Before Baby - Week 3
Welcome to Week 3 of the 4-week Before Baby Pre-pregnancy Guide!
This week, we delve a little deeper into the fertility treatments available. Because sometimes, it takes a village to start a family.
Your Guide to Understanding IVF Success Rates
If you’re currently starting IVF treatment or are considering choosing a fertility clinic, it’s natural to take an interest in a clinic’s IVF success rates to help you determine your own chance of falling pregnant with IVF. But what do these figures really mean and how do you compare them between clinics? Let us explain.
When it comes to IVF, there is no agreed standard for reporting 'success'
Sometimes, IVF success rates are quoted per completed IVF treatment cycle - a complete IVF collection and treatment cycle can involve multiple transfers of embryos collected from one egg collection. Success rates measured this way will therefore naturally be higher than success rates measured per embryo transfer.
At Virtus Fertility Centre Singapore, we report our success rates per embryo transfer as we want to give you the most realistic understanding of your chance of success following each individual embryo transfer.
However, it is important to understand that unfortunately, not every treatment cycle will result in an embryo transfer. For some women, no eggs will be collected and sometimes after the eggs have been collected, there may be no transfer because embryos have not developed.
Age remains as the most important factor
We previously talked about the importance of the woman’s age on fertility, and this impacts both the chance of spontaneous conception as well as the success of IVF. A woman’s fertility starts to decline slowly from her early 30’s onwards but declines rapidly after the age of 40. When comparing statistics, be sure to look for a clinic that is transparent with its success rates and breaks them down into age bands. This will help you determine what is applicable to your own chances of success.
Make it about you
Whether you are embarking on fertility treatment for the first time, or seeking a second opinion after previous unsuccessful cycles, the best way to understand the likelihood of success for you and your partner is to have a consultation with a fertility specialist. Our role is to give you a thorough understanding of where you are now, and to work with you to develop the most suitable treatment plan moving forward.
Remember bar graphs are not always what’s important – achieving a pregnancy and delivering a baby is the definition of success. Focus on finding a fertility specialist you are comfortable with and who is caring for you, constantly refining your treatment to maximise the chance of success.
When it comes to choosing a fertility clinic, here are a few things to look out for:
- Does the clinic offer a range of fertility treatments and assessments?
- Have you found a doctor you connect with, and who has the right specialty area for you? Do they listen to your concerns, understand your goals and answer your questions?
- Is the clinic in a convenient location?
- Does the clinic have leading technology, particularly in the laboratory?
Remember, every fertility journey is unique, just like you!
The first step is to have a consultation with a fertility specialist.
Nutrition
Up your antioxidant game to protect your fertility
Dietician Wendy Fedele shares this week's 'Before Baby' recipe to try, a Salmon and Green goodness salad with lemony yoghurt dressing bursting with antioxidants.
Fitness
Pre-pregnancy Yoga
In this weeks yoga class, be inspired by teacher, Sarah Manning, with the newest poses and movement.
Sex & Relationships
What to do when one of you is not in the mood
Today we’ll be talking about what to do when it’s that time of the month and one of you is not in the mood for sex.
Need a fertility friend?
During this programme you can head to our private Facebook group and chat with others who are trying to conceive. Hearing the experiences of other people on a similar fertility journey can be an invaluable source of support and encouragement.
Before Baby Spotify Playlist
Each week we'll bring you a new 'Before Baby' Spotify playlist. When trying for a baby becomes hard to do - or you're simply having an 'off' day, this playlist is for you.
In case you missed it last week: Week 2 of Before Baby >>>>