Assisted reproductive technologies in the form of in vitro fertilization are resorted to when a married couple or a single woman cannot conceive a child naturally. The reason may be the infertility of one of the partners or both, for example, poor mobility or irregular shape spermatozoa, obstruction of the fallopian tubes, anovulatory cycles. According to statistics, only a third of IVFs end in pregnancy. Many do 2-3 protocols before the embryos take root.
What to do if an IVF attempt was unsuccessful, how is the recovery going?
Before the IVF protocol, a woman undergoes hormonal therapy, which provokes superovulation - the maturation of several eggs at the same time in one menstrual cycle. After an unsuccessful attempt at in vitro fertilization, a woman's body recovers within a few months.
First of all, hormone therapy affects the menstrual cycle. The first menstruation can go 2-3 days after replanting, or it can be delayed for several weeks. The restoration of the functioning of the reproductive system depends on the individual characteristics of the woman, the state of health, the dosage of the drugs that she took. To control the restoration of the hormonal background, the gynecologist-endocrinologist sends for tests.
The need to take pills affects health gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, liver. With an exacerbation of chronic diseases, a woman needs to contact a gastroenterologist, urologist, nephrologist.
An unsuccessful IVF protocol, especially if this is not the first attempt, is a big shock for failed parents. The mental health of a woman can be shaken, emotional stress, disappointment often bring discord between spouses and lead to divorce. A therapist or family psychologist can help you cope with depression and overcome the crisis between husband and wife.
Is it possible to conceive a child naturally after unsuccessful IVF?
Is pregnancy possible after unsuccessful IVF? International studies show that the probability of spontaneous conception after an unsuccessful IVF protocol increases by 25%. Such conclusions were made by reproductive scientists from Great Britain and France. Before making the next attempt of in vitro fertilization, you need to wait a few months for the female body to fully recover, and it is during this period that the woman suddenly becomes pregnant.
Of course, you should not hope for a miraculous cure for infertility. The possibility of getting pregnant naturally is not systemic, and the IVF protocol does not cure infertility. This pattern only says that it is possible to conceive, so the spouses should continue their sexual life in anticipation of the next attempt of in vitro fertilization, and not give up.
Causes of natural pregnancy after unsuccessful IVF
The in vitro fertilization procedure is used by couples who cannot conceive a child on their own. Why does a natural pregnancy suddenly occur after IVF? Reasons why a woman can get pregnant:
- hormone therapy. Before ovarian puncture, the patient of the reproductive clinic receives a large dose of hormones, including follicle-stimulating, luteinizing, chorionic gonadotropin. Hormone therapy can trigger the body's natural reproductive mechanisms, which were previously depressed. In this case, pregnancy is possible if the cause of infertility was due to hormonal failure, lack of ovulation.
- Lifestyle change. Before the IVF protocol, a man and a woman begin to monitor their diet, they eat healthy food, refuse fast food, alcohol, heavy and fatty foods. Partners conduct moderate physical activity, monitor their health. A healthy lifestyle has a positive effect on fertility, a man can begin to produce more mobile and viable sperm.
- Positive attitude. In 15% of cases, the cause of infertility is psychogenic. Researchers cannot find a reason why the spouses do not have children, they are both healthy and genetically compatible. As soon as the couple gives up trying to conceive children, believing that it will not be possible to do this between the protocols, the level of stress and emotional tension decreases, and the woman becomes pregnant.
In what cases is a natural pregnancy impossible after an unsuccessful IVF?
The possibility of natural conception depends on what initially caused infertility. If the problem was solved indirectly, then fertilization becomes possible as a result of sexual intercourse.
There are situations in which natural conception cannot occur. Pregnancy will not happen in the following cases:
- Complete obstruction of the fallopian tubes or their absence. Adhesions that interfere with the promotion of eggs are formed after inflammatory processes in the appendages, operations to eliminate the consequences ectopic pregnancy. The tubes are removed after rupture due to tubal gestation, during the treatment of oncological tumors.
- Bad spermogram. Akinospermia is the absence of motile spermatozoa. Cryptospermia is a negligible number of gametes that can only be detected by centrifugation. Teratozoospermia is the absence of anatomically correct spermatozoa in the ejaculate.
- Cases when you need a donor egg or sperm. Donor services are used when a woman's ovaries are removed, for example, after malignant tumors. A sperm donor is needed for azoospermia (absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate) and necrospermia (absence of living gametes in semen).
