Asthma and IVF Treatments

For those having a difficult time getting pregnant, there are several courses one can take to have children, all thanks to modern medicine. Apart from natural conception, one has the option to adopt a child, use a surrogate mother, or undergo in-vitro fertilization treatments (IVF). Individuals with asthma who opt for IVF treatments may experience that it takes longer to become pregnant compared to those without asthma; this article will explain why this is the case.

What are IVF treatments?

IVF stands for in-vitro fertilization. IVF treatments are a series of procedures that are used to help with fertility issues and assist in conception. For this method of conception, eggs are extracted from the ovaries, and sperm is also collected. Eggs and sperm can be collected from the parents-to-be, or from anonymous donors. The eggs are fertilized by sperm in a lab, and then the fertilized eggs, or embryo, is transferred to the uterus. A positive of IVF treatment is that it can be very effective; the con is that it can be very expensive.¹

IVF treatments and asthma

There is not a clear, direct reason why, but it may take those who have asthma longer to conceive with IVF treatments than the average person. Scientists have proposed one theory that because those who have asthma experience inflammation in the airways, they can experience inflammation in other parts of the body. Inflammation occurring in the uterus could certainly affect the successful implantation of a fertilized egg.²

In a study analyzing infertility, 245 women who were experiencing unexplained fertility participated, and 96 of these women had asthma. All of the participants went through fertility treatments and were followed up with for a minimum of 12 months. The study found that for women who had asthma, it took longer to get pregnant and there were fewer successful pregnancies compared to the women who did not have asthma. Overall, women in the study that were older experienced less successful pregnancies, and this was especially true for older with asthma.³

Can people with asthma still use IVF to conceive?

Yes. Although the study showed that it may take longer for people with asthma to get pregnant through IVF treatments than the average person, it is still possible! If you are interested in using IVF to conceive, bring this up with your doctor. They can discuss the different options for conceiving, and help you determine what may be the best option for you. There are also other medical professionals you can speak with, like gynecologists and fertility counselors.³

Takeaway

For women who experience infertility issues, IVF treatments can be a great option. Typically IVF is a highly effective fertility treatment, but it can be costly. For those who have asthma, it might take longer to become pregnant and there may be a fewer number of successful pregnancies from IVF treatments than the average person. Therefore, this method may become even more expensive due to the prolonged amount of treatments. IVF is still a viable option for women experiencing infertility who have asthma, and it is certainly still possible to use this method to become pregnant using this method.