Ovulation is the process of preparing the egg (also known as oocyte) for fertilization. When sufficiently developed, is released into the woman’s fallopian tubes. From the fallopian tubes, the egg travels to the uterus, where it is actually fertilized. Problems with ovulation, such as irregular ovulation, or the most serious stage – anovulation is very often a serious obstacle on the couple’s or the individual’s path to pregnancy.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments are the highest developed form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) available nowadays. These treatments have helped a lot of couples worldwide to resolve a long list of fertility problems, including ovulatory problems. The IVF Cyprus treatments vary and are dependent on the reason causing the difficulties that the couples are going through when planning to get pregnant.
The base for every IVF treatment is the ovarian stimulation. The success of the treatment is very often determined by the ovarian stimulation protocol, as it can vary from woman to woman.
However, basically, the approach of ovarian stimulation can be with high doses of fertility medications, or with minimal (to none) ovarian stimulation.
Minimal stimulation IVF Cyprus (Mini IVF Cyprus), also known as Mild stimulation IVF is quite a new in vitro technique that is carried out with a moderate ovarian stimulation compared to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The approach with minimal stimulation gives a chance primarily to those who would like to avoid exposure to high doses of fertility medications during an IVF cycle.
Stay with us and discover your possibilities to get pregnant with Mini IVF Cyprus!
Why is ovarian stimulation so important for an IVF treatment?
Before we jump into explaining the Mini IVF treatment, we would like to walk you through the background of the need for ovarian stimulation during an IVF cycle.
Ovarian stimulation is the sole base of every assisting reproductive technology (ART) technology as it offers the chance:
- Ovulation to happen in anovulatory women;
- More follicles to mature at the same time during one menstrual cycle ;
- To predict the maturation of the eggs with high accuracy, which allows precise scheduling of the eggs retrieval step from the IVF treatment
- To improve the thickness of the endometrium and prepare it for successful implantation. Ovarian stimulation is also used to induce thickening of the endometrial wall in preparation for embryo implantation.
Ovarian stimulation is defined as a process of supporting the development of the follicles and later egg (or oocyte) maturation. That is done with the help of the right doses of fertility medications. Stimulation can be used to induce a normal menstrual cycle (i.e. a cycle in which a single, mature oocyte is released) in an anovulatory woman (i.e. a woman who does not have periods).
Ovarian stimulation is a standard and one of the most important steps in assisted reproduction technologies and is combined with in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatments and intrauterine insemination (IUI).
The ovarian stimulation is used not only to prepare the oocytes for the retrieval step. In addition, it also supports the woman’s uterus and endometrium for successful embryo transfer (improves the uterus’s lining)
The steps of ovarian stimulation’s procedure
The administration of fertility medications is split into several stages, each specific and important on its own.
The first step is the administration of gonadotropins to stimulate the growth of ovarian follicles and support the early maturation of the eggs. The administration of gonadotropins also prevents the increase in luteinizing hormone (LH). That allows regulation of the release of the eggs from the follicles. At this step, it is important to make sure that the eggs would stay in the follicles.
The next step is administering human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) that stimulates the final maturation of the eggs. This step lasts approximately 36 hours and is followed by the rupture of the follicles and the release of the eggs.
This way, the egg retrieval can be accurately scheduled, and the following steps of the IVF procedure can be performed with higher accuracy and success.
What is Mini IVF?
Mini IVF Cyprus is a type of IVF treatment and from a lot of aspects is quite similar to the standard IVF Cyprus. The Mini IVF Cyprus procedure consists of the same several procedural steps as the standard IVF. The Mini IVF is most commonly defined as an IVF treatment where 2 to 7 eggs are produced during the stimulation phase.
As the standard IVF treatment, the Mini IVF starts with an initial fertility evaluation. At this stage, our fertility doctors will evaluate your fertility status and potential risk areas for your individual case. Following the fertility evaluation, the doctor will decide if the couple/woman is suitable for this treatment based on the woman’s ovarian reserve.
The next step, as with the conventional IVF, is the ovarian stimulation. The eggs that are produced during the phase of ovarian stimulation are extracted and later fertilized in EuroCARE’s laboratories. Then, the embryos are left to cultivate and develop to a stage when they can be frozen. With Mini IVF, the embryo transfer is not done just a couple of days after the fertilization. The embryos are usually transferred usually one month after the fertilization. During this period, the woman’s uterus and ovaries should get prepared for the final step – the embryo transfer.
Even though the Mini IVF and the conventional IVF treatment are extremely similar, there is one step of the procedure that makes them different. Let’s see which one!
The ovarian stimulation step with Mini IVF
This is the step where the biggest difference between standard IVF and Mini IVF is found.
Ovarian stimulation is the second phase of the IVF Cyprus procedure. Women during this phase are starting medical therapy to stimulate the production and maturation of eggs. The ovarian stimulation protocol is actually combining the natural body level of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) with small doses of stimulation medicine.
The differences between ovarian stimulation with standard IVF and mini IVF are:
- The form of stimulation medicine
- The duration of ovarian stimulation
When conventional IVF is applied, the stimulation is done with special injections. Mini IVF is using oral medications and/or significantly less amount of injections. With mini IVF, usually, the usage of the stimulation medicine is shorter.
The aim of this phase as part of a conventional IVF procedure is to stimulate the patient’s ovaries to produce as many eggs as possible. Opposing that, the Mini IVF is approaching ovarian stimulation with lower doses of medications resulting in the production of only a couple of eggs, usually 2 to 7.
The steps of ovarian stimulation are pretty much similar, differing in the fact, that with Mini IVF there is no menstrual cycle suppression (regulation of the release of mature eggs).
