IVF is the technological treatment
chosen by various infertile couples as an assisted conception method in case of
infertility. In this process, eggs are extracted from the ovaries of a woman
and are mixed with sperm and are observed for the formation of an embryo. Then
this embryo is placed in the uterus of the infertile woman. The woman’s body
then conceives a fetus through the embryo and gets pregnant.
Natural pregnancy is drastically
different from an IVF pregnancy. In a natural pregnancy, the normal method of
sexual intercourse is enough for conception. This is what makes IVF and a
natural pregnancy different from each other. IVF specialist, Dr Shivani Sachdev Gour can
easily tell you the difference between the two types of pregnancies.
Let’s discuss other things in which a
natural pregnancy and an IVF pregnancy can be different.
- IVF pregnancies are not necessarily riskier than normal pregnancies. This differs from case to case. Several normal pregnancies have a higher risk than IVF pregnancy.
- IVF has a slightly higher chance of birth deformities from a natural pregnancy. There is a 1 percent higher chance of birth defects in babies born through IVF than born through natural pregnancy. 3-5 children in 15000 IVF children have birth deformities while in the case of normal pregnancies, the rate is 1 in 15000.
- The chances of birth defects before conception are higher in IVF. Through PGS and PGD, birth defects are easier to be detected in embryos even before they are placed in the uterus. This is not possible in case of normal pregnancy.
- IVF mothers are often giving birth to multiple babies at once since the chance of conception of more than one embryo is higher in IVF pregnancies than in normal pregnancies. 11.5% of IVF pregnancies result in multiple babies. Multiple babies can result in premature labor and low birth weight of the babies. The care of such mothers is also a the high requirements in these cases.
- In the case of IVF pregnancies, it is easier to know all the side effects as the mother know from the point of conception that they have conceived. This is not the case with a natural pregnancy. The mother in natural pregnancy doesn’t know they’ve conceived generally until one month of conception.
- Sometimes in IVF treatment, medications and methods to stimulate eggs can give symptoms of pregnancy to a woman trying to conceive. This doesn’t necessarily mean that she is pregnant. In the case of natural pregnancy, the symptoms of pregnancy most probably indicate a successful conception.
These are some of the differences
between a normal pregnancy and an IVF pregnancy. The differences are not hard
to understand and any good IVF clinic can easily explain to you the differences
that you might face when it comes to conception through IVF. This information
can keep you informed and alert and can make a huge difference in decision
making and taking care. In case you still have doubts, you can contact Dr Shivani Sachdev
Gour to consult regarding this.
