IVF: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)

What is your age cut-off for doing IVF with your own eggs?

We do not do IVF for patients older than 45. Even if you are younger than 45, your physician may not consider IVF an appropriate treatment for you, depending on your history and FSH levels.

How long does it take to get started with IVF?

From the point of your initial consultation with your GIVF physician, you may start an IVF cycle within weeks. This is not the usual time-frame, however. At GIVF, we break-down the IVF treatment into phases:

Phase One involves your initial consult and diagnostic evaluation. This can take days, but usually takes weeks or even a couple of months (depending on your menstrual cycle, logistical and financial details such as your travel schedule, availability, insurance requirements, etc.)

Phase Two is your cycle planning stage, which is heavy on logistical details such as obtaining IVF medications and learning how to mix and administer them. There is also blood work to be done, consent forms to be signed, payment to be made as well as other details to attend to during this phase. Phase Two can last days, weeks or months, depending on your schedule, insurance and availability.

Phase Three is the start of the cycle and usually lasts about two weeks. During this time you will be taking injectable medications and return to GIVF every couple of days for monitoring.

Phase Four is egg retrieval and embryo transfer. There are three to five days between the time when eggs are retrieved and embryos are put back into the uterus.

Phase Five, the last phase, is pregnancy test and beyond.

When will I know if I’m pregnant?

Pregnancy test is done two weeks after the day of egg retrieval. It can take 2 or 3 months (or more) from the day of initial consultation to the day of pregnancy test.

What are my choices if my tubes have been tied?

Basically there are two choices, surgery to try and repair the tubes or In Vitro Fertililization (IVF). There are pros and cons to each choice and often the best choice depends on your unique situation. Surgery offers the option of attempting pregnancy naturally indefinitely without repeated treatments, but carries the rare risks of surgery and in some cases is not successful depending on the type of tubal ligation or tubal damage done initially. IVF offers the chance for pregnancy without having to undergo an operation and maintaining contraception or birth control against future pregnancies after completion of your family.

What surgeries can be done at GIVF?

The complete range of reproductive surgeries are performed by all the Infertility staff physicians. Every Infertility staff physician is subspecialty board certified in all aspects of infertility surgery including laparoscopy, hysteroscopy, myomectomies, tubal reconstruction or reanastomosis, polypectomies and uterine reconstruction for congenital anomalies.

How much does IVF cost?

Cost varies depending on the treatment and options selected. For current cost information, click here.

When will my egg retrieval be?

We won’t know the exact date of egg retrieval until two days prior to the procedure. We estimate it is about 12-14 days from the start of your IVF cycle.

Can I exercise while I’m undergoing IVF treatment?

Yes. You should refrain from high-impact exercise and choose workouts such as walking, swimming, yoga or cycling.