What is IVF?
In vitro fertilization treatment, the sperm produced in the man’s body is not sufficient in terms of quality, the age is beyond middle age, etc. It is an effective assisted reproductive technique that has been used for many years for couples who cannot have children for many reasons. In vitro fertilization is currently one of the most common treatment methods for infertility.
Stages of IVF
TIn IVF treatment, the woman’s eggs and the man’s sperm are collected outside the body and fertilization is achieved after a series of procedures in the laboratory. The stages of treatment are as follows:
Phase 1 (Preparation phase)
After the couple decides on in vitro fertilization, tests are performed to determine whether they are suitable for treatment after they apply to the health institution.
Phase 2 (enlargement of the eggs in the woman)
Normally, a woman’s ovary develops and grows 1 egg every month. In IVF treatment, the goal is to ensure that as many eggs as possible are produced. For this purpose, some tiny injections and pills are used. Under the control of the doctor, this process continues for approximately 1-2 weeks and it is checked whether the efficiency is obtained during the preparation phase.
Phase 3 (Egg collection and sperm retrieval)
In a hospital setting, a needle is inserted into the follicles enlarged by ultrasound and the eggs are collected. Sperm is collected from the man on the same day.
Phase 4 (fertilization of the egg by the sperm)
At this stage, a fine needle is used to inject the sperm into the egg. After this stage, the embryos have formed and are followed up over a period of 3 to 5 days.
Phase 5 (Embryo transfer)
BAt this stage, the embryo is inserted into the uterus with a thin cannula.
Phase 6 (Waiting period and pregnancy test)
After all these steps, the waiting period begins and a pregnancy test is performed in the blood by waiting for a period of 10-12 days and the result is determined.
It takes about 3 weeks from the beginning of the treatment until the embryo transfer and about 1 month to complete all stages of the treatment and get the result. In some exceptional cases, the 30-day period may be extended.
Differences between IVF and Normal Pregnancy
Unlike normal pregnancy, IVF treatment is performed in a laboratory environment by fertilizing the man’s sperm and the woman’s egg. There is no difference between babies born naturally and those born through IVF. Moreover, some genetic problems that may occur later can also be detected during IVF. In this respect, IVF treatment has its own important advantages. However, unlike natural pregnancy (except in exceptional cases), IVF treatment involves the use of medication under the supervision of a doctor to develop the woman’s eggs.
Nutrition in IVF Treatment
1- It is important to be close to the ideal weight to increase the chances of successful IVF treatment. For this, support can be obtained from a dietitian before starting treatment.
2- It is necessary to drink a lot of fluids during the IVF treatment period. Approximately 2-3 liters of water should be consumed daily.
3- Legumes such as dried beans and chickpeas should not be missing from the table during treatment and these foods should be consumed at least 2 days a week.
4- Again, keeping the amount of protein at a good level increases the success of the treatment. Therefore, consuming foods such as fish rich in omega3, protein and minerals several times a week will help the treatment to be successful.
5- Food should be boiled, not fried. However, care should be taken not to boil vegetables and pasta for too long.
6- Vegetable groups containing folic acid and nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts containing rich fats should be consumed more frequently during this period.
7- If you smoke, you should quit and not enter these environments.
8- If the person does not use sugar but sweeteners, he/she should also stop using sweeteners in this process.
Reasons for IVF Failure
Even if there is no problem in any of the stages of IVF treatment, there is always the possibility of a negative outcome. The reasons for this may not be clearly attributable to a single factor, but there are several factors that can lead to a negative outcome of treatment. Reasons such as the advanced age of the expectant mother and genetic factors that may occur in her eggs for this reason, the ovaries not responding to the drugs taken during the IVF treatment phase, various structural disorders in the eggs, disorders in the sperm structure of the father-to-be, the woman’s uterine wall is not thick enough, not using the drugs recommended by the doctor properly, not paying attention to the rules to be followed after the transfer may prevent the successful outcome of IVF treatment.
What Not to Eat During IVF Treatment
Expectant mothers should pay much more attention to nutrition during IVF treatment. Eliminating certain foods from the diet during treatment and during the waiting period is important for a positive outcome of the treatment.
During this period, expectant mothers should avoid excessively fatty foods, undercooked or undercooked foods, foods with food additives, products containing caffeine such as tea, chocolate, coffee, foods with food coloring and artificial sweeteners, and most importantly, smoking and alcohol consumption.
PRP Assisted IVF Treatment
PRP treatment can be explained as the application of plasma rich in growth factors and platelets to organs and tissues for treatment. In this method, which has been used for a long time to treat various damages in areas such as aesthetic surgery, orthopedics, medical aesthetics and to help repair organs and tissues, the blood taken from the patient is first separated with the help of a special process and plasma is obtained. This plasma is rich in platelets, whose main function in the body is blood clotting. The resulting plasma is returned to the patient by injection. Platelets regenerate cells with the growth factors they contain.
PRP assisted in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is applied when the desired success is not achieved after several attempts for pregnancy. In recent years, the treatment has been used to solve problems such as ovarian rejuvenation, infertility and intrauterine membrane problems. This also increases the chances of couples with a low chance of pregnancy to have a child. Again, in PRP treatment, the patient’s own blood is separated and the blood rich in platelets obtained is returned to the uterus of the expectant mother.
