Fertility services come as an aid to couples who have trouble conceiving naturally. These techniques make fertilisation easy and promote the natural development of the embryo and foetus. Today, two kinds of fertility services are in custom – surrogacy and IVF. These two are often confused with each other and sometimes thought of as the same thing. To clear that out, IVF and Surrogacy are very different procedures. This blog will discuss and approach the two comparatively, such as IVF vs surrogacy success rate and cost.

IVF (Test Tube Baby)

IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilisation, also widely known as ‘test tube baby’. Now ‘test tube baby’ is a confusing term, and it doesn’t mean the foetus is developed in the test tube. IVF is a process to simplify the fertilisation of the ovum and sperm. In IVF, the sperm and ovum are taken from both parents, and fertilisation occurs inside the test tube. Usually, the mother is given pills containing hormones for the ovum’s excellent development. After fertilisation, the doctor places a few fertilised ovum inside the mother’s uterus. Usually, one of these gets implanted and develops for around nine months. 

Surrogacy

If couples with healthy eggs and sperm cannot conceive from IVF, the doctor often recommends surrogacy. Surrogacy requires a third person, another woman, who agrees to carry the couple’s baby in her uterus. Surrogacy is helpful in situations when the female partner has a history of miscarriages, if her uterus was removed, or if she has uterine detects. 

In surrogacy, the baby will be genetically related to the couple if the eggs and sperm are used from them. However, if the male partner is infertile, sperm from donors can be used. In some cases, surrogacy involves using the surrogate mother’s eggs, which is rare. 

Surrogacy And IVF Difference: Finding The Right Option For You

The critical difference between IVF and surrogacy is that surrogacy uses a third party who is a woman. Choosing between the two often involves asking the right questions, such as:

• Do my partner, and I have healthy eggs and sperm?
• After fertilisation, am I able to conceive naturally?
• Are we prepared for the budget and emotional journey of surrogacy?
• Do my partner, and I have low fertility rates?

If both partners have healthy eggs and sperm, and the problem is in fertilisation, IVF is the right choice. However, if, after fertilisation, the mother finds it hard to carry the baby, there would be a need for a third party. In cases one of the parents is infertile, donors can be used.  

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The right way is to consult a doctor,  usually a gynaecologist, and they would guide you on the subject. 

IVF  Vs Surrogacy Cost

As the procedures differ for surrogacy and IVF, their overall costs vary too. IVF is very inexpensive in comparison to surrogacy. In contrast, using a surrogate mother involves multiple procedures and costs around three to five times of IVF. The total expenditure in surrogacy can depend on the third party, the surrogate mother. It is an emotional journey involving financial, emotional, and legal complexities. 

IVF Vs Surrogacy Success Rate

The success rates of surrogacy and IVF are pretty high, thanks to the development of biomedical technologies. However, that doesn’t mean there are no risks in surrogacy. Surrogacy is a complex procedure that includes ectopic pregnancy that might lead to miscarriages and failures, leading to multiple births. Moreover, choosing the right surrogate mother is the important part. The genes of the surrogate mother can affect the baby and embryo development. These risks are subjective and depend on the partners and the surrogate mother. Your doctor will elaborate on the risks depending on the conditions. 

The risks in IVF are comparably less than surrogacy as it is a more straightforward process. It has a higher success rate; the couple can usually conceive after two or three cycles. Exclusions include when there are other factors, and IVF is not the right choice for the couple. Surrogacy has a success rate between 75% to 85%. 

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Consult A Doctor

Our blog gave you a good amount of information on surrogacy and IVF. The next step is to consult a professional and let them advise you further. Share the article with your family and friends if you found it helpful. Stick around and visit Health Strives for helpful posts on health and lifestyle.