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About one in five women may become pregnant naturally after having a baby using fertility treatment such as IVF or in-vitro fertilisation, according to scientists at University College London, indicating that natural pregnancies after IVF were not as unusual as previously thought.
In a study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, of more than 5,000 women, 20 per cent of those who sought assisted conception for their first child were able to become pregnant naturally within three years. Dr Annette Thwaites, the lead author from UCL’s EGA Institute for Women’s Health, said in a statement, “Our findings suggest that natural pregnancy after having a baby by IVF is far from rare. This is in contrast with widely held views – by women and health professionals – and those commonly expressed in the media, that it is a highly unlikely event.”
The study also analysed data from 11 studies of more than 5,000 women around the world between 1980 and 2021, including 1,160 from the United Kingdom.
The research team speculated that fertility techniques could boost natural conception, saying, that it is “biologically plausible that ovarian stimulation from IVF cycles may improve ovarian function”.
They also suggested that the improved outcomes could be a result of hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy, and reduced stress after giving birth.
The team went on to note that a vast majority of participants in the studies had subfertility, in which conceiving takes longer than typically expected. “It means not all women seeking and undergoing fertility treatment are absolutely or permanently infertile,” the study mentioned. A small number of participants underwent the IVF procedure due to reasons not related to infertility, such as being in a same-sex relationship, being a single parent or being a surrogate.
The study report featured interviews with 22 women in the UK who experienced natural pregnancy after fertility treatment.
Notably, infertility is defined by the failure to achieve a pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse, and it is estimated to affect one in seven heterosexual couples.
Is it possible to conceive naturally post undertaking IVF treatment?
If IVF was performed due to Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) or issues related to sperm mobility or count, then there’s a possibility of natural conception post-IVF. This can be attributed to lifestyle modifications and hormonal changes in the woman, said Dr Suruchi Desai, senior consultant, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital, Mumbai.
“Importantly, we should note that the hormonal imbalances that led the patient to seek IVF in the first place may be corrected by the doctor overseeing her IVF treatment, assisting her in becoming naturally pregnant when she starts trying,” said Dr Desai.
Affirming the same, Dr Shobha Gupta, medical director and IVF specialist from Mother’s Lap IVF Centre New Delhi and Vrindavan said, “There is a high likelihood of a natural pregnancy following an IVF pregnancy, but only if you have unexplained infertility, where all of the male and female factors are normal, and the pregnancy is failing due to stress and anxiety. In these cases, there is a high likelihood of a natural pregnancy following an IVF pregnancy because, when you try again, you won’t be thinking about the stress and anxiety you experienced prior to having your first child,” Dr Gupta told indianexpress.com.
According to Dr Gupta, a natural pregnancy will not occur “if there is a tubal factor, where the tubes are blocked, or there is a serious male factor case of infertility”.
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