Mini IVF: What is it?

The procedure brings hope for highly complicated female infertility cases but it may not work for all. Also, there is a simpler and economical alternative that can bring results for many. Mini IVF or minimal stimulation IVF refers to the simpler form of IVF during which low dose medication is used for ovarian stimulation. Before opting for mini IVF from an infertility clinic in Delhi, a couple should know all about it so that they can avail the best results.

Mini IVF v/s IVF:

As the name implies, mini IVF is a simplified version of conventional IVF. It is based on the premises that the success of IVF is dependent on the quality of eggs rather than their number. While a routine IVF cycle involves production of multiple oocytes through ovarian stimulation, its mini version is more holistic. The later entirely focuses on churning out fewer but high quality oocytes for lab fertilization. During mini IVF, an IVF Centre in Delhi follows a simple protocol for getting a few viable eggs even from aged ovaries. It is opposed to the regular IVF, which involves production of multiple eggs, out of which only a few are healthy enough.

Mini IVF- Benefits and Risks:

Like all other medical procedures, mini IVF has its share of risks and benefits. An IVF specialist in Delhi would consider everything about an infertile couple to decide whether it is suitable for them or not. Here are some key benefits of mini IVF:

• The procedure involves production of a small number of eggs. Consequently, the number of embryos produced in the lab will be fewer too. Usually, only one of these is transferred in the woman’s uterus, thus minimizing the possibility of multiple pregnancies.
• Use of low dose hormonal medication also minimizes the complications.
• Mini IVF is less expensive as compared to traditional IVF because of a simpler protocol. The high quality embryos formed with mini IVF can be frozen for the future.

Mini IVF has some risks too. Some of these are:

• There is a higher risk of the cycle being lost as fewer eggs are produced during it and these might never reach the embryo stage.
• There might not be any surplus embryos available for freezing at the end of mini IVF.
• The effective cost of mini IVF may be higher in the end, particularly if the cycles fail recurrently. On the other hand, a single IVF cycle may yield pregnancy for the woman.

The patient needs to discuss all the benefits and risks of mini IVF with the specialist so that they can make an informed decision. These are to be compared with the parameters for a conventional IVF and weighed accordingly. The suitability of mini IVF also depends upon the individual’s condition.