Mini IVF Success Rates & How It Affects IVF Cost

mini ivfA lot of questions have already been lingering in regards of how mini IVF (Minimal Stimulation) is done and its difference to the typical IVF. Basically mini IVF or micro IVF is similar to the typical IVF in terms of the process and purpose. Women under such process are subject to egg retrieval, artificial fertilization in the laboratory, and embryo transfer. The only difference, however; lies on the degree of medication use to stimulate the ovaries in producing eggs.

Mini IVF are commonly used for women who have no problems with ovulation at all. Usually unexplained infertility falls on the man that is why there is no need to induce high dosage of fertility drugs in women. In this case, mini IVF can simply lie on natural ovulation. However, when medically necessary only a small dosage of fertility drugs are prescribed to women which mostly uses Clomid instead of the stronger ones like Gonadotropins, Gonal-F, and Follistim. This results to the production of adequate eggs, usually two or three in a cycle in contrast with the latter’s result of 10 or more.

Mini IVF Success Rates, Costs, Advantages & Disadvantages

Mini IVF Advantage

Mini IVF typically cost lesser than the typical IVF. For instance, the typical IVF cost for somebody is around $10, 000 to $15,000. The mini IVF cost is on average around $5, 000 to $7,000 per attempt.

Since it only uses mild medication or fertility drug induction, Mini IVF also has a lesser risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and polycystic ovarian syndrome. Both are two major negative impacts of taking too much fertility drugs. Aside that they bring painful symptoms to women, both can impair the ability to conceive.

When compared to Intra-Uterine Insemination, mini IVF has a controlled embryo transfer such that only one or two eggs are implanted which leads to a lesser risk of multiple births.

Mini IVF Disadvantage

While mini IVF only stimulates production of only few embryos, it is unlikely to have extra embryos to freeze in case the first attempt is not successful. In this case, women have to start again from stimulating few more eggs for the second mini IVF attempt.

Although mini IVF cost lesser than the conventional one, couples may still have to spend more if the it does not work. In fact, mini IVF can be tried as many as 10 times before couples would decide that it is the right method for them. When this happens, the last resort would still fall on the manipulation of the conventional IVF which cost more but higher success rate.

Mini IVF also has high possibility for a zero fertilization result. While only a maximum of three embryos are retrieved from the women, in case two are not fertilized in the laboratory, this results to only one viable embryo for the embryo transfer. This however, oppose to the IVF rule that the more embryo are transferred the higher the possibility a woman gets pregnant. Aside from this, mini IVF can only be best for couples where the woman does not have any ovulation problems and complications. Otherwise, mild formula is not enough to regulate the production of eggs per month.

Mini IVF Success Rate 

Mini IVF is usually the choice for many couples where the fertility problems lie in men. While IVF only entails mild medication and lower production of follicles, it can also be done naturally that is why the mini IVF success rates highly depend on the age and the heath condition of the women.

Otherwise, it would be hard to produce high quality eggs to match with the husband’s semen. Low quality eggs are also hard to fertilize despite with the assisted reproductive technology.  For women whose age ranges from 36 and below, the success rate of mini IVF range from 15 percent to 22 percent. This is the highest success rate mini IVF could give especially when women are in good condition.

As women get older, the success rate subsequently decreases such that for women, who are at their menopausal age of 40, only has 5 percent to 11 percent. When they exceed this age, mini IVF is no longer applicable. This is because the viability of women to get pregnant wanes as their menstrual period stops.