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In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)
Ask Dr Paul Tseng about:
- Cost of IVF in Singapore
- Success rates of IVF in Singapore
- Health risks of IVF to child and the mother
- Causes of failures in IVF
Dr Tseng is an experienced fertility specialist, obstetrician and gynaecologist who is well known for his holistic approach to fertility treatment recognising the importance of assisted reproductive technology coupled with traditional complementary therapies to achieve the best results for patients.
Questions 7
How does age affect IVF treatment and success rates?
Age has a direct correlation to the quality of the eggs in a woman. The older the woman, particularly above 35 years, the higher the chance of the eggs losing their quality. The quality of the eggs also dictate the quality of the embryo, and hence the success in achieving a healthy pregnancy. In Singapore, the maximum allowable age to undergo IVF is 45 years.
What are the main reasons for the failure of IVF in Singapore?
This is not necessarily a true statement. It all depends on the reason for the Infertility. The success in achieving a pregnancy can be as high as 40-50% if it is purely due to blocked or damaged tubes, but the quality of the eggs and sperm are good and there is no abnormality to the uterus. However, in many instances, this is not the case. There are a combination of adverse factors that influence and dictate the success rates. The more problems you have the higher the failure rates.
How painful is IVF, and what can be done to reduce the pain?
The only painful part of the whole IVF process is the Oocyte retrieval and this is very often done under a light General Aneaesthetic. The daily injections of the stimulant are very often bearable-like an “ant-bite”.
How long does it take to become pregnant after starting IVF?
Hopefully, two weeks after your Embryo transfer. This would depend on whether it was a fresh transfer or Frozen embryo transfer. A fresh transfer is one where the transfer is done on the same cycle as the egg retrieval.
How is IVF performed in Singapore, and what should one know before going for IVF in Singapore?
There are different protocols that are used for different types of patients. It is best you attend the Counselling sessions that are held by the IVF Centres to understand more about how they conduct their programs, as each fertility specialist has his/her own preferences. I think many patients have different concerns and misinformation about what IVF entails. Some think its very painful, some think it is very time consuming and others are concerned about the cost of the procedure.
What are the risks of IVF to the mother in the short and long term?
I am happy to say IVF in this day and age carries very few risks to the women undergoing such treatment. The most dreaded was the Hyperstimulation Syndrome where the number of eggs retrieved was in the region of above 30. The present protocols are safer and reduce dramatically the incidence of these complications. The single most important difference was the introduction of “freeze all” and transfer in a later cycle rather than at the fresh cycle. This is because of better freezing and thawing methods.
Should I unblock my fallopian tube before IVF?
We used to resort to surgery to unblock damaged and obstructed tubes. This was a time when IVF was in its infancy and results unpredictable. The situation has since changed for the better. IVF results are much better and the discomfort much less than undergoing surgery to unblock a tube. It is also now not recommended as first line treatment as the damaged tube would most likely have many areas of damage and blockages that it would be very difficult to retain a healthy portion of the tube-hence the reason you have had 2 ectopic pregnancies.