Struggles with infertility and babies born from IVF may be more common than you think. In fact, one in 20 babies in Australia are said to have been born through IVF, with one in nine couples experiencing fertility issues. Yet with so many people facing issues falling pregnant, it still widely remains a topic that isn’t really spoken about.
To help break down the barrier of the unknown, Women’s Health spoke to Brendan Ayres from Connect IVF Fertility Clinic about the five most common misconceptions people have surrounding IVF.
What is IVF?
IVF stands for ‘in vitro fertilisation’. It is a process of a controlled fertilisation that happens outside of the body in which a female egg is combined with the male’s sperm for a woman to become pregnant.
Singles or couples may choose these treatments to overcome fertility issues such as low sperm or a low egg count, as well as people who choose to fall pregnant later in life using frozen eggs, and families in the LGBTQI+ community.
How does IVF work?
It is a complex procedure. In its simplest form, it works by retrieving eggs from ovaries and manually combining them with sperm in a controlled environment outside the body for fertilisation. Once an egg has been fertilised, the embryo is placed inside a woman’s uterus. It is considered a successful pregnancy when the embryo implants itself to the uterine wall.
There are many steps that occur before and after this procedure. This includes specialist appointments and consultations to determine if it’s right for you, self-injected hormone stimulation and treatment monitoring.
How much does IVF cost in Australia
The pricing will vary between clinic to clinic and the type of treatment so it’s difficult to determine one umbrella cost. According to Connect IVF, the total cost for a fresh IVF cycle excluding medication costs $2,150. For a frozen IVF cycle, the cost is $900. Other clinics may charge up to $9,000 and $4,900 for the same treatments respectively.
There may be other costs incurred during the IVF process including $2,400 for donor services, $500 for ovulation tracking and $800 for an intrauterine insemination cycle.
Common misconceptions about IVF
IVF is unaffordable and can’t be easily accessed by everyone
While many may believe choosing IVF is too expensive for most Aussies, you may be surprised to hear it can actually be affordable and can even be bulk-billed at clinics like Connect IVF.
“Don’t assume that you can’t afford it or that the only option is a public IVF unit waitlist. Do your research on bulk-billed clinics available to you and make an appointment to see what your options are,” Brendan shares.
Bulk-billed IVF clinics offer lower quality services
This is completely false. If a clinic offers bulk-billing, it does not mean a lower quality of services nor does it lower your chance of becoming pregnant.
“You can get incredible treatment at bulk-billed clinics from caring and well-educated practitioners. It pays to shop around. Check out the value for money you’re getting and choose a clinic based on that,” advises Brendan.
Your first IVF cycle will be the most successful
Just because your first cycle didn’t work, it doesn’t mean the next one won’t. In fact, success rates are cumulative. That means the more cycles you do, the greater the chance of having a successful pregnancy so don’t lose hope.
It’s a one-size fits all model
Did you know there are a number of different treatments available? As everyone’s circumstances are different, there is no one-size fits all model that’s guaranteed to work for everyone. If a friend or family member gets pregnant with one type of treatment, it doesn’t automatically mean that it’s right for you. Brendan suggests discussing the best pathway for you with your specialist.
I can take my time deciding if IVF is for me
Making the decision to choose treatments can be daunting so it’s only natural that you take the time to do your research and weigh up your options. However time is critical when it comes to IVF.
“A woman’s age is still the number one factor affecting the likely success rates in IVF. If you’re thinking about IVF, at least get a fertility assessment from a specialist or GP. Then you can make an informed decision and feel less like you’re missing out on a family,” Brendan advises.
