Is IVF Too Hard? Should You Do IVF? What Really Is IVF? Fertility Doctor Explains IVF

Double board certified OBGYN and REI, Dr. Natalie Crawford, explains the IVF process and discusses if it's too "hard." When you start entering in the fertility space, there is so much we don’t know about our bodies. So the IVF process can seem like a lot. Dr. Crawford hears so many people say “I don’t want to do IVF because it is too hard?" In this video she breaks down the process in a tangible way for you to understand the process, the odds, and make the decision for yourself.

Questions answered:
What are your odds with IVF?
What predicts IVF success?
What is your ovarian serve?
What happens to your eggs every month?
What can impact your ovarian reserve and egg quality?
What is IVF?
What shots are taken during IVF?
What is the IVF process like?
How long does the IVF process take?
How many eggs typically fertilize?
How does the embryo transfer work?
Who is and is not a candidate for IVF?

#ivf #ivfjourney #ivfjourney #fertilitydoctor #fertilitytreatment
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Fertility doctor, Natalie Crawford, MD is a double board certified OBGYN and REI, and co-founder of Fora Fertility, a boutique fertility practice in Austin, Texas.

COME SAY HI!!!

FORA FERTILITY:
715 W 34th Street, Austin, TX 78705

Listen to the AS A WOMAN PODCAST here:
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#fertility #fertilitydoctor #nataliecrawfordmd #doctor #asawoman

Sharing fertility facts to educate women about trying to conceive, getting pregnant, ovulation, fertility treatments, IUI, IVF, becoming a doctor, life as a woman in medicine, and more.

[Flowers]

I had two failed transfers before.. it definitely wasn’t easy but it’s totally bearable. I’m currently 15 weeks pregnant and I’m so happy i didn’t give up after those first that failed.
Good luck to everyone trying for a baby❤

[kzfingerprint]

Thank you for saying the number one reason people choose not to do IVF is the emotional/feeling too burdensome, stressful, hard, thing. After 5 years of inferior, unexplained, iui failure we decided to do IVF. But man the struggle I've been dealing with is insane and i thought something was wrong with me because i should be excited and grateful. That alone was really helpful!

When the medications got delivered i had a panic attack...i don't even take headache medicine. There's a lot of decisions involved with IVF too, moral issues, and frankly, all of the appointments, coordinating scheduling, communicating with the fertility clinic, taking the medication, uncomfortable lady appointments, symptoms, etc. Are ALL on the woman. It's hard too if you work full time and have other personal issues going on simultaneously.

I'll just add this in case anyone reads this, my experience seems to be that the out of pocket cost is the same (or cheaper!) than with insurance... And we have great fertility benefits. 😔

[marypagebradley]

Edit: Im glad I still watched!

I’m going for my baseline appointment on Tuesday then starting meds the following Friday. This video title has me slightly scared to watch, but I do appreciate the informative content you’ve put out over the years. Because of you I felt knowledgeable going into all of my previous appointments and knew what to ask my doctors ❤

[corinajohnston]

Thank you so much for this video. We had a late miscarriage last year at 16 weeks and have been trying to conceive again for almost a year. Nothing has come back from fertility investigation, everything looks fine. In Feb we were put on a wait list for IVF as a plan B to start in June and since I haven’t fallen pregnant naturally it’s looking like we are going down the IVF road. I’ve been terrified and cried multiple times over feeling anxious and fearful but you cleared up a lot of my concerns in one video. Appreciate you sharing your knowledge ❤

[freudianslip]

My process has been much easier physically than I expected. Emotionally, it’s been difficult. We went into IVF because of a genetic mutation. We have ended up having difficulty making blasts. I wish I had been more prepared for how hard it would be for us to get embryos

[NiaJD]

Thanks Dr Crawford - it's like you made this video for me. I'm scheduled to do IVF this month, and you're totally right, it's the emotional and physical aspects that make me so nervous. I'm 28 years old and my husband and I have been TTC for a year. In the last year I have been diagnosed with PCOS, adenomyosis, and hypothyroidism. This whole process is is not the path I expected to go down. I thought I was young and it might just take time, but as issues gradually arose after coming off birth control, I am now coming to terms with my body’s conditions and capabilities. Thank you for making this content to help put my mind at ease.

