According to World Health Organization statistics, nearly 20% of couples of childbearing age are infertile. About 50-80 million people worldwide may have fertility problems. And in 2012, the Chinese Population Association reported that there are now over 40 million infertility patients in China, with an estimated 2 million new infertile couples each year, and this number is increasing. Based on the CFPA data and the usual calculations of our profession, it is likely that more than 1 million couples in China are currently in need of IVF treatment each year. That’s why people often say to me in clinic, “IVF has a high success rate, why don’t you do IVF for us?” “You can choose the gender, right? You can do IVF for us and make a dragon and phoenix baby”. What is “in vitro fertilization”? “What is the current status of IVF as an important treatment for infertility, after decades of development? What are its advantages and disadvantages? What is IVF? ”IVF technology is professionally known as “in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer technology”. The term is commonly understood to mean that patients whose fertilization cannot be completed in vivo due to various medical reasons need to undergo in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer treatment. Indications for IVF What causes fertilization not to be completed in vivo? The sperm and egg cannot hold hands and fall in love due to tubal factors; low sperm count and low vitality prevent them from breaking through layers of barriers to reach the dating site; the egg cannot break out of the cocoon in the ovary; declining ovarian function requires a race against age; there is no etiology, years of infertility and multiple IUIs. In short, IVF is not something you can do whenever you want and however you want, it has strict indications. At present, our country is very strict in regulating this technology, and hospitals need to be admitted if they can carry out this technology, and after admission, they need to be verified by the state once every two years. IVF techniques that are currently prohibited in our country include surrogacy, gender selection without medical evidence, and egg donation in non-IVF cycles. Types of IVF In vitro fertilization-embryo transfer technology, commonly known as the first generation of IVF technology, mainly solves female infertility caused by fallopian tube problems; single sperm intracytoplasmic injection technology, commonly known as the second generation of IVF technology, mainly solves male severe oligospermia and sperm-egg non-union problems; pre-implantation genetic diagnosis technology, commonly known as the third generation of IVF technology, mainly solves genetic problems that cause fertility Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, commonly known as third-generation IVF, addresses the genetics of fertility defects and ensures that genetic defects are not passed down vertically to the fetus. These three techniques are also collectively referred to as “in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer”. In addition to these three mainstream techniques, there are also “oocyte in vitro maturation”, “embryo and egg freezing”, “blastocyst culture” and “pre-implantation laser assisted embryo transfer”. “Laser-assisted hatching of embryos before implantation”, etc. In vitro fertilization treatment process Firstly, the necessary examination and preparation of the couple, including psychological preparation, after the indications are clarified; secondly, in order to obtain enough eggs for in vitro operation, the woman needs to receive gonadotropin stimulation, during which several vaginal ultrasound monitoring and blood tests are required to determine the development of the follicles; after the follicles are mature, she undergoes transvaginal puncture for egg retrieval; the male partner retrieves sperm; the sperm and eggs are fertilized in vitro; the fertilized eggs The embryo is transferred into the woman’s uterine cavity and the pregnancy is confirmed after two weeks of luteal health. The whole process takes about one and a half to two months. Safety of IVF IVF technology has only limited intervention in fertilization and early embryo development. More than 40 years of technological development and large sample size surveys and data analysis have shown that IVF technology has not improved birth defects in babies. With the current state of medical care, IVF technology is safe. IVF success rate At the current level of medical development, a hospital with a very standardized control of indications should have an overall success rate of 40%-50% for IVF. The overall success rate is an important indicator to test the overall medical level of the hospital, and hospitals below this level need to reflect and improve their technology. Patients should also be wary of publicity about high success rates and should be careful in choosing a hospital. In fact, for individuals, this success rate is not very meaningful except for reference, and for individuals it is either success or failure. After all, it is a process of medication and surgery, and IVF should be the last line of defense in the treatment of infertility by advocating natural conception or moderate treatment. This line of defense should be jointly guarded by doctors and patients! No abuse of IVF technology!