Is egg freezing safe and legal? Why do so few hospitals in China do egg freezing programs?
From a safety point of view, the technology of deep cryopreservation is relatively mature and many human cells or organs can now be safely programmed or vitrified for better clinical results. There are no specific laws in China that regulate the legality of egg freezing. However, it is very difficult to implement at the operational level, which brings more ethical and social problems, and in the absence of clear legislation, domestic fertility centers are less likely to do such a program.
Are there any risks associated with egg retrieval? Can it cause damage to a woman’s ovaries, fallopian tubes and other organs?
Egg retrieval itself is a medical operation and any medical operation carries certain risks. Problems that may occur include infection, bleeding, etc. Although the chances are very small, it is a possibility. There is no damage to ovarian function from egg retrieval. The puncture technique of egg retrieval itself does not redundantly deplete ovarian function.
Many patients worry that ovulation retrieval will affect ovarian function, but in fact, a normal woman will have one egg cell ovulated every month, but the actual consumption is a dozen follicles per month. The ovarian function is not damaged and the next cycle of ovulation is not affected. However, due to the high estrogen during ovulation promotion and the addition of progesterone support at a later stage, there may be a transient high estrogen and high pregnancy, which may have some endocrine effects for two to three months.
Are there other assisted reproductive techniques besides egg freezing?
There are many assisted reproductive techniques, including intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), intrafallopian tube gamete transfer (GIFT), and intrafallopian tube fertilized egg transfer (ZIFT). Among them, IVF is probably the most familiar and is chosen by many infertile couples.
What is the percentage of women suffering from infertility in China and how does it compare to foreign countries?
The rate of infertile women in China is comparable to foreign values, with statistics showing that it is 10-15%, and has been increasing year by year over the years.
In 2007, it was reported that one out of every eight couples is suffering from infertility. The more developed regions and people with high education, the higher the infertility rate, which is related to the postponement of the childbearing age. The type of infertility differs between developed and underdeveloped regions, but the incidence is similar in terms of outpatient visits.
Are all infertility cases suitable for IVF?
Generally, a detailed examination of both the man and the woman will be done first, and some cases can be resolved with simple techniques without resorting to IVF. Only a small percentage of cases need to resort to IVF.
What are the improvements in the level of IVF and what success rates can be achieved now?
IVF technology has developed greatly in the past 26 years since its introduction to China, and the success rate has increased significantly, from 20-30% in the beginning to over 50%. However, the fertility centers vary, some are still at 30-40%. Some are still at 30-40%, while others can reach 50%, 60% or even 70%. Therefore, couples are advised to try to choose those with better qualifications when choosing a hospital to ensure safety and effectiveness.
Many people still have doubts about the specific operation of IVF, can you briefly explain the process?
1.Wives and partners are thoroughly examined to exclude other factors that may affect pregnancy until they are confirmed to be eligible for IVF.
2. Different protocols are used for different types, and the protocols vary considerably. The general principle is to obtain a sufficient number of follicles from the ovaries for simultaneous development.
3.Egg retrieval via vaginal puncture after follicle maturation.
4. Semen is retained by the husband on the same day. Obstructive azoospermia requires sperm retrieval by microsurgery and puncture biopsy.
5.Sperm and egg union. In first generation IVF, a certain concentration of sperm and eggs are put together for fertilization. In second generation IVF, if the sperm and eggs cannot be fertilized or the number of sperm is too small for fertilization, single sperm intracytoplasmic injection is required, and after two days to observe whether fertilization occurs, and then after 2-4 or 5 days to observe the embryo development, the embryo is selected for transfer.
6. 14 days later to check if you are pregnant.
In IVF operation, many couples also use frozen eggs. What is the difference between frozen eggs and fresh eggs in terms of viability and cost?
Frozen eggs cannot be recovered 100% of the time. 10 frozen egg cells may be recovered and only 8 may be alive, and the difference between the two will not be too great after fertilization. Due to the freezing technique, the quality of some embryos may be slightly lower. Frozen eggs will have an additional cost of freezing.
What are the current recommended drug regimens for IVF in China? What are the advantages of ovulation injections?
The protocol needs to be determined depending on the patient’s condition. For example, the IVF-ET technique (in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer) is now commonly referred to as IVF. In terms of medication regimen, for some simple cases, only ovulation-promoting drugs are needed. In other cases, such as oral medications affecting the endometrium or insufficient number of oocytes, injections are needed, including recombinant follicle stimulating hormone beta injection and gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist (Prilosec Ogali combination), urinary FSH (no recombinant FSH pure), HMG and so on. There are still differences in the ingredients, and different drugs are chosen depending on the patient’s condition. The goal is to obtain a sufficient number of good quality eggs to aim for a single egg retrieval cycle without the need for a second egg retrieval.
Are the health and intelligence levels of IVF babies lower than non-IVF babies?
Many studies have been done internationally, with post-birth follow-up ranging from 6-12 years of age, and have found that birth defects are no higher than in natural pregnancies, that there are no differences in personality development and educational ability during growth from other children, and that there are no significant physical or mental differences.
Is IVF expensive and affordable to the average working class?
IVF is not hundreds of thousands of dollars, 20-30,000 a cycle. Nowadays, the success rate is relatively high and there are very few cases where it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. 30-50,000 almost solves the problem, with very few patients having particularly long cycles that may cost more than 100-200,000.
Is the whole IVF process painful for women?
The IVF process itself is not painful, but work stress, psychological stress, and financial stress are the main sources of mental anguish for women. Modified injections are less painful when administered, such as the Prilosec injection pen, which is now commonly used and can be injected by the woman herself. The egg retrieval process is also operated under intravenous anesthesia, with no particularly painful sessions. The implant itself is also not felt.