In Vitro Fertilization (cont.)

Medical Author:

Jairo E Garcia, MD

Medical Editor:

Bryan D Cowan, MD

Medical Editor:

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD

Medical Editor:

Lee P Shulman, MD

Age: Women younger than 35 years who do not have problems with their partners' sperm may try IVF.
Multiple births: Generally, in women who use IVF to establish a live birth, about 63% are single babies, 32% are twins, and 5% are triplets or more.
Cost: One cycle of IVF costs an average of $12,400.
Reduced surgery: If a woman has IVF, she may not have to undergo surgery on her fallopian tubes. It is estimated that the IVF technique has reduced such surgeries by half.
Safety: Studies suggest that in vitro fertilization is safe. A recent study covered nearly 1,000 children conceived through these methods in 5 European countries and found that the children, monitored from birth to age 5 years, were as healthy as children conceived naturally. However, other studies have found a slightly increased risk of genetic disorders in children conceived through assisted reproductive technologies.