. Frozen Eggs, Sperm, and Embryos
When proceeding with IVF, there are several decisions to make regarding sperm, eggs, and embryos. Often, your choice of whose eggs and sperm you will use – your own, a known donor’s, or an unknown donor’s – will be the most important factor in whether you use fresh or frozen genetic material. However, there are some benefits and drawbacks to each of these decisions.
Fresh vs. Frozen Sperm
There is no difference in the likelihood of conception when using fresh or frozen sperm for IVF.
If you’re working with a partner or a known donor, such as a friend or someone you have met for the express purpose of utilizing them as a donor, you may be able to use their sperm without it being frozen first. This could be slightly more cost-effective. However, fresh sperm dies quickly; if utilizing fresh sperm, fertilization must happen quickly.
If you’re working with a partner’s previously frozen sperm sample or a sample from a donor found through a cryobank, you will be using a sample that has been collected in a clinic, washed to remove the semen, frozen, and stored at subzero temperature. Frozen sperm can be more expensive than fresh sperm, but it has the benefit of already being analyzed for concentration, volume, and morphology.
Fresh vs. Frozen Eggs
When planning your IVF cycle, you’ll decide whether to use fresh or frozen eggs. Each option has its benefits: fresh eggs generally have a slightly higher conception rate, while frozen eggs still offer excellent success rates with greater flexibility.
If you’re using your own eggs, your partner’s eggs, or eggs from a donor, fresh eggs may be an option. However, using fresh donor eggs or eggs from a partner requires syncing the cycle of the egg provider and the person who will carry the pregnancy. This process can add complexity and may require careful coordination. Alternatively, you might choose to freeze eggs during retrieval for use in multiple IVF cycles, though this involves additional storage costs.
Frozen eggs are often used when the eggs are from fertility preservation, a previous egg retrieval, or an unknown egg donor. This option eliminates the need to synchronize cycles, streamlining the IVF process while maintaining strong success rates.
Our team will help you navigate the decision between fresh and frozen eggs, ensuring that your approach aligns with your unique circumstances and goals.
Fresh vs. Frozen Embryos
Recent advancements have shown that frozen embryo transfers (FET) can offer implantation and pregnancy rates comparable to, or even higher than, fresh embryo transfers, depending on individual circumstances. For individuals undergoing their first round of IVF, the choice between fresh and frozen embryos often depends on factors like ovarian response, uterine environment, and personal preferences.
Frozen donated embryos or embryos from a previous IVF or INVOCELL cycle are carefully thawed before implantation, maintaining their viability and potential for a successful transfer.
How Much Does IVF Cost?
Fertility care can be expensive and for many patients, the cost of treatment can be a significant hurdle. The actual cost of fertility treatment is based on several factors, including your fertility goals, treatment plan, insurance coverage, and prescription benefits.
At Main Line Fertility, we offer fertility care financing, discount programs, prescription assistance, and clinical research trial opportunities to make care accessible for more patients. We also have partnered with BUNDL Fertility, a program that combines multiple IVF cycles into one package with a discounted, upfront cost. BUNDL offers several options for all budgets, including packages with money-back guarantees.
How Can Partners Be Involved in the IVF Process?
At Main Line Fertility, we encourage partners to play an active and supportive role in the IVF journey. Fertility treatment can be an emotional and physical process, and having a partner’s involvement can make a meaningful difference.
Partners can provide support in many ways: offering emotional encouragement, being present during key appointments, or simply helping to manage the logistics of treatment. Practical contributions like scheduling appointments, picking up medications, or assisting with injections can help lighten the load and ensure that both individuals feel equally invested in the process.
If your journey involves selecting an egg or sperm donor, partners can collaborate to make these important decisions. Sharing this responsibility can deepen your connection and create a shared sense of purpose.
For LGBTQ+ couples, there may be opportunities to explore options like reciprocal IVF, where one partner provides the eggs and the other carries the pregnancy. If both partners have uteruses, it can be helpful for both to undergo fertility evaluations to better plan your path forward.
At every stage, clear communication is key. Talk to your partner about the kind of support you need – whether it’s practical, emotional, or a combination of both. Fertility care is a team effort, and together, you can navigate this journey with strength and understanding.
