IVF is an immense challenge. Or is it?

At first glance, IVF, or in vitro fertilisation, doesn’t seem a complicated process; eggs are removed from the body (or from the donor), fertilised in the laboratory, then returned to the uterus, which in the majority of cases completes the process. So what’s so demanding about that? The number of horror stories on online forums has terrified many people and discouraged them from seeking treatment, describing the process as very exhausting, particularly for women. Even though it is true that IVF is, in a sense, an immense challenge, one has to look at it from several points of view and find out what can be expected from this much-discussed method.

IVF entails things and situations that people may not expect and that they aren’t used to. The regular injections necessary for a period of about two weeks in order to prepare the body for the removal of eggs, and the removal itself, are carried out in a surgery theatre, either with or without anaesthetic, according to the choice of the patient. Many women who have contributed to online forums report that they were shocked when they found out that they had to go through this and overcome their fear of needles and operating theatres so that they could undergo the treatment. It is a well-known fact that not everyone can bear these things, and for this reason IVF is much more humane than you would expect. However, with proper preparation and valid information you can find out in advance what IVF involves and the best way to deal with it.

Every online forum talks about the demanding aspects of IVF – from the side-effects of drugs during the recovery period following anaesthesia – but most of them are highly distorted. The client Constandina, who shared her opinion on Telegraf (online forum) spoke about the joy she experienced when she finally conceived, and even says that, due to the treatment, she “is stronger than she thought she was”. Another client, Katie, contributed her opinion to BeyondType1 (non-profit organisation) and speaks about how grateful she is to have her strength tested, and that her relationship with her partner is much better and stronger because they successfully went through the entire process together.

Many people combine the treatment cycle with holidays and leisure, which is made possible due to healthcare tourism, an option that is very often taken. IVF has grown massively in cities, for example here in Prague. Prague is famous for healthcare tourism and its world-class reproduction clinics with their attractive prices. Although travelling away from home isn’t for everyone, everyone can safely travel during the IVF process, which can help to relieve pressure that the patient may be experiencing. Shared memories with your loved ones and looking forward to a new stage in life. You must think positively, because our world is the way we make it in our minds.

Sources:
http://www.healthtalk.org/peoples-experiences/pregnancy-children/infertility/difficult-parts-ivficsi-treatment
https://beyondtype1.org/first-cycle-what-i-never-imagined-about-ivf-treatment/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/8-women-talk-honestly-about-the-gruelling-reality-of-ivf---and-t/

*The article was translated from the Czech original into English by a translation agency MARVEL, s. r. o.