Please Wait

Mon-Fri: 8.15am-4.30pmWed: 10.00am-6.00pm314 473 1285agraham@gofertility.com844 North New Ballas Court,Suite 300, St. Louis, MO 63141


FAQ

IVF

Introduction


Natural cycle IVF or mini IVF is an in-vitro fertilization treatment cycle where there is no stimulation or minimal stimulation of the ovaries to produce follicles. This type of treatment cycle is less invasive on the body. It is ideal for patients who wish to have minimal stimulation of their ovaries. Patients with very poor ovarian reserve or with low antral follicle count (AFC) are ideal candidates for a natural cycle (mini IVF). Patients with very high AMH (>6) can also opt for mini IVF so as to reduce the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Natural cycle IVF treatment starts with taking a fertility pill called Clomid usually on day 3 of the cycle for 10 days. You will have 3 to 4 ultrasound scans to assess the growth of the follicles.You may need additional stimulation with Menopur every other day if your response to stimulation is poor. You will undergo ultrasound guided follicle aspiration once the follicles are more than 18 mm in size. Usually 3 to 5 oocytes are retrieved and they undergo IVF or ICSI fertilization in the lab, the resulting embryos are usually frozen. The patient may have to undergo a second cycle to retrieve additional eggs before proceeding with an embryo transfer.

  • Q1. I wish to do mini IVF, what should I do?
  • Q2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of mini IVF?
  • Q3. How successful is mini IVF?
Q1. I wish to do mini IVF, what should I do?

Prior to starting mini IVF treatment, the patient has to be evaluated with blood work, ultrasound and hysteroscopy.Semen testing may be needed on the male partner. These tests can be completed within 14 days of the start of your period. Please call our Center at 314-473-1285 or Click here to make an appointment.

Q2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of mini IVF?

As detailed in the above introduction, mini IVF is less invasive on your body and is ideal for women who does not want heavy stimulation of the ovaries or too many shots. It also reduces the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Moreover, it is less expensive as you are using minimal drugs for your stimulation.Also mini IVF is similar to a natural cycle and has minimal side effects on the body.

The disadvantage of mini IVF is that fewer eggs are retrieved per treatment cycle due no stimulation or minimal stimulation of the ovaries. Hence, it may require more than one cycle to retrieve enough eggs for fertilization before embryo transfer can be done.

Q3. How successful is mini IVF?

Per embryo transfer mini IVF has similar pregnancy rates as that of standard IVF cycles. Since it is less expensive, the cost per pregnancy per transfer may be less than that of standard IVF.

At The Center for Reproductive Medicine and Robotic Surgery(CRMRS) we provide private, professional and compassionate fertility care. Dr. Jacob and our reproductive team provide a very personalized approach, from diagnostic assessment and early intervention through high-tech procedures like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Insertion (ICSI), intrauterine insemination (IUI) and Pre-Implantation Genetic Testing – Aneuploidy (PGT-A).

©Copyright 2023, Center for Reproductive Medicine & Robotic Surgery