[effy]

I had a ruptured ectopic pregnancy in 2022 that almost ended me. That is the closest that i have ever been to having a child. I did not know I was pregnant. I am now 33 with only 1 tube. My Amh was taken last week and is at 1.21 with normal periods. I have had 2 medicated IUI's, both of which failed with using Femara. I just finished the Clomid challenge and had my Amh bloodwork, and ultrasound done today. My IVF coordinator is calling me Tuesday to go over details. If I passed that test, we will move forward with IVF. My fertility doctor said if we implant 2 embryos (assuming we are that lucky), I have an 88-94% chance of a successful full term pregnancy.

I am so hopeful, but I also don't want to get my hopes up. This has been such an emotional rollercoaster as it stands, and no one in my family or close friends knows what I am going through.

Thank you for this video. It put my mind at ease.

[amritagill]

Very timely. I had a miscarriage in January 2023. We have not been able to conceive since. Dr explained that we follow into the category of "unexplained infertility". I am 38, turning 39 in August and really hoping IVF will help us to have our first. Ultimately it is important to be informed and I do think that clinics could offer counselling as one is going through the process. Starting my modules soon to learn more. IVF is also very privileged to some and leaves others out due to costs. That is a big issue. Such a good point about managing the emotions around IVF. I can't ask my Dr to do that for me, it is a team, and that might be consulting help.

[xxpassion]

Your channel is such an amazing source of information for women’s health ❤ thank you so much

[Dani-cuip]

Thank you for these videos, Dr. Crawford! I’m so happy I found your channel.

[lanaa]

Appreciate your videos, very helpful. My question is what are the side effects of going through multiple ivf cycles on women health ( ovaries, hormone)? Are there long term effects that we should be aware of and usually get neglected to discuss during the ivf process? Thanks

[alicel]

Omg thank you much for this video I feel so much better going into this. I am 40 about to be 41 in August and I have my first zoom call for baby number 2 in a couple days. I am now planing that this will take possibly 8 months or more because of my age that way I’m not focused on how long it will take for me. And thank you for explaining the meds part because now I’m ok with taking them.

[amritagill]

Watched this again! So, my question is about the IVF calculators. I’ve tried a bunch of them, and the results seem to vary. Do you recommend IVF calculators? If so, which one? Are IVF success rates depend person to person? I am so confused by those numbers as they vary a lot! Thanks!

[erinecap]

I LOVE your blue cross necklace. Where did you purchase it?

[AnabelDC]

I am 35. Was told I have diminished ovarian reserve due to AMH of 0.8. Doctor is telling me to go straight to embryo development. Should I try to conceive naturally at all ? What about IUI?

[SEl-beut]

Dr. Crawford, I’ve had 2 egg retrievals so far and every time on my ultrasounds they expect a certain number of follicles but when it’s time to do the retrieval I get a much lower number of follicles. Is that normal? This last round they told me I have 8 follicles in one ovary and 10 in the other but they were only able to retrieve 8 total 😢 where do those other follicles go?

[DenizTheBeast]

Hi Dr. Crawford. This is too long for your Monday questions on Instagram, so I’m writing on here. I have PCOS and was getting regularly irregular periods (switch from 28 to 38 day cycles). I am trying to get pregnant so my doctor put me on metformin and letrozole. I started the metformin a couple of days after I ovulated. However, since taking the metformin I have not gotten my period. I’m over two and a half weeks late now. This has not happened to me in years. The only thing that’s changed is that I started the metformin. That means I haven’t been able to do the letrozole yet. Everything I’ve looked up says metformin is supposed to regulate your period, not make it go away. Now my doctor is going to prescribe me a period inducing medication. Have you ever heard of metformin messing up your cycle?

[tiffanydeschler]

When unexplained infertility is brought up bc your HSG, Hysteroscopy, labs, and follicles are all good at age 34 is there something more you’d recommend from Dr? I was told this at age 32 and that IVF was next but because it’s so expensive I’ve held off. I’m not understanding as to how you can call it unexplainable. It mentally crushes you not knowing and all you do is blame yourself. Anyone have any idea to help get your brain out of that funk that it’s your fault?

[stephdk]

How does it work if you have an elevated AMH due to PCOS? I am 35, I have lean PCOS, and an AMH of 4.31. Would that still make IVF likelihood higher?

[aistestanelyte]

Dear Dr. Crawford, I 44 and my AMH is 0.15, I have 5 eggs left. I have 1 child which got easy natural pregnant at 30. What chance do I have for IVF? Thank you 🌺