When to contact a gynecologist for problems with conception and what is important to know about IVF, explained the doctor

Pregnancy planning is often accompanied by many questions and myths. On the air of the talk show “PRO HEALTH” on the YouTube channel “SEE AND LIVE”, the gynecologist of the Minsk City Clinical Endocrinology Center Anna Luzan analyzed the key points: when to consult a doctor, how age affects the effectiveness of IVF and is it true that children born with the help of reproductive technologies are more likely to face infertility, writes sb.by.

When to see a doctor if pregnancy does not occur? If a woman is under 35 years of age, the reason for contacting a gynecologist is the absence of pregnancy during a year of regular sexual activity without contraception. For women over 35 years of age, this period is reduced to six months: in this case, the question of possible infertility is already raised and the examination begins. This is due to the fact that with age, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases, chronic diseases are more common, and the quality of eggs decreases markedly. The difference between the eggs of a woman in 35 and 40 years is significant, so early examination and the initiation of actions increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.

Screenshot of IVF video and age: what can you really count on? Often women postpone pregnancy planning, believing that later they will be able to use IVF. However, the effectiveness of this technology depends on the quality of eggs, which deteriorates with age. For example, a 32-year-old woman is much more likely to successfully conceive than a 45-year-old woman. If at the age of about 30 years to freeze about 10 eggs, then in the future it may be enough reserve for pregnancy. At the same time, a woman over 45 years of age may need at least 20 eggs to achieve a similar result, which is difficult because of the reduced ovarian reserve. To do this, you often need to go through several cycles of stimulation of ovulation, the studio guest emphasized. If a woman plans to postpone motherhood until the age of 45, one option is to cryopreserve eggs at a younger age (for example, at 30-32 years). In the future, young cells with a lower risk of chromosomal pathologies will be used for IVF - this increases the likelihood of pregnancy and the birth of a healthy child. When using donor eggs (from women 25-30 years old), pregnancy often occurs even in patients older than 50 years: the ability of the uterus to bear the fetus can persist for a long time. However, if it is crucial for a couple to use their own genetic material, it is important to consider: the earlier eggs are saved, the higher the chances of success. It is also worth remembering the limitations of cryopreservation: not all eggs successfully tolerate freezing and defrosting. Embryos (fertilized eggs) are best stored - they can be stored indefinitely under storage conditions. You can cryopreserve both eggs and sperm, and embryos. Is it true that babies born with IVF are infertile? - It's a common myth. Scientific studies do not confirm that children born after IVF have higher levels of infertility than the population average, she said. In some cases, the cause of female infertility remains unclear: the couple has no identified violations, but pregnancy does not occur. After IVF, conception becomes possible, although the exact mechanism of this effect is not always clear. The likelihood of fertility problems in a child is more often associated with hereditary factors - that is, with the health of the parents, rather than with the IVF method itself. In fact, IVF helps to overcome certain barriers at the stage of conception, but does not change the genetics and does not affect the reproductive abilities of the offspring.

Watch the PRO HEALTH project on the Watch and Live YouTube channel every Sunday at 12:00. Specialists in various fields will answer popular questions of concern to everyone in simple language and with humor.