- Immunological infertility caused by the presence of antisperm antibodies in the body of a woman or a man. The reason for the presence of antisperm antibodies can be inflammatory diseases of the genital organs, sexually transmitted infections, unprotected anal and oral sex.
You should not perceive the possibility of self-pregnancy after the IVF procedure as an obligatory event that must certainly happen, and you should not place high hopes on it, but you should not despair either. The human body has great potential, including the restoration of its functions, and sometimes it just needs a little help.
The diagnosis of "infertility" should not be the final verdict for married couples. This makes it clear that the chances of conception are negligible, but not zero. Every family has the opportunity to give birth to a baby after in vitro fertilization. In medical practice, there have been situations when a natural pregnancy occurs after IVF.
Statistics
The artificial insemination procedure is used if all methods of infertility treatment are used. It consists of several stages and involves an individual approach to patients. Artificial conception does not fully guarantee the successful outcome of the operation, the probability of having a child is no more than 40%, and depends on the health and age of the spouses.
During the procedure, cases of spontaneous interruption or the occurrence of a missed pregnancy are not uncommon. In order for the next attempt to be successful, a thorough analysis of all stages and methods of treatment is carried out.
In the future, doctors try to eliminate or minimize negative factors. During the IVF process, every woman is advised to freeze quality embryos for later use if the attempt fails.
Can I get pregnant after IVF on my own? Situations when the patient herself became pregnant after IVF usually occur within 2-4 months after the procedure. This is due to the physiological processes in the body: the activity of the ovaries increases, due to the transferred stimulation, and the menstrual cycle is established.
natural pregnancy
In modern medical practice, there have been cases when the patient became pregnant herself after the procedure.
Natural pregnancy after IVF occurs if:
- diagnosed with poor patency of the fallopian tubes and hormonal imbalance. After the appearance of a child conceived artificially, the reproductive function in the body returned to normal, and the woman herself became pregnant after IVF;
- the main cause of infertility was a male factor, and the woman may have a new partner who does not have health problems;
- psychological reasons. The long-awaited baby was born to the spouses, the subconscious mind relaxed, fears about the impossibility of having children disappeared. A fortunate combination of circumstances arises, it becomes possible to become pregnant naturally after IVF.
According to studies by French scientists, more than 15% of couples have spontaneous pregnancy after IVF. This was made possible through reproductive procedures in preparation for artificial conception. In some families, a natural pregnancy occurs 6-14 months after an unsuccessful procedure or the birth of a baby.
Failed Procedure
Spouses, in case of an unsuccessful attempt, often reconsider their lifestyle and habits in the direction of improvement: they change the diet and menu, increase physical activity. Mothers who became pregnant on their own after unsuccessful IVF, in the process of preparing for the procedure, received the proportion of hormones necessary for the body, cured or transferred chronic diseases to the remission stage. The combination of these factors helps a woman to become pregnant herself after IVF.
Natural pregnancy after unsuccessful IVF most often occurs if psychological reasons were the main deterrent, and there were no significant reproductive health problems.
After negative attempts, the spouses “let go of the situation”, switch to other moments of life, the subconscious is freed from the impending problem, and a natural pregnancy occurs after an unsuccessful IVF. But there are few such cases - no more than two percent.
Can I get pregnant after unsuccessful IVF on my own? The possibility of independent conception, even with an unsuccessful attempt, often remains. This is accompanied by hormonal stimulation, the cure of gynecological diseases, a positive psychological attitude. Self-pregnancy after unsuccessful IVF is a complete surprise for many families and is perceived as a miracle.
Lack of pregnancy
In medical practice, there is evidence of independent pregnancy, after the diagnosis of "infertility". But this happens only if there is at least a minimal chance.
In a number of situations, natural conception is completely excluded:
- absence or complete blockage of the fallopian tubes;
- hypoplasia of the uterus - underdevelopment of the genital area;
- male factor - no sperm.
In the absence of fallopian tubes, the birth of a baby is possible only with the help of artificial conception. During the in vitro fertilization procedure, obstructed tubes are removed, and the embryo is implanted in the uterus.
If a man is diagnosed with azoospermia, then pregnancy is possible only as a result of IVF. For this, a biopsy method is used, with the help of which seminal fluid is taken and used to fertilize eggs.
