Egg Retrieval Day: How to prepare yourself and what to expect

For most women the decision to go for their first IVF is in itself quite nerve wracking and emotional. It is quite normal to see this as a potentially life changing step and be hopeful yet slightly intimidated.  However clarity on what the procedure involves and how various stages will proceed can definitely serve to remove the shroud of mystery and unfamiliarity of the procedure, giving women more confidence moving ahead.

A majority of the questions that our team of IVF specialists encounter from our patients are about the egg retrieval process. So here is a look at some frequently asked questions about this key step of the IVF procedure and how to prepare yourself for it.

What does egg retrieval involve?

The egg retrieval refers to removal of oocytes (egg cells) from the ovaries through a ultrasound guided needle. The patient is observed during egg maturation cycle and once the egg follicles reach a certain size (determined by ultrasound), a human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone injection is administered to help with the egg maturation. The injection dose is carefully timed to ensure that the egg retrieval can be carried out just before ovulation.

During the actual process, the patient is put under light anaesthesia. The ultrasound probe attached with a needle is inserted into the vagina and the eggs are retrieved from the ovaries under the guidance of ultrasound.

How long does the procedure take?

Egg retrieval is normally a quick procedure taking around 20 to 30 minutes. The actual time taken depends on factors such as accessibility of the ovaries (how easy is to reach ovaries with ultrasound probe) and the number of follicles present.

Is egg retrieval painful?

Egg retrieval is done under anaesthesia. Patients are given anaesthesia through intravenous drips and do not feel any pain during the procedure. After the effect of anaesthesia wears off, you may experience some cramping and slight pain. Your doctor will prescribe safe pain medication to help with it.

Is there a possibility of ovary damage due to egg retrieval?

The widely available data on egg retrievals shows that there is no damage to ovaries due to

egg retrieval. Many women undergo multiple egg retrievals due to various reasons. It has

been seen that even women undergoing various egg retrievals respond well to the procedure

and produce eggs leading to successful pregnancies. This shows that their ovaries are healthy.

Certain studies in which appearance of ovaries was studied in women who have undergone

egg retrievals, the appearance was normal.

Is bleeding normal after egg retrieval?

It is normal to experience some vaginal bleeding after an egg retrieval. It is usually minor and

similar to menstrual bleeding.

Can I do anything to improve my egg quality before egg retrieval?

Yes, it is believed that lifestyle factors may effect egg production and quality.  You should try

to make healthier lifestyle choices once you decide to go for fertility treatment. Optimal

healthy diet, regular moderate exercise and avoiding stress are key to this. Also if you are

past 35 years of age, you should consider opting for egg retrieval early.

What happens after egg retrieval?

Your doctor will prescribe some antibiotics to prevent any infections and a steroid to reduce

any inflammation of ovaries. Some hormonal supplements may also be prescribed to support

regrowth of endometrial lining. Your doctor may also suggest that you refrain from sexual

contact for some time.

The retrieved eggs will be fertilized with your partner’s or a donor’s sperm depending on your particular situation.

The highly trained specialists at Shantah IVF guide you and help you every step of the way during your entire IVF experience. You can contact us here for detailed consultaions.

Can my weight make me infertile?

As you may be aware, maintaining optimum body weight is essential for good health and longevity.Excess weight gives rise to a number of health problems like heart disease, hypertension, kidney disorder and diabetes. However, not many people are aware that being overweight also affects their reproductive health in a number of ways.

When patients come to us with fertility-related issues, our first recourse is to educate them about how lifestyle choices affect fertility, and how the problem worsens with time as most couples have no idea how their weight, eating habits and other life choices could be interfering with their efforts to conceive.

And it’s not only women who face fertility issues due to excess weight. Overweight affects men’s reproductive health as well. We will discuss both one by one.

What does body weight have to do with a woman’s ability to conceive?

Estrogen, the primary female hormone that plays a vital role in a woman’s menstrual cycle, is produced in the body’s fat cells. Consequently, women who are overweight have too much estrogen being produced in the body.On the other hand, underweight women can have the problem of very low estrogen levels. When there is too much or too little estrogen in your body, your monthly ovulation cycle(release of egg by the ovaries) gets disturbed. When ovulation is affected, you cannot get pregnant. For your reproductive system to work properly, you need to have optimum hormone levels and a healthy ovulation cycle.

Do know that being overweight does not mean that you cannot get pregnant. What’s important is that your ovulation cycle is restored, and today it is possible to correct ovulation disorders and hormonal imbalance with fertility medication.

PCOD and infertility

PCOD or polycystic ovarian disease is a hormonal disorder in which cysts (fluid-filled sacs) develop on one or both of a woman’s ovaries. Again, PCOD messes up the body’s hormone production leading to disrupted ovulation, which makes pregnancy difficult. Weight gain is a common side effect of PCOD, which complicates the problem even further.

Research has shown that losing weight helps to improve fertility in overweight women who have PCOD.

PCOD is a common cause of infertility in women in the reproductive age, and many women discover the problem only when they have difficulty getting pregnant. However, most women with PCOD are able to conceive successfully with timely treatment by a skilled fertility specialist who is experienced at handing PCOD-related infertility.

How does body weight affect a man’s fertility?

Research shows that being overweight or obese can affect a man's fertility in a number of ways. His sperm count may go down and he may experience poor sperm quality and also hormonal imbalance. Overweight men also often face erectile dysfunction.

Your fertility doctor can diagnose male-factor infertility by ordering a semen analysis – a simple yet important test which provides vital information about the health and number of your sperm. Based on the semen analysis report, your doctor will advise you of treatment options which present maximum potential for success.

Can fertility treatment really help?

