In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a procedure that has been available in the Philippines for a number of years now. It was introduced in the country back in 1995. IVF treatment entails the collection of eggs from a woman’s ovaries and sperm from a man. The eggs are then fertilized with the sperm in a lab, and then transferred back to the uterus. It is possible to have eggs or sperm from a donor, whether anonymous or known to the individual or couple that wants to conceive a child.
In Vitro Fertilization is known to be the most effective form of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), therefore making it the best infertility treatment. Infertility is defined as a disease that hinders a person from conceiving a child/children. IVF is an option that individuals who want to have a child but can’t can consider, as it has the potential to help them conceive.
Because IVF is a relatively new treatment in the Philippines, there are still a number of misconceptions and myths that surround it. These may discourage couples to seek help from doctors or consider IVF as an option. We’ve listed five misconceptions below about fertility and IVF in the Philippines. We have also a brief description on why these are untrue:
IVF in the Philippines is not at par with IVF abroad
There are some who believe that they have to visit another country for an IVF procedure. This mentality stems from believing that treatments abroad are superior to those in the Philippines. This is untrue, because there are several IVF clinics in and around Manila that offer the same quality in terms of procedures and equipment as clinics abroad. One of these clinics is Kato Repro Biotech Center, with doctors who specialize in fertility and state of the art technology for various procedures.
IVF is the only form of ART
Though In Vitro Fertilization is one of the most popular forms of assisted reproductive technology, it is not the only one. There are other procedures that may be done, and this also depends on the needs of the individual or the couple. For example, some women may opt for assisted hatching. This is a procedure where the covering of an embryo is removed so that the success rates of the embryo implanting itself in the uterus increases. Another example is Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which is when a sperm is injected directly into an egg. This can be done if a man has problems with his sperm count.
Infertility is the woman’s fault
Some still believe that if a couple has difficulty conceiving, it’s because something is wrong with the woman, or that it is the woman’s fault. This is untrue, because both men and women can be infertile. Examples of what makes a woman infertile include problems in ovulation, low egg quality or count, and blocked fallopian tubes. For men, examples include a low sperm count, certain diseases such as mumps (if their testicles are inflamed as well) and diabetes (can cause erectile dysfunction), and injuries.
IVF and other ART procedures are only for older women/men
Though women and men who are older may have a harder time conceiving children, age is not the only factor to consider when it comes to infertility. Infertility may stem from a lot of things, such as genetics, prior or current diseases, hormonal issues and gland disorders, benign cysts, and exposure to certain chemicals and toxins.
IVF increases the chances of multiple pregnancies
IVF does not increase the chances of multiple pregnancies. In fact, IVF lets the doctors control how many embryos they’ll be putting in a woman’s uterus. One clinic that has been trying to reduce the chances of a multiple pregnancy is Kato Repro Biotech Center. Their fertility doctors here in the Philippines return only one embryo in the uterus in 100% of their cases. The clinic sees the importance of single embryo transfer because of the physical risks that come with a multiple pregnancy, such as elevating the incidence of premature labor or causing maternal complications, and because the simultaneous transfer of multiple embryos does not increase a woman’s pregnancy rate.
These are only five of the numerous misconceptions about fertility and IVF. Raising awareness on infertility and the options that couples and individuals have to address it is important, especially in the Philippines, because not a lot of people have enough knowledge on these things yet. To know more about infertility, IVF, and other ART procedures, you may read about ART procedures here or contact Kato Repro Biotech Center here.