Everything You Need to Know About IVF

IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is a form of infertility treatment in which the egg is fertilized by the sperm outside of the body. Once an embryo is formed, it's placed in the uterus in hopes of creating a baby.

Many confuse IVF with artificial insemination, a procedure in which the sperm is placed directly in the uterus.

A couple must be considered infertile in order to receive IVF treatment, but what makes a couple infertile? If a woman is under 50 years old and has been trying to conceive for a year, then she is generally considered infertile.

It is rare for IVF to be a couple's first option for infertility treatment, as many cases can be treated without it. That being said, the following conditions often rely on IVF: blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, endometriosis, troubles with ovulation, and the sperms' inability to survive in cervical mucus.

Like any medical procedure, IVF isn't cheap. The average cost in the US is $12,400. But don't let that number deter your baby dreams. Certain states require insurance carriers to offer coverage for IVF treatments. Couples can also apply to receive IVF grants.

IVF is not a quick or painless procedure. Once a woman and her partner pass a series of medical exams, she will begin to receive hormone injections. These allow her to produce multiple eggs each month as opposed to one. During this time, her doctor will perform blood tests and ultrasounds to determine when the eggs can be retrieved. If the process is performed too early or too late, then the treatment won't work.

Once the eggs are retrieved — using a minor surgery that takes about 30 minutes — they are immediately mixed with her partner's sperm, which is donated on the same day. The eggs are kept at the clinic and observed until the embryos reach optimal growth, which usually takes a week.

The woman will then return to the clinic, where the embryos will be injected into the uterus. To increase her chances, the doctor will inject four or five embryos at once. Two weeks later, the doctor will perfom an ultrasound to see if procedure was successful.

There is no guarantee that IVF will lead to a happy, healthy baby. Many factors can affect the treatment's outcome, but the most notable one is age. The younger the mom-to-be, the better the chance of a successful birth. In 2011, 40 percent of IVF patients under the age of 35 had live births. For those between 35 and 37 years old, however, the success rate dropped to 31 percent.

Thanks to medical advancements, however, the success rates have increased year over year for every age group.

No procedure is without risks. While undergoing IVF, ovaries may become swollen, causing severe pain. There's also a chance of developing a bladder, bowel, or blood vessel infection during the egg retrieval procedure. Undergoing IVF also increases the chance that the baby will be born prematurely.

The biggest risk is stress. Given the physical, psychological, and financial toll this takes on a couple, you are bound to be anxious and even depressed at times. Because of this, most doctors will refer couples to a counselor to talk them through the process and help them through the more difficult times.