Married couples should not despair, the birth of children happens despite all diagnoses. It happened that after the adoption of a baby, after a certain time, a natural pregnancy arose, and their own baby was born.
The desire to become pregnant on your own after an unsuccessful IVF is absolutely natural. And these are not empty fantasies. Some women (there is data on 20-25%), who were not helped by assisted reproductive technologies, managed to conceive naturally.
How to recover mentally and physically after unsuccessful IVF
Initially, after a failed reproductive procedure, it is vital to take care of yourself. Replenish strength, put in order the emotional state. Until this happens, you should not even think about independent pregnancy. Even if the desire comes true, the exhausted body is unable to bear the baby, which will further shake your faith in yourself. So take care of your body first.
Recovery will begin with an examination. The patient should visit a gynecologist and take tests that will help determine the cause of the failure. Often it is at this stage that the true cause of infertility is discovered. After a significant dose of hormonal agents and stimulation of superovulation, the patient may experience a violation menstrual cycle. It will take from one month to six months to restore it. The state of the digestive tract should not be overlooked, because due to the intake of a large number of drugs, the work of the stomach and intestines is disrupted. This, in turn, will start the process of reducing immunity.
Simultaneously with the restoration of health after a failed protocol, it is necessary to normalize the emotional state. The news of failure can undermine the morale of both spouses, but you can’t give up. A second IVF attempt will be allowed to be done no earlier than six months later. For this period, you need to take a break: take care of yourself, relax and, if possible, change the situation or go on vacation.
In order not to get depressed and not get hooked on sweets that lead to excess weight, you can go in for sports. Physical exercise relax the body and distract from negative thoughts.
Even if you have never consulted a psychologist or psychotherapist, now is the right time to start. The specialist will help you understand yourself, your emotions and properly survive them. You will definitely find the strength to live on and continue to fight for future children.
Despite the fact that the attempt to get pregnant failed, you can not blame the partner. On the contrary, failure should rally the couple in order to work together to cope with the circumstances that have arisen.
Can I get pregnant after IVF on my own?
As shows world practice, the probability of natural pregnancy after the use of auxiliary reproductive technologies increases. The only exceptions are those women who are physically unable to conceive a child without the help of modern medicine. This group includes patients:
- with premature ovarian failure or during menopause, when a donor cell was used for the procedure;
- with complete obstruction or absence of the fallopian tubes, since the spermatozoa will not be able to reach their goal due to the obstruction;
- with immunological infertility, when antisperm antibodies are produced in a woman's body.
For other partners, independent pregnancy after unsuccessful IVF is not excluded. Statistics show that the incidence of spontaneous pregnancy reaches 24% in couples who have experienced a failed protocol. Numerous situations are also known when it was possible to get pregnant naturally by spouses who were just waiting in line for the protocol. At the same time, they were previously diagnosed with "unspecified infertility".
There are also chances of getting pregnant for those women for whom IVF ended with the birth of a baby. According to medical observation, more than 10% of couples have conceived a child on their own over the next 10 years.
“Independent pregnancy is really possible,” confirms our consultant, geneticist, gynecologist-reproductologist. - But only if one of the main indications for IVF is the endocrine factor (hormonal disorders - most often the lack of adequate maturation of oocytes) and endometriosis, and not the lack of patency of the fallopian tubes. Then, in the next cycle after IVF, spontaneous pregnancy is possible. Loading with gonadotropins can normalize cycles up to 3-6 months.
The main reasons for natural pregnancy after IVF
Natural pregnancy after IVF is often unexpected for couples. Partners let go of the current situation and simply live a normal life, when suddenly, unexpectedly, a woman has a delay, and pregnancy is confirmed. There are several theories as to why conception occurs after IVF.
- The use of hormonal agents in a shock dose. During the protocol, the woman is forced to take drugs, with the help of which reproductologists regulate the processes in the ovaries and uterus. The body seems to be learning, and if before there was no ovulation, now it begins to occur regularly.
- Set your body up for pregnancy. During the protocol and before it, the patient tunes in to pregnancy, because she hopes for a successful outcome. Even if the protocol gave a negative result, the body still remains tuned. It happens that the patient herself became pregnant a month before the start of IVF.
- Changes made. In preparation for the protocol, the couple changes their lifestyle: leads proper nutrition, physical activity, refuses bad habits. All this has a positive effect on fertility.