For some women, the Mini-IVF treatment can be performed with no ovulation stimulation drugs at all. This version of the mini IVF is also called a ‘natural cycle’. When the fertility evaluation shows some abnormalities with ovulation, this natural cycle is not recommended. Though, it might be suitable for cases of blocked fallopian tubes.
With this minimal stimulation IVF treatment, it is possible to extract the best quality eggs without using high doses of stimulation medicine.
Who is suitable for Mini IVF?
Even though the standard IVF has great success rates, in certain cases, IVF performed with minimal ovarian stimulation can be more beneficial for certain patients. Prioritizing mini IVF over standard IVF can be due to personal reasons and preferences, such as:
- Patient’s preference for being less exposed to hormonal fertility medications
- Fear of needles
Besides these, there are a couple of medical reasons why fertility doctors will recommend this procedure for a couple or individual undergoing an IVF treatment. Within these can be found:
Patients with a history of hormone-related cancer can benefit from Mini IVF
Women who have a history with hormone-related cancers such as
- breast cancer
- endometrial cancer
- ovarian cancer
- thyroid cancer
are usually recommended with milder ovarian stimulation. Mini IVF can be highly helpful in these cases.
Women with low ovarian reserves can also benefit from Mini IVF
Similarly, as the conventional IVF, the mini IVF can successfully overcome the problem with low ovarian reserves. Fertility doctors believe that Mini IVF might be even more successful in treating this infertility. The reason for that is there are not many eggs to begin with. Especially in women diagnosed with low ovarian reserve.
The higher doses of fertility medications can not always efficiently stimulate the ovaries to generate a great number of quality eggs. This is usually happening in women at advanced reproductive age.
Women suffering from the polycystic ovarian syndrome might also be suitable for a Mini IVF treatment
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common infertility causes. As well, PCOS has been associated with increasing the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation due to the high doses of fertility medications as part of the standard IVF cycle.
Is Mini IVF better than conventional IVF?
The Mini IVF variations of an IVF treatment can certainly be beneficial for some groups of patients. The approach for ovarian stimulation is different for each individual and it is very hard to draw a finite conclusion about what is better.
However, the benefits from Mini IVF are similar to the benefits of a conventional IVF treatment. Within these we can find:
- IVF works where other reproductive medicine technologies do not!
- Allows the luxury of personal pregnancy timing for some of the couples who use cryopreservation
- Increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy and baby
- Decrease the risk of implantation failure
- Decrease the risk of miscarriage
- Increase your chances of conception
- Offers you a chance for gender selection
The Mini IVF treatments have several advantages additional to those that a conventional IVF method offers.
And let’s take a look at them!
Offers a chance for people who have a limited budget
This treatment can be suitable for people whose budgets are tight. Administration of lesser and lower doses of fertility medications can decrease the overall cost of the IVF Cyprus treatment. This makes this treatment slightly more affordable than the conventional treatment.
But, in order for this treatment to be more cost-effective, the fertility examination and the checkups from the fertility team done in the later stages of the IVF treatments have to be extremely precise. The number of eggs retrieved with this treatment is small. That might decrease the chances of successful fertilization and embryo transfer if some irregularities were not noticed during fertility evaluations.
That might lead to multiple cycles of Mini IVF, which can increase the cost of the pregnancy journey with IVF Cyprus.
So be careful! Even if you would prefer this treatment, if your fertility doctor is skeptical about a successful outcome from the first cycle of Mini IVF, then it is better to proceed with conventional IVF treatment.
More comfortable treatment
The conventional IVF procedure requires more frequent checkups from the fertility team. The hormone level test and vaginal sonograms are usually done every 24 to 72 hours. The Minimal Stimulation IVF doesn’t require that frequent checkup. Usually, there are fewer monitoring visits, that for some of you, might relieve the stress.
The reduced usage of injections than with conventional IVF Cyprus might also reduce the discomfort within your body.
Decreased risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) is a condition of overstimulated ovaries, usually resulting in swollen and painful ovaries.
About 25% of the women who have undergone a conventional IVF have reported a mild ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHS). This condition usually lasts approximately a week but it can last longer. If it gets developed to a more serious stage, it can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and weight gain.
Embryos for Cryopreservation
In conventional IVF, if there are extra embryos, they can be frozen. This is especially referring to patients younger than 35. With Minimal Stimulation IVF, the goal is to freeze a few good quality embryos for later use.
Choosing a right IVF treatment is not easy, but how can euroCARE make this process easier for you?
Choosing the right clinic for IVF treatment, and the proper treatment itself is one of the most important and toughest decisions. Both for the couple that is undergoing IVF treatment for the first time, and also for those who have had a failed IVF cycle. The team of euroCARE is conscious about the complexity of this process, therefore we try to be there for you in every possible way.
Our assistance on your path to pregnancy starts with an initial free consultation . At the initial consultation, our patient coordinators will devote themselves to the particular, individual circumstances and difficulties that you have. The aim of this consultation is to help you understand better your options for an IVF treatment tailored to your situation.
Furthermore, the best fertility doctors in Cyprus will welcome you at our clinic and carry out your fertility evaluation. After it, the options offered with the initial consultation will be either confirmed or another strategy of fertility treatment will be outlined to cover your individual needs.
The team will continue to accompany you at every step through the IVF Cyprus treatment. You will often be consulted about the outcomes of each step of the procedure. They will do regular and proper check-ups will take place so the quality of the treatment will be ensured. We hope that this constant monitoring and checkups will be ensuring you, that you are not alone in this and you are in the right hands!
With euroCARE you will get personalized treatment and your own team, whose motive is to help you overcome any fertility problem. So, take your first step and book your first fertility consultation, now, for free!Resources:
https://www.verywellfamily.com/what-is-mini-or-micro-ivf-1960214
https://haveababy.com/fertility-information/ivf-authority/mini-ivf-a-blessing-or-curse
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5482955/