Today fertility treatment has advanced by leaps and bounds, and there are treatments available for even the most complex cases. Fertility specialists at Shantah Fertility Centre have treated thousands of patients with varied types and causes of infertility. 

If you or your partner is overweight, our skilled doctors will develop fertility treatment plan tailored to your condition.

In weight-related infertility, we discover that there is often an accompanying underlying factor affecting a reproductive organ. Therefore we advise infertile couples not to hesitate consulting a fertility specialist as they have the expertise to evaluate your condition properly. Do know that a good fertility doctor would never coerce you to undertake unnecessary tests and treatments; they would educate you of your treatment options and help you make an informed decision.

Lifestyle changes that can help improve fertility

If you are planning to get pregnant, we would advise you to start making some lifestyle changes right away. The good news is that losing even a few kilos – as little as 5% of your body weight – can make a remarkable difference in your ability to get pregnant. This means that a woman weighing 90 Kilos will benefit substantially from losing about 4.5 Kilos.

Also, becoming pregnant when you are overweight increases the risk of pre-eclempsia, gestational diabetes, miscarriage and premature labour. When we educate patients about these health risks, they become even more participative and willing to adopt lifestyle changes recommended by our in-house Nutritionist and Fertility Counsellor. Some tips to help you adopt a healthier lifestyle:

• -        Exercise, stay physically active and maintain a healthy body weight.
• -        If you are overweight, take measures to bring down your weight.
• -        If you are underweight, work on increasing your body weight naturally – eat protein-rich natural foods. Speak to our Nutritionist for further guidance.
• -        Seek ways to eliminate stress from your life as stress has been proven to impact fertility in both men and women.
• -        Maintain a positive attitude, meditate, or adopt any activity that helps you relax and fosters a positive state of mind.
• -        If you suspect that you may have an ovulation disorder, or if you experience heavy, irregular or painful periods, or unexplained pelvic pain, do seek professional help at the earliest.

For further information on fertility treatments offered at our Centre, or for a Free Second Opinion, please book a consultation with Dr.Anubha Singh here.

Polycystic ovaries (PCOD) and Infertility: Is there a way out?

PCOD or polycystic ovarian disease is the name given to the presence of multiple cysts in a woman’s ovaries.

Every woman carries hundreds of thousands of oocytes (eggs) in her ovaries since birth. Each month, one of these eggs matures to prepare itself to be fertilized by the male sperm. The release of a mature egg from the ovary is known as ovulation which takes place once every month.In some women, the ovaries tend to develop a large number of follicles (tiny sac-like structures each containing one egg), causing what we can call an ‘overcrowding’ of the ovary. This results in the formation of cysts which are in fact nothing but underdeveloped follicles that did not release an egg and did not break down.

PCOD is a hormonal disorder and one of the most common causes of infertility in women worldwide.

How does PCOD affect fertility?

A woman conceives a baby when the egg released by her ovary is fertilized by the man’s sperm. Having polycystic ovaries disturbs a woman’s monthly ovulation cycle, making it difficult for her to get pregnant despite regular unprotected sexual activity.

Women who have PCOD experience heavy and irregular periods, unexplained weight gain, and high insulin levels. They have abnormally high levels of male hormones which interfere with ovulation and menstruation, and can causeexcessive facial and body hair (hirsutism), baldness and acne.

Coping with infertility along with the physical symptoms of PCOD can be extremely stressful for a woman. If you are having problems conceiving naturally, and have been experiencing any of the symptoms described above, it would be wise to consult a fertility doctor who would run some basic tests and provide treatment accordingly.

After obtaining your medical history and doing a physical examination, your doctor would confirm diagnosis of PCOD through:

•   Blood tests to check levels of androgens (male hormones) and other reproductive hormones
•  Ultrasound scan to check the health of ovaries and presence of any cysts

Do all women with PCOD need fertility treatment?

No health disorder affects everyonein the same way.While some women with PCOD may require only basic treatment and lifestyle guidance from the doctor, others may need longer and more comprehensive fertility treatment.

Your gynaecologist is qualified to do a preliminary diagnosis of your condition;however infertility caused by PCOD is best handled by a fertility specialist. This is because a fertility specialist routinely handles cases of PCOD-related infertility and has the necessary skill and experience to provide appropriate treatment.

As PCOD is not completely curable, fertility treatment of a woman with PCOD revolves around restoring her ovulation cycle with the help of medication, correcting hormonal imbalance, and helping her with weight management. To improve your chances of conceiving naturally, your doctor would closely monitor your ovulation cycle to guide you about your most fertile days in a month.

If lifestyle changes, weight management and preliminary treatment do not work, your doctor may need to intensify your fertility treatment, which can include:

•          Ovulation induction: Stimulate the ovaries to release more than one egg at a time. This is done with the help of medication.
•          Hormone therapy: Hormone injections to stimulate ovulation and promote growth of follicles
•         Surgery: In severe cases of PCOD, your doctor may recommend a laparoscopy to remove the cysts.
•          IVF or ICSI: If medication and hormonal therapy do not get desired results, your doctor would recommend an assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedure such as IVF or ICSI.

To sum up, most women who have PCOD and are having difficulty getting pregnant require some form of fertility treatment. The extent of your treatment would depend on a number of factors –the severity of the problem, your age, history of pregnancy, body weight, and any other health disorders such as diabetes or hypertension.

Apart from problems with getting pregnant and an increased risk of miscarriage, women with PCOD are at a higher risk of developing heart disease,type II diabetes, and sleep apnea. Therefore, you should seek treatment for PCOD even if getting pregnant is not your immediate goal.

Looking for unbiased, honest and expert fertility advice? Consult our fertility specialist Dr. Anubha Singh for a free second opinion.