For couples who conceived naturally after unsuccessful IVF, emotional attitude played an important role. There is a concept of "psychological infertility". It would seem that both partners are healthy, but pregnancy does not occur. All because a woman and a man are fixated on their goal. When they realize that there is no chance and they will have to wait at least another six months, the emotional barrier disappears on its own, and the desired pregnancy occurs.
Many married couples, after diagnosing infertility, decide on in vitro fertilization, as a result of which a long-awaited baby is born. After the birth of a child conceived with the help of IVF, in some of these families, a natural pregnancy later occurs.
According to statistics, about 15% of women after a successful IVF procedure 6-14 months after the birth of their first child, were able to get pregnant again naturally, without any medical stimulation.
Reasons for natural conception
Many may have doubts about the correctness of the previously diagnosed "infertility". But the fact is that artificial insemination contributes to the restoration of female reproductive function. As a result, it becomes possible to conceive a child on their own.
Natural pregnancy can occur as a result of prolonged hormonal stimulation of the ovaries before IVF. Such stimulation significantly increases the ability of the egg to naturally fertilize.
Also, in the process of preparing for IVF, the process of ovulation normalizes, the cycle becomes regular, which means that the possibility of getting pregnant increases.
But there are other factors that contribute to natural conception:
- The physiological readiness of the body for pregnancy and bearing a child increases - after the birth of a baby, many cells in the body are actively renewed. The work of the kidneys, the cardiovascular system as a whole is stimulated (in the absence of any pathologies).
- Ignoring any contraceptives - experts recommend completely abandoning them.
- Lack of emotional stress - many women cannot get pregnant for this very reason. But after the appearance of the first baby, the work of their reproductive system is getting better, due to the fact that the stress and pressure factor disappears ().
- Lifestyle changes after the birth of the first child are nutrition, daily routine, physical activity;
- General improvement in health.
Natural pregnancy after IVF
Many clients of IVF clinics ask if it is possible to get pregnant after the procedure on their own (after a successful and unsuccessful procedure)? Yes, you can with a probability of 5%. Chances increase due to successful treatment in preparation for IVF.
Self-conception can occur if a woman, before IVF, has been diagnosed with the following diseases and disorders:
- with poor patency of the fallopian tubes;
- with hormonal imbalance;
- there is a psychological factor;
- with a decrease in the viability of the egg.
Medical stimulation before the IVF procedure can help overcome these problems, and a successful pregnancy after IVF allows you to activate many body functions and increase the overall tone for the next, natural pregnancy.
Factors that will not allow you to conceive a child on your own after IVF:
- Absence of fallopian tubes or ovaries - with a similar pathology, the embryo is implanted directly into the uterus.
- When the cause of childlessness lies in the partner - if a man is diagnosed with azoospermia, then in this case, specialists use a biopsy to extract spermatozoa from the seminal fluid, then fertilize the egg and then implant it in the woman.
- Hypoplasia of the uterus - is divided into 3 degrees, depending on the degree, pregnancy and the IVF procedure itself are planned.
- Complete obstruction of the fallopian tubes - in vitro fertilization is the only way to have a baby, the embryo is placed directly into the uterus.
- Underdevelopment of the reproductive system as a whole - requires careful diagnosis, identification of causes. Then drug treatment is carried out, and only then an algorithm for the IVF procedure is developed.
Failed IVF
The IVF procedure does not bring the desired result in 70% of cases, despite the individual approach to the patient and the high control of doctors at every stage of childbearing.
The embryo may die a few days after transplantation, and frozen pregnancy syndrome may also appear (when the body stops the development of the fetus at any time).
If this happens, then analyzes are taken to determine the cause of the failure, negative factors are excluded, and a treatment algorithm is developed in parallel. The next IVF attempt is delayed by 2-4 months.
It happens that at this very moment, about 5% of women became pregnant naturally.
This is due to physiological reasons, as well as a positive effect after drug therapy (hormonal stimulation, treatment of chronic diseases, maintaining a proper lifestyle).
Scheme of preparing a woman for IVF In addition, the psychological attitude also plays a big role; after a failure with IVF, it is recommended not to dwell on the problem, but rather relax and let it go.
You should change your lifestyle, diet, physical activity, but before that, consult a doctor to choose best option based on the individual characteristics of your body.
