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Complications of IVF

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About 16% of heterosexual couples ages 18-44 are experiencing infertility. Indeed, it is seen in previous studies that the older the woman the higher the rate of infertility, but recent studies have indicated that couples ages 19-29 the rate of infertility has increased in a range from 7% to 13.7%. In addition, infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a whole year of intercourse without the use of contraception. Infertility has a very high emotional impact on couples. According to Sher, Davis and Stoess (2005) “When asked what they considered to be a primary problem in their lives, almost 80 percent of the couples replied that it was their inability to conceive.” It usually causes emotional pain amongst couples.Some methods usually used to treat infertility include counseling, surgery to repair any anatomical damage and drugs to help with ovulation and sperm function. (Sher et al., 2005)The last poplar method usually used in North America is known as in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is a process whereas the egg(s) are fertilized outside of a woman’s body. When the procedure is successful, the zygote(s) are placed in the uterus. IVF does have its advantages for woman under the maternal age but it also has a serious risk associated with going through with the process. IVF increases the chance of multiple births, ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome and ectopic pregnancy. Multiple births is a result of more than one zygote being present in a woman’s uterus

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