Being unable to conceive is one of the scariest thoughts for a woman. With the never-ending stress of life, busy routines, excessive burdens, and lack of time, the dream of becoming a parent gets pushed to the back, and by the time you realise this, it’s too late. This is where science and technology come in.
After years of experimenting, medical professionals have succeeded in developing an artificial fertilisation technique called “In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)” otherwise known as the “test tube baby procedure.” Keep reading if you’re wondering, “Is a test tube baby procedure painful?”
What Is a Test Tube Baby?
The word “test-tube baby” refers to a child that is conceived outside of a woman’s body. In elaborative terms, a test tube baby is the product of successful human reproduction that expands beyond the boundaries of sexual intercourse.
Instead, during a test tube baby (IVF) treatment, the fertility specialists take the sperm of a man and the egg of a woman and medically fertilise them in a petri dish.
The concept of the test tube baby initially appeared in England in 1978 when Louise Joy Brown, the first-ever test tube baby using artificial semen, was conceived. After that, another test tube baby was born in Singapore in 1983; the rest is history.
One of the best things about IVF is that it can circumvent a number of fertility problems such as blocked fallopian tubes, unexplained infertility in men or women, premature ovarian failure, low ovarian reserve, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and endometriosis.
What Is Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation, and Is It Painful?
Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is caused when your body reacts to taking excessive hormonal medications. Because of the heavy medications, your ovaries swell and end up leaking fluid into the body.
OHSS typically occurs in women who take injectable hormone medications to stimulate the development of ovaries. The medications can result in causing the ovaries to swell and become painful. Note that Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome is common in women undergoing oval induction or IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation).
Although usually, the symptoms of OHSS are minor, with loss of appetite, feeling bloated, mild to moderate pain, nausea, and diarrhoea. In rare cases, the worst symptoms of Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome can include severe vomiting or nausea, severe abdominal pain, dark-coloured urine, low blood pressure, excessive weight gain, shortness of breath, and decreased urination.
Is Egg Retrieval Painful for a Woman?
After you complete the IVF injection sessions, the fertility team will conduct an egg retrieval process. During the procedure, the doctor will insert an ultrasound probe attached to a needle into your vaginal canal and will carefully draw the egg follicles and fluid from your ovaries.
This brings us to the question of whether egg retrieval is painful or not.
The answer is “No.” Throughout the egg retrieval process, the fertility doctor will give you anaesthesia so that you won’t feel any discomfort. However, several women have reported experiencing cramping, feeling a bit sore, and even light spotting within the next five to seven days.
In case you experience difficulty breathing, sudden weight gain, or even increased abdominal circumference, get in touch with your fertility doctor right away. Even though these side effects are very rare, they could indicate Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS).
Test Tube Baby Process
Wondering how a test tube baby is made? Here is a brief step-by-step guide to the test tube baby procedure:
- Step 01: Egg Production Stimulated By Hormone Therapy: Before the IVF test tube process begins, the woman is injected with hormonal injections including Gonadotropins and GnRHa. These injections stimulate the growth of follicles inside a woman’s ovary. The final maturation of the egg is attained by injection of HCG at least 36 hours before egg collection.
- Step 02: Egg Retrieval from Ovaries: The woman is given a mild sedative or anaesthesia in order to avert any pain or discomfort. The fertility doctor will then use a vaginal ultrasound probe paired with a fine hollow needle to aspirate the eggs from the ovary. The egg samples are then taken to the laboratory.
- Step 03: Sperm Sample Are Collected: On the same day, the doctor will ask the man to give a fresh sample of his semen or collect it through microsurgery.
- Step 04: Sperm and Egg Are Fertilised in a Petri Dish: Now that the egg and sperm are collected, the fertility doctors will use specialised medical techniques to combine the egg and the sperm in a petri dish and place it in the incubator for a few days. During this period, the doctors will keenly monitor the growth of the embryos and observe for any signs of fertilisation.
- Step 05: Fertilised Eggs Are Introduced into the Uterus: Once the embryo is formed, the fertility doctor will use a fine catheter to transfer the embryos into the woman’s womb. Furthermore, to strengthen the uterine lining and increase the chances of implantation, the doctor will prescribe her HCG or progesterone.
What Is the Difference between a Test Tube Baby and a Normal Baby?
The main difference between a normal baby and a test tube baby is that while normal babies are conceived naturally through sexual intercourse, test tube babies are born with the help of modern fertilisation techniques in a petri dish.
When a woman has unprotected sexual intercourse with a man, her eggs are fertilised by the sperm naturally inside her body, and a baby is formed. This child is formed by natural fertilisation, and so it is called a normal baby.
On the other hand, when a person has a baby through IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation), they don’t need to have sexual intercourse. Instead, the test tube baby specialists will take the woman’s egg and the man’s sperm and mix them in a laboratory dish. This petri dish will then be kept in a controlled environment and will be implanted into the woman’s womb.
Furthermore, while the processing time for a test tube baby treatment can take up to ten weeks, a woman who has normally conceived might not even be aware of her pregnancy until and after the symptoms show up, like vomiting and nausea.
Summing it all up, the only difference between a test tube baby and a normal baby is how the eggs are fertilised and how the baby is conceived. Otherwise, both are effective methods for having a baby.
Other related articles
What Is the Processing Time for a Test Tube Baby?
A test tube baby or one IVF treatment cycle can take up to 6 or 10 days (two to three weeks), depending on your medical history and physical health.
Test Tube Baby Price in Turkey
The price of a test tube baby procedure can range from 46,552 to 65,172 Turkish Lira. The basic package for the test tube baby treatment includes controlled ovarian stimulation, ultrasound examinations, egg retrieval, general anaesthesia, fertilisation (ICSI or IVF), assisted laser hatching, embryo glue, embryo scope, embryo transfer, and a follow-up consultation session.
How Painful Are IVF Injections?
It depends on how well you can handle pain. While for some patients getting an injection isn’t a big deal as the slight discomfort vanishes within a seconds, for other patients, the pain can be unbearable and can trigger severe anxiety.
However, all IVF injections can elicit a slight but temporary stinging or pinching sensation, which is surprisingly the most pain that you will feel during your IVF treatment.
If you are unsure about how you will react to the needles, take your partner, friend, or family member to the injection appointment. However, if you are still in doubt, ask the fertility doctor to prescribe you patches (Synera) or numbing creams like lidocaine to reduce any sensation. You can later apply a cold pad or ice on the injection site for ten minutes to reduce swelling.
Is ICSI Painful?
ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is highly recommended for men with poor sperm motility, low sperm count, or morphology. Although in most cases, sperm is collected through normal ejaculation, if a person has undergone a microsurgical vasectomy, the fertility doctor will use a needle to retrieve the sperm cells.
For this, the ICSI experts usually use a fine needle and give the patient anaesthesia, which minimises pain. However, there might be slight discomfort or swelling after the anaesthesia wears off. So, the one-word answer to this question is “No,” ICSI isn’t a painful treatment.
Summary – Is the test tube baby procedure painful?
The biggest concern about the test tube baby process isn’t pain but endurance. Do you have the patience and dedication to do everything that is medically possible to have your own child?
Even though everyone has their own IVF journey, you need to prepare yourself for a roller coaster ride on the emotional, physical, and financial fronts.
IVF is not only one of the best infertility treatments but a reliable medical procedure that has helped thousands of couples become happy parents.
So, if you are planning to start your IVF journey, remember to stay patient and focus only on the positives.
Other related articles
