IVF: It’s Not As Easy As It Sounds

Written By: Monica Bevis

It takes a lot of courage to want to raise children; the desire is noble. If you are thinking about adopting a child, you are probably a strong, courageous person who wants to devote your time and energy to showing love to another person. We salute your ambition and recognize the range of thoughts and sentiments it evokes. But the path to parenthood is not always straightforward. In fact, having a child may seem outright impossible for same-sex couples, single people, and those struggling with infertility. In spite of the fact that modern medicine has thrown the conventional expectations of love, marriage, and childbirth on its head, these expectations nevertheless dominate society.

The good thing is that having a child today can be accomplished through various methods, including medical treatments, assisted reproductive technologies, and even egg donations. Making intelligent, informed decisions that will bring you closer to creating the family of your dreams begins with understanding the conception alternatives that are accessible to you.

What is Assisted Reproductive Technology?

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is any procedure in which eggs and embryos are handled outside of the womb. Typically, eggs are removed from a woman’s body, combined with sperm in a lab, and then returned either to the same woman’s body or to a surrogate’s womb. Depending on the circumstances surrounding a couple’s infertility, the eggs and/or sperm may be taken from the couple themselves or from a donor.

There are a numerous types of ART available:

1. In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
2. Intrauterine Insemination (IUI)
3. Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
4. Egg Donation
5. Sperm Donation
6. Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer and Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer

As an IVF Coach with first-hand experience in trying ART, specifically in In-Vitro Fertilization,  (went through 5 cycles of them and was bless with 2 beautiful IVF girls, but also had a stillbirth baby girl at 39 weeks on my 3^rd cycle and a miscarriage at 7.5 weeks on my 4rth cycle ) I can say that couples usually try IVF after exhausting all other possibilities. Not only is it a very pricey treatment, but also one that is often not covered by insurance. Me & my husband did it because after exhausting all the “natural” possibilities, that was really our only choice.

That is why having a coach who can offer guidance in helping to choose what would be the best method to parenthood is a big help, as TTC no matter if is naturally or via ART, can drain us emotionally & spiritually, without even counting the financial impact that can bring if ART is the last choice, and the medical teams are not prepared or do not have the time to approach this emotional part, that can be crucial in the outcome of having a baby in our arms. If you are interested in knowing more about the coaching service I offer, feel free to go to www.monicabivas.com to see what role I can play in your journey to parenthood.

Monica Bivas is a fertility coach, writer, and founder of The IVF Journey, an online support community for couples seeking or undergoing IVF treatment. She helps women and couples reframe their IVF experiences, using positivity and mindfulness to help them affirm their choices and manifest successful outcomes. When not supporting her IVF Tribe, she is a joyful, hands-on mom to her three daughters, and finds any excuse she can to go out dancing with her husband.