Natural cycle IVF is ideal for patients who either desire to avoid medications, want a more natural approach, or for women with weakened ovaries. Numerous studies have demonstrated that patients undergoing natural cycle IVF have improved outcomes compared to multiple follicle IVF when they have previously failed standard IVF, have had prior poor fertilization or embryo development, or a history of diminished ovarian reserve.
Who Should Consider Natural IVF?
NATURAL CYCLE IVF IS VERY SIMPLE.
Patients are monitored with blood and ultrasound for the development of their natural monthly egg. When the egg develops to the size of 12-14mm, patients take a minimal amount of medication to continue egg growth and prevent premature egg release for just 3 – 4 days. At this point, patients use human chorionic gonadotropin injection to trigger egg release. Thereafter, they undergo a routine egg retrieval, ICSI to ensure fertilization and then either a day 3 or a day 5 embryo transfer. For patients wishing to undergo preimplantation genetic testing, this can still be done. Many patients will opt to undergo several natural IVF cycles, prior to beginning embryo transfers to collect a sufficient number of embryos. Natural cycle embryos can be frozen with the same success as multiple follicle IVF cycles.