Thus, the chances of a natural pregnancy increase significantly, even after unsuccessful IVF.
How to recover after a failed IVF attempt?
If after IVF a long-awaited pregnancy does not occur, then there is a fear of a second procedure (the possibility of failure). In this case, you should do the rehabilitation of your physical and moral health.
From proper preparation about 70% success depends on the next attempt.
- kidneys;
- cardiovascular system;
- gastrointestinal tract.
Against the background of stress, their work deteriorates significantly, which negatively affects future pregnancy.
Psychological factor:
- conduct a course of relaxing gymnastics;
- it is recommended to visit a psychologist;
- do something that brings pleasure (reading, needlework, singing, planting flowers, etc.)
Only after a full recovery, the chances of success increase many times over.
Natural pregnancy after IVF is not uncommon. The most favorable are considered from 2 to 10 months after an unsuccessful attempt at artificial insemination, in the absence of serious pathologies. To do this, you just need to relax, actively engage in yourself, your family and not get depressed.
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Do you know the stories when, desperate to wait for a natural pregnancy, a married couple gives birth to a child thanks to modern technologies, and some time after the birth of the long-awaited baby, the woman unexpectedly becomes pregnant without medical intervention.
Not often, but there are also cases of natural pregnancy after unsuccessful IVF. Is it just a coincidence, is there a pattern? Why do a man and a woman with many years of infertility and sometimes disappointing diagnoses suddenly conceive a child on their own without the help of medicine?
It turns out that not only ordinary people, but also doctors and scientists think about this issue. Several studies have even been done on this topic. For example, in France, studies have shown that 17% of couples who gave birth to their first child through IVF, the second appeared naturally.
The likelihood of a natural pregnancy after IVF is closely related to the cause of infertility. So if a woman has blocked fallopian tubes or a man has an extremely low sperm count, then it is almost impossible to get pregnant naturally.
But couples, for example, with unexplained infertility have a chance of natural pregnancy. It is also known that pregnancy can improve the condition of endometriosis, and in those women who had irregular cycles before pregnancy, after childbirth hormonal background can change and the chances of pregnancy will become greater.
The onset of natural pregnancy after IVF can also be explained by the fact that many of the couples who resort to artificial insemination are not actually infertile. They may need more time to conceive, but many do not want to wait for a long time for fear of being left without children. Intrauterine insemination or IVF can speed up pregnancy in these couples.
Another possible factor is stress. Couples planning a pregnancy constantly think about it, get hung up on conception. After the birth of the baby, they relax a little, which contributes to a natural pregnancy.
However, women who experience infertility in most cases will have problems with the onset of a second pregnancy. Successful pregnancies do not always cure infertility and the reasons a couple was unable to have children may remain.
Natural pregnancy after unsuccessful IVF.
After unsuccessful IVF, it is also possible to become pregnant on your own, although again this depends on the causes of infertility. Data was collected on couples who did not conceive after IVF. Of these, 24% became pregnant naturally within a few years. Another study showed that couples undergoing fertility treatment and having IVF attempts had a 29% chance of pregnancy.
This is presumably due to the fact that hormonal support, which is included in the IVF protocol, stimulates certain processes in the body. In addition, at the stage of preparation for IVF, a woman, and sometimes a man, undergoes a course of treatment, which improves the condition of the reproductive system for some time.
The increased chances of conception after the IVF protocol can last for two years or even longer. Already in the next cycle after an unsuccessful attempt, you can try to conceive on your own.
Experts believe that couples with unexplained infertility, as well as younger couples, have the greatest chances for a natural pregnancy after unsuccessful IVF attempts.
To increase the chances of a natural pregnancy after an unsuccessful IVF, you need to adjust your lifestyle. Being overweight, drinking a lot of caffeine and alcohol, and smoking reduce the chance of conception.
It is advisable to eliminate alcohol and smoking, reduce caffeine intake, eat well, use stress relief methods (yoga, meditation), and also know your cycle (what time does ovulation occur).
Unfortunately, the chance of a natural pregnancy after IVF is still small, so if pregnancy is very important for a couple, and age does not allow for a long wait, you need to seek medical help. Consult with a reproductive specialist about your chances of pregnancy, given the age, causes of infertility, and the health of both partners.
If you have had a baby after a successful IVF attempt, but want to try to get pregnant again naturally, then you need to return to normal body weight and not wait too long to conceive the next child.
