Can IVF be done for second child?
According to research, women who use fertility therapy after the birth of their first child have a decent probability of having a second child through the same procedure. After six cycles of therapy, researchers in Australia determined that after a woman successfully obtained a live birth using in vitro fertilisation (IVF), popularly known as assisted reproductive technology (ART), her odds of having another ART baby were between 51 and 88 %. These estimations differed depending on whether previously frozen embryos or fresh embryos from a new ovarian stimulation procedure were utilised.
Maternal age as a factor for IVF for Second Child
With higher maternal age, the odds of having a second ART baby declined. Women aged 35-39 had a 22% lower chance of having a second ART-conceived baby if they recommenced treatment using a frozen embryo from a previous cycle, and a 50% lower chance if they recommenced treatment with a new cycle and a fresh embryo as compared to women younger than 30 years.
The chances of IVF success decrease as a woman gets older. Infertility declines with age, and this is especially true in the case of IVF. As a result, making plans for a second IVF baby should be done as soon as possible. There is a better likelihood of success if the interval between the first child and the preparation for the second child is shorter.
You might expect a two or three-year gap between your two children if you start planning your second IVF baby right after your first. However, if you begin planning after seven years, you may find yourself with a nine to twelve-year gap between your two children.
Infertility was caused by issues affecting the male partner, therefore having only one cycle and a single embryo transfer to produce a first live delivery enhanced their odds of a successful second pregnancy. The stimulation of the ovaries to produce numerous eggs, the retrieval of eggs for laboratory fertilisation to produce embryos, and all embryo transfer procedures that utilise the embryos from the egg retrieval process are all part of a cycle. Fresh and frozen embryo transfers are both possible options.
Good chances for pregnancy through second cycle of IVF
According to a major population-based study, women who conceived their first child through assisted reproductive technology (ART) and then returned for a second child had a better than even chance of becoming pregnant again. Women who recommenced ART therapy with previously frozen embryos had a cumulative live birth rate ranging from 61% to 88% after six full cycles, depending on assumptions made about the chances of success in women who had stepped out of treatment. (Gerogina Chambers, PhD)
The so-called cumulative live birth rate was 80% for women who had residual frozen embryos and 54% for those who didn't after three full stimulated cycles plus any frozen embryo transfers. The cumulative live birth rate is the likelihood that all embryo transfers from three stimulation cycles will result in a live birth.
Researchers discovered that the likelihood of having a second child was reduced for:
Women over 35.
Women who waited three years or more before resuming to treatment.
Women who had a larger number of stimulated cycles or double embryo transfers to have their first child.
Using Frozen Embryos for second baby of second IVF
IVF success is more likely for women who have had their eggs frozen than for those who have not. Preserving your eggs will cost a hefty amount, but it yields a higher chance of IVF success in the future and will increase the chances at a second IVF round. Some couples freeze their embryos just in case they wish to have another child in the future.
These frozen embryos are especially useful if it has been a long time since you had your previous baby. The chances of conceiving with frozen embryos in the second IVF round are significantly higher than with fresh embryos. This is because the quality of eggs and sperm deteriorates with age, and the quality of the embryo diminishes as a result. For IVF to work, a high-quality embryo is required. A poor-quality embryo is frequently the major reason of IVF failure.
Although stable foetuses have had the greatest success rates in IVF for producing a second child, this does not guarantee that every couple will be successful. The development and fertilisation process can be influenced by a number of variables. In this procedure, the couple's past medical history will also be crucial. Though you were successful with IVF before doesn't imply success again. Given the prior experience, physicians believe the odds of success with IVF are better. Given a woman’s age, it's possible that she will have to try multiple times before achieving IVF success.
Trying for a second child via IVF shortly after your first kid is born increases your chances of getting pregnant. However, when the first child is born, a few parents consider having another. The first IVF round may be emotionally exhausting, and couples are relieved to have it over with. If you've had success with one IVF baby, you'll be lot more relaxed and hopeful the second time around. It's best to start planning your second IVF baby as soon as possible to enhance your chances of a successful second IVF cycle following your first IVF baby. It is considerably simpler to undergo IVF for a second child since you have already gone through the process and are familiar with all of the dos and don'ts.
Advantages and Disadvantages of second IVF
If you've had success with IVF before, you'll have a better chance of having a baby if you try again. There are benefits and drawbacks to undergoing a medical treatment, just as there are to any other medical procedure.
Pros of second IVF:
The uncertainty, such as pharmaceutical side effects, self-administering injections, egg retrieval, and, ultimately, whether she will conceive, contributes to a woman's anxiety throughout fertility therapy, particularly IVF. A woman who has had IVF may feel more at ease during the process, however this is not always the case. Reduced stress on a woman throughout an IVF cycle, on the other hand, leads to an improvement in her quality of life, which is unquestionably the aim.
According to studies, if a woman has successfully conceived with IVF in the past, she has a greater pregnancy rate with a second IVF cycle.
There are new revolutionary advancements in IVF technology that offer an improvement in life birth rate and a reduction in miscarriage that were perhaps unavailable the previous time a woman had IVF.
Cons of second IVF:
Depending on the conditions, the expectations for a second IVF round may be unrealistic. A previous IVF cycle's success does not guarantee the same number of eggs retrieved, mature embryos, or pregnancy. This is because, owing to natural biology, a woman's quantity of eggs decreases as she ages.
Secondary infertility is painful since it deprives and disappoints the couple's first child.
The danger of multiple gestations is a major worry for physicians and patients throughout any reproductive treatment. Multiple births as a consequence of reproductive therapy are on the rise, causing pregnant women and newborns to have more health issues.
The findings highlight the importance of viewing ART as a course of therapy rather than a single cycle of treatment: if couples don't get pregnant in the first cycle, it's quite likely to happen in the next. It is, nevertheless, advisable not to wait too long, particularly if a new stimulation cycle is required. The numbers are useful as population estimates, but numerous individual circumstances, such as the duration and cause of infertility, influence a woman's chances of ART success. These statistics don't take into account individual circumstances, but they give an idea of what to expect if there is any decision to attempt for a second IVF baby.
Sources:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-05/esoh-way050620.phphttps://www.varta.org.au/resources/news-and-blogs/whats-your-chance-second-ivf-baby
https://www.medicoverfertility.in/blog/planning-second-ivf-baby,113,n,5475
https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/health/chances-having-second-ivf-baby-after-fertility-treatment-first-child-favourable-new
https://www.cityfertility.com.au/new-study-reveals-good-chances-for-second-baby-via-ivf/
https://www.sunflowerhospital.in/can-i-plan-another-ivf-child/