Are There Risks in IVF Treatment?

IVF treatment is an assisted reproductive method applied to couples who cannot have children naturally. IVF is used in many different cases that prevent pregnancy, including genetic problems.

What Are the Possible Risks of IVF Treatment?

Prospective mothers and fathers may feel concerned about the treatment methods used in IVF. Especially, there may be fears about whether the medications used in treatment cause cancer, genetic problems that may arise in the baby, or complications that might occur in the parents in the long term.

However, IVF treatment is quite safe and does not pose any long-term risks. The biggest risk in IVF treatment is treatment failure. In this case, especially the mother may experience emotional difficulties.

Health problems in the baby to be born or in the mother/father do not arise from IVF treatment. Therefore, there is no additional disease risk caused by IVF treatment.

What Side Effects Can Be Seen in IVF Treatment?

Like all medical treatments, IVF can cause short-term side effects. These side effects include:

• Bruising, swelling, and pain in the areas where medications are injected.
• Due to overstimulation of the ovaries, some women may experience weight gain, nausea, vomiting, and bloating. These side effects usually pass quickly.
• There may be a risk of OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome) if the ovaries grow too much. Usually, weight, waist measurement, and in some cases blood tests are monitored. Mild, moderate, or severe OHSS symptoms may occur.
• Bleeding may occur during egg retrieval. This bleeding is at a controllable level.
• There is a risk of infection after egg retrieval. However, the carefulness of the IVF center minimizes the infection risk.
• Some pain or bleeding may occur during embryo transfer. This is not a condition that requires treatment and usually goes away on its own.
• Medical drugs used during treatment may cause mood changes in the mother.

The doctor provides the couple with all necessary information about possible side effects, risks, and success rates of the treatment.