Ask the Expert Series: Conceiving via Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

We are back with our very first Ask the Expert Session for 2021 🥳 If you are trying to conceive, this session is just for you. We have Dr Ann Tan - Medical Director, Virtus Fertility Centre Singapore, who will be answering all your questions on the facts and myths of conceiving via Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)* 👩🏼‍⚕️ Hurry and comment your questions below before 25 February, Thursday! *Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) encompasses treatments that involve handling of a female’s eggs and a male’s sperm with a purpose to treat infertility. In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) are common ART treatment options at Virtus Fertility Centre Singapore for couples aiming to fall pregnant successfully.

theAsianparent

The official account for TheAsianparent Singapore.

29 Replies

Write a reply

Expert

Hi There everyone ! Excited to “see” ! I am Dr Ann Tan Medical Director of Virtus Fertility Centre. We would love to help as many of you on your fertility journey.

Expert

Thank you for joining me at this QnA session, do drop me a email at [email protected]. Would love to hear from you.

Is ART safe for would-be mothers? Are there any potential side effects or long-term complications from the medications and procedures?

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

ART has been used for many decades and the procedure is getting safer as we set up more safeguards and with better understanding of the medications used , the entire process is safer . Side effects are short term

Isit true that I will definitely fall pregnant with ART. Is the incidence of miscarriage higher when I conceive through ART?

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

We would love ❤️ to be able to gaurantee each couple who start a cycle that they would walk out many months later with a baby . It is my utopian dream to be able to do so to minimize the anxiety , time and cost that each cycle takes . Unfortunately the reality is that the success rates of IVF depends on both male and female factors . And with the female it is largely her ovarian reserve . The risk of miscarriage is also linked to maternal age. At 40 the chance of a normal egg is 1 in 10-20 eggs that are retrieved. The risk of miscarriage increases to 20% or higher in the 40s.

Fact or myth: Taking extra supplements such as DHEA and vitamin D etc can increase my chances of pregnancy through ART.

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

I believe in optimizing the health and nutrition of both male and female partner prior to the IVF cycle for best outcome. If supplements are needed then we can use them

Are babies conceived via ART less healthy as compared to those conceived via natural means?

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

Babies conceived by ART are not less healthy in fact on the contrary, if the parents are well prepared to go into an IVF they would be healthier 😊 and thus have healthy babies .

VIP Member

will I still be able to conceive naturally after successfully pregnancy through ART?

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

This does happen happily when the cause of the infertility is not absolute eg where the male partner has no spermatozoa or the female partner is prematurely menopause or has tubal blockage

Is there an increased chance of birth defects if I become pregnant through ART?

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

No the risk of birth defects is not increased with IVF. The risk depends on the maternal age.

Fact or myth: Conceiving via ART is an extremely stressful and painful journey?

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

The way to go into IVF is to be positive about the outcome and not to treat it like an exam. Then the process will be less stressful. Physically there will be some effects when the ovaries grow as the follicles enlarge and of course there will be a procedure to retrieve the eggs which is done as a day surgical procedure. The procedure takes approximately 30 min and the patient leaves after 2 hours of rest

How does IVF help in enabling pregnancy? And is this process effective?

ATasian16#

Mummy of 3 lovely daughters

4y ago

IVF takes the guessing out of trying naturally. We ensure that the egg meets the sperm and unite them. What magic they possess to develop into the embryo and a baby is then realised depending on their innate potential . IVF aims to make what may take the couple a long time to achieve in a shorter time frame

19 Replies

Home Random Talk conceiving via assisted reproductive technology