World IVF Day is celebrated globally on 25th July every year to mark the birth of Louise Joy Brown, the world’s first IVF baby. Louise was the first baby to be born after successful IVF treatment in the world after years of efforts from Dr Patrick Steptoe, Robert Edwards and their team.
It is acknowledged universally that Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards are the original successful pioneers of IVF and the term “Father of IVF” rightly belongs to them.
More than 8 million IVF children have been born, and over 2.5 million cycles are being performed every year, resulting in over 500,000 deliveries annually.
In Vitro Fertilization, popularly called IVF is a form of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). ART is a medical technique used to assist a woman to become pregnant.
Recent studies show a significant increase in the use of assisted reproductive technologies in India. However, IVF is the most commonly used high-tech fertility treatment, accounting for more than 99% of ART procedures.
IVF has become the most preferred choice of conception because of an alarming increase in obesity in urban areas, stressful lifestyles and adherence to unhealthy habits such as smoking cigarettes and alcohol consumption, the issues of infertility have become more complex nowadays.
Data indicates that the use of various IVF techniques raises active possibilities of positive outcomes when conducted in safe environments. IVF, sometimes also called Test Tube Baby, is one of the medical procedures used to treat people dealing with infertility.
Infertility is a global health issue affecting millions of people worldwide. Available data suggest that around 48 million couples and 186 million individuals have infertility globally.
As per WHO, one in four couples of reproductive age in India faces difficulty getting pregnant. Since it comes with a lot of emotional and social stigma, a big percentage of couples are reluctant to discuss their fertility issues openly. This hampers the possibility of timely diagnosis and treatment.
On this World IVF Day, my message to couples undergoing fertility treatment is to stay hopeful. Advancements in the medical sciences have significantly simplified the process and improved the outcomes since the first successful IVF treatment in 1978.
If you are struggling with infertility or having problems with conception, my suggestion is you consult a fertility expert today and begin the treatment early. We at Birla Fertility & IVF offer a comprehensive range of treatments for infertility, including IUI), IVF, ICSI, Ovulation Induction, Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), Blastocyst Culture, Laser Assisted Hatching, TESA, PESA, Micro-TESE, Varicocele Repair, Testicular Tissue Biopsy, Electroejaculation and Ancillary Services.
