What is IVF?
Couples who want to become parents can sometimes face difficult paths. Unhealthy sperm, embryos that cannot hold on and many other reasons may have reduced your hope of having a baby. Today, in vitro fertilization treatment can be performed in separate treatment sizes for mothers and fathers. Cells that cannot fertilize on their own are brought together in a laboratory environment and fertilization is expected to occur. The fertilized egg is then transferred back to the mother.
Fertilization can also be done by microinjection, that is, by manually injecting sperm into the egg. The first step of IVF treatment starts with FSA, or ovarian stimulating hormone drugs. Egg stimulation procedures are started on the 2nd day of menstruation and this stimulation treatment lasts for approximately 11 days. When the eggs reach the desired size, it is time for the egg cracking needle and cracks occur in the egg after 2 days. These eggs need to be collected before cracks occur. It is very important not to delay this process because if the opposite happens and the eggs are not collected, there is a possibility that they will shed into the uterus. Unfortunately, the shed eggs cannot be used for treatment and the entire treatment process must be started over again. Egg collection can be done under local or general anesthesia. The procedure takes approximately 15 minutes. In order to ensure fertilization, the sperm taken from the father and the egg are left side by side in suitable environments and fertilization is expected to occur.
After all these procedures, the treatment ends with embryo transfer to the mother's uterus and we can wait for a pregnancy test for 10 days after the procedure to reach the result. However, IVF treatment never has a 100% success rate and this should not be forgotten either during or before the treatment, and patients should start the next treatment without despairing in case of any negative result.
Co-culture (Artificial Womb)
Nowadays, the artificial womb, which is a method that we have started to hear the name of frequently in IVF treatment, should not actually be called by this name, and the correct name should be co-culture. Co-culture is an auxiliary treatment used for IVF treatment. This treatment, which means applying culture to the uterus, opens new doors of hope for couples who cannot have a baby naturally. This treatment is used in IVF applications of 3 and above, that is, in repeated unsuccessful IVF treatments. A small tissue taken from the uterus on the 21st day of the woman's menstrual period is recreated in the laboratory. After the procedure, our patient is now started on IVF treatment. After the ovarian stimulation, rupture and collection of the ovaries, the frozen samples are thawed in the laboratory and then the artificial womb, which we call co-culture, is created. The IVF process and the process from the fertilization achieved after this process to the transfer of the embryos are continued in this artificial womb, that is, co-culture. During this process, the embryos grow as if they were growing in their own mother's womb. In fact, what is done here is to continue the mother's womb in a laboratory environment.
Endometrial cells never harm the developing embryo, on the contrary, they help and support its development. Co-culture fluid contains very useful fluids for embryos, the nutritious fluids and proteins in it are important for development. In addition, antioxidants formed in the environment remove wastes that may harm the embryo from the environment.
In What Situations Can Artificial Uterus Be Used?
This treatment method is not a treatment that can be applied to every patient and that will be needed. In addition, this treatment requires intense effort, work force and solid infrastructures. Your physician must be very knowledgeable and experienced in this regard. Your physician will also decide whether you need an artificial uterus application. Artificial uterus application can be preferred in candidates who are over 40 years old and want to become a mother and in patients with very high FSH values. It can be applied to patients who have tried IVF treatment more than once and failed due to the condition of the uterus, and also in medical treatments and in cases where there is no response to the treatment.
Choosing the right doctor is the most important step in starting a suitable treatment. Make sure you can trust your doctor.
Co-culture (Artificial Womb) Success
This new method used has increased the success rate in IVF treatment. It has opened a new door to unsuccessful IVF treatments and has become a ray of hope. Especially repeated unsuccessful IVF treatments are becoming the most important treatment method in co-culture applications. Success is observed in two different sections, before transfer and after transfer. This rate is 68% in embryo development before transfer. After transfer, it has increased to 50%.
Can Co-Culture be Performed in IVF Centers?
The successful results of this application have also mobilized many IVF treatment centers, and the centers that took action to create an application area have started working with sufficient knowledge, technical equipment and specialist physicians. However, not every IVF center has sufficient facilities for such a treatment.
It is a treatment that requires experience and not every doctor may have this experience. IVF treatment is also financially burdensome, but when an artificial uterus is added to it, it can create a situation that couples will have difficulty coping with. Since it requires both high amounts of money and high and delicate work areas, this practice is not currently performed in most IVF centers. The fact that it is not based on definitive evidence that it provides 100% success in the world and has not yet taken its place among the treatments that should be applied has prevented it from being available in centers.
Some of the IVF centers have incorporated this practice into their organization and have started to implement it. You can find out which centers these are with a little research.
Factors That Negatively Affect Success in IVF Treatment
The relationship between IVF and stress is much more related than you might think and has a huge impact on success rates. As is known, the body is governed by hormones, and hormones are governed by our emotions. Therefore, the emotional state of couples, both with each other and with themselves, is very important during the IVF process. Sometimes the problems experienced during this process shake couples deeply and lead them to insurmountable paths.
When starting treatment, it is necessary to accept the negative aspects of the treatment, of course, we are not talking about being hopeless here. Stress affects many things in life, as it messes up the hormones and makes the treatment process difficult. At the same time, age is the most important factor in IVF treatment. The younger the age, the higher the chance of success. Couples who fail in the first attempt and take a long break for the next attempt should know that time works against them. Eggs start to lose their efficiency after the age of 35. If you insist on having a baby, you should have this treatment applied at an early age and continue the treatment until pregnancy occurs.
Other factors affecting success will be lifestyle, namely alcohol, cigarettes and stimulant use. If you reduce body resistance with such unhealthy substances, your treatment will be a lost battle from the beginning. As for genetic disorders and uterine problems, today's scientists are still working on them. The most important of these and the solution for uterine disorders is the artificial womb. As a result, by preparing yourself for the treatment psychologically and financially, going through the process as stress-free and calm as possible, and quitting smoking and alcohol, you will already make the treatment process easier and create positive effects on the treatment. You can also make a difference in your success rate by making the right choice of doctor.
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