Risks associated to the treatments Back

Inherent risks of the IVF and/or ICSI procedures, embryo transfer and cryopreservation of the fertilised eggs are normally the following:

• ovary hyperstimulation with a feeling of abdominal swelling, pain, difficulty in breathing and water retention. The presence of these symptoms must be pointed out. In most cases, a simple control and some rest is sufficient. It is rare that more continuous medical condition or hospital treatment is necessary (approximately 1% of cases);
• complications after the follicular aspiration procedure with vaginal haemorrhage (0.8%). In very rare cases, these complications can lead to laparoscopy or laparotomy operations and the necessity of removing damaged internal organs (0.2%);
• there is no concrete evidence, studies or research that connects an increase in the incidence of cancer of the ovaries or other organs as a result of repeated ovary stimulation;
• a lack of mature eggs in the aspirated follicular liquid (3% of follicular aspiration procedures);
• non-fertilisation of the oocytes (10%) that does not permit the transfer of any embryios to the uterus;
• the non-transfer of cryopreserved pre-embryos to the uterus because of their lack of vitality after thawing (20% of transfer cycles);
• the lack of pregnancy (80% average) after the transfer of embryos to the uterus;
• twin and triplet pregnancies are more frequent than those occuring in spontaneous pregnancies;
• the possibility of spontaneous abortion (25%) is slightly more than from natural pregnancies;
• an extrauterine pregnancy is possible (1-2%) even though the embryos have been transferred to the uterine cavity;
• the percentage of babies born with malformations and genetic anomalies is identical to that of spontaneous pregnancies.

The IVF and/or ICSI treatments can cause stress and anxiety for the patient. The doctors and all members of the team are at your complete disposal to allow you to live through the experience in the best way possible. Our psychologist is available to support you during the various phases of the treatments.