Frequently asked questions about IVF
The following questions are for reference only. Please consult your doctor for the related treatment rather than relying information on the website.
Egg retrieval without anesthsia?
Doctors can use a very fine needle for the egg retrieving procedure to reduce the pain if patients decided to undergo the procedure without anesthesia. Many patients have the similar concern about the side effects of anesthesia, such as causing memory loss and affecting the brain. In fact, under the monitor of anesthetist and advance in anesthetic medications, these problems should not occur. Therefore, patients need to understand the reason why they would like to undergo the procedure without anesthesia and discuss with the doctor. Even if patients decided not to use anesthesia, it is possible to retrieve the eggs through vagina using a very fine needle.
If one side of my Fallopian tube is removed due to ectopic pregnancy, should I do IUI or IVF?
Ectopic pregnancy is mostly caused by infection at the Fallopian tube, and most of the time it is unnoticeable because it does not cause any pain. Ectopic pregnancy can also cause by abnormal cilia which cannot bring the embryos into the uterus. Even one side of the Fallopian tube is removed, the other side can be patent. However, as one side has already been damaged, the chance of the other side has also being damaged is higher.
Whether you have IUI or natural pregnancy, the chance of ectopic pregnancy is about 1%; the percentage increases by 10 times (10%) if you had ectopic pregnancy on one side of the tube before.
If you think 10% is not a very high chance, then IUI is suitable for you because you still have one patent Fallopian tube even the success rate is lower. (For example, if you have the left Fallopian tube removed, eggs from the left ovary cannot be used, there is a very low chance (0.1%) that the right Fallopian tube can get eggs from the left ovary).
Performing IUI in natural cycle without using any ovulation drugs is very disadvantaged because ovulation can occur on the problematic side, which means you have to give up that cycle. Ovulation drugs can be used so that ovulation occurs on both sides but be prepared that there is 10% chance of ectopic pregnancy on the problematic side. Be aware that ectopic pregnancy can occur from IVF but in a much smaller chance.
If you cannot accept another ectopic pregnancy, doctor will suggest IVF and finance is another factor you need to consider. On the other hand, if you want everything to be simple, you may consider doing IUI given that 90% of the pregnancy will not be ectopic pregnancy.
Therefore there is no absolute answer if you should do IUI or IVF.