World IVF Day: 6 myths about IVF busted

In-vitro Fertilization is an absolutely safe way for couples who face fertility issues in starting a family. Using scientific methodologies, eggs are fused with sperms outside the body, where they are kept under observation before being implanted back inside the body. Still, a lot of myths remain to be cleared about IVF, as people consider it unsafe and bad for the baby's health in the long-term. IVF is extremely safe and carries no harm for the baby in any way. Here are some myths busted:

Obesity is considered to be one of the biggest problems when a woman tries to conceive naturally or through IVF. It is a big myth that IVF only works for people who have a healthy body shape and BMI. Women, irrespective of their weight, stand a chance to get pregnant. According to doctors, BMI, obesity has no effect on the fertilization process. Although, unhealthy body charts may lower egg count in some women. Still, there is no denying that IVF is prejudiced against obese women.

When the first IVF baby was produced through a Petri dish, the world over observed the creation of the scientific miracle. Many even assumed and (still do think) that IVF babies are different than other babies welcomed naturally. This holds no truth. The only difference that lies between the two is the way they are conceived. Rest, they are no different. In fact, IVF babies are just as healthy and adorable as other babies!

Many women shy away from trying IVF while conceiving and refrain from freezing their eggs, thinking that it will weaken their potency, even lower their egg count or when the babies will be born, they may have birth defects. Again, this is nothing but a myth. As a fact, embryos are much stronger than you can probably imagine. Human eggs have the ability to survive inside a freezer for a long duration of time without getting 'weak' or 'bad'. Reproductive technology has advanced so much now that couple can now opt to use frozen eggs preserved from years ago to conceive. Science also says that IVF babies do not have a higher rate of developing problems at birth, unlike what is thought of.

One of the topmost reasons women stay away from IVF or any medically assisted fertility methods is the hormone treatment. Since women are usually prescribed high dosages of estrogen to improve fertility, it has a tendency to impact their mood. It may even make some women go to the extremes at times or experience days of irritability or anxiety (just like period mood swings). However, these are not always true. Hormonal pills impact everyone differently and do not always carry such side-effects. In no ways does it hamper your fertility either.

Since IVF is a scientific way of making babies, a lot many think that women of all ages can conceive by IVF. While this is partly true, it does come with some risk factors. IVF might work but has a considerably lower success rate for women over the age of 45 (upto 50%), implying that patients may have to try and try the cycle again. However, if women depend on donor eggs from younger women, the success rates go up.

One of the biggest misconceptions about IVF treatments is that it potentially increases the risk of women developing breast and ovarian cancer since women are injected with "extra" hormones.

Again, this is absolutely false and has been proven by science. Studies conducted over the years have proven that IVF in no way has any risk factors contributing to cancer and the risk for infection is 'minimal'.