The use of hormones to treat infertility

• Fertility drugs contain FSH and LH, which stimulate eggs to mature in the ovaries
• Because fertility treatment boosts the production of mature eggs, it increases the chance of twins or triplets. Multiple pregnancies carry a higher risk of complications, and may lead to premature or underweight babies.
• • IVF involves giving a mother FSH and LH to stimulate the maturation of several eggs.
  • The eggs are collected from the mother and fertilised by sperm from the father in a dish in the laboratory.
  • The fertilised eggs develop into embryos.
  • At the stage when they are tiny balls of cells one or two embryos are inserted into the mother's uterus (womb)
• The NHS has to choose which couples they can fund for IVF. If they cannot be treated on the NHS, some people chose to pay privately for treatment. This is very expensive, and costs approximately £5000.
• The chances of a successful pregnancy vary depending on the age of the woman involved. As a woman's age increases, the chance of conception decreases. In particular, the chances of a woman over the age of 43 becoming pregnant decreases to a 5% success rate
• In 2010, the percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in a live birth was:

  • 32.2% for women under 35
  • 27.7% for women aged 35-37
  • 20.8% for women aged 38-39
  • 13.6% for women aged 40-42
  • 5% for women aged 43-44
  • 1.9% for women aged over 44
• IVF allows people to have babies of their own, who otherwise can't due to a variety of reasons.
• IVF has a safe track record and has been used since 1978. The embryos can be screened for genetic diseases, which is important for families that already have an affected child. Only unaffected embryos are used.
• In IVF unused eggs can be used for research or donated to other couples.
• There many side effects from IVF drugs such as hot flushes and severe headaches
• In IVF, there is a possibility of multiple births which is dangerous for the mother and babies
• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome sometimes occurs during IVF and it is when too many eggs develop in the ovaries
• IVF is very emotionally and physically stressful and the success rates are not high
• Some people worry about the ethical implications of IVF. They are concerned that couples may want 'designer babies' with 'desirable' qualities, so may only want certain fertilised eggs. For example, they may want a girl if they have lots of boys in the family.
• Any embryos not used in IVF may be destroyed. Some people consider embryos to be new lives and view this destruction as unethical.