Best Treatment Reviews Singapore

IVF Doctor

Your Guide To Fertility Treatments

“IVF Singapore” is quickly becoming a popular search term in Singapore.  IVF (short for In Vitro Fertilization) is a process when an egg is fertilized by sperm in a laboratory, outside the body.

The term “In Vitro” literally means “in glass”, because the fertilized egg grows in a test tube for 2-6 days and then is transferred to the woman’s womb, waiting for the pregnancy to begin (source).

Infertility is a very common problem in the modern world and it can happen for many different reasons. It is at this point that couples start seeking the assistance of an ivf doctor or gynaecologist. 

People from Singapore can find a lot of top accredited IVF specialists and clinics in the hospitals and fertility centers, where the best IVF experts will run examinations on both the partners to uncover the reasons for infertility.

After that, they will begin with proper rounds of treatment for IVF. IVF is offered as a treatment for infertility by your doctor, in these cases:

  • Fallopian tube damage
  • Fallopian tube blockage
  • Ovulation disorders
  • Ovarian failure
  • Endometriosis
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Below average sperm concentration
  • Abnormalities in sperm size and mobility
  • Unexplained infertility
  • Genetic fertility disorders
  • Post-chemotherapy conditions
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome

How Does The IVF Doctor Perform The Procedure?

For IVF in Singapore the whole procedure can be very stressful for the partners because it may take a few tries until the fertilization is successful and ends up with a pregnancy. It is best to exercise patience during this phase. 

Women who undergo IVF need to know all the possible risks and unpleasant results from the procedure, including:

  • Multiple births
  • Early labor
  • Premature delivery
  • Low birth weight
  • Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
  • Miscarriage
  • Ectopic pregnancy
  • Stress
  • Increased chances for birth defects

The first successful “test-tube baby” was birthed through the rigorous efforts of an IVF doctor way back in 1978. Today, there are a lot of approved and advanced methods for conceiving via IVF. 

There are many couples who were able to conceive the second pregnancy without fertility treatments after they got their first born child via assisted birth.

The good news is that many women who thought that they are too old to get pregnant, had successful IVF and gave birth to healthy children. For a married couple who have been trying for years, this is indeed one of the best news they could get.

Younger women are more likely to get pregnant with IVF. Also, women who were pregnant and have more successful rates than those who have never been pregnant. 

Today, the best IVF specialists from Singapore are studying advanced genetic screening methods of IVF embryos for early discovery of the possible genetic issues.

Couples who need to go for IVF have a lot of questions about the whole procedure and because of that, we are providing some of the answers.

What do I need to know about the egg retrieval procedure?

After a few weeks of prescribed hormone therapy, the concentration of the eggs in the ovaries is very large, but typical egg retrieval lasts about 20-30 minutes. The patient is under anesthesia the whole time. The procedure doesn’t damage the ovaries, but there may be a need for multiple egg retrievals. Sometimes, the woman can bleed after the procedure. The IVF technicians separate the mature follicles and then the egg is ready to be fertilized.

How long, is best for me to wait after IVF to make a pregnancy test?

Usually, it takes 12-14 days until the hCG concentration can be shown on the home pregnancy tests. You may get a negative result, but you should avoid the stress and be patient for those 2 weeks after the intervention. Keep in mind that the IVF procedure is artificial and the positive results may come later than expected. After those 2 weeks, you should go to the gynecologist for sure results.

Are there some limits on the number of IVF tries?

Most couples will get pregnant within two fertilizations, but it all depends on each specific case.

What is the age limit for IVF in Singapore?

Originally, the age limit for In Vitro-Fertilisation treatments in Singapore was 45 years old. This limit included other ART (Assisted Reproduction Technology) procedures, too. The good news is that the age limit was removed on January the 1st 2021, as well as the cap for the number of IVF cycles a woman can undergo. Better yet, the government co-funding for ART procedures has also been improved.

While there’s no longer a limitation in place, it may still be worth noting that IVFs are typically more successful for women under age 35. For example, the percentage of live births per egg retrieval is over 54% for women in this category, while being less than 5% for women over 42.

Additionally, it’s also more advantageous when donor eggs are used; with favourable outcomes being less dependent on the woman’s age in these instances.

Can a single woman get IVF treatment in Singapore?

While some people believe that extending IVF surgery to single women could help boost Singapore’s low fertility rate and population, it’s currently not available to unmarried individuals. It could also be beneficial for women who want to be a mother, but haven’t yet found the right person, and are drawing closer to an age where it’s not quite as biologically safe to go through pregnancy. While there are a few different policies in place to encourage families to raise children, there aren’t any available for single women just yet.

Does IVF increase the chances for twins or triplets?

In the past, there were a lot of cases when the couple got 2, 3 or more children after one IVF procedure. Today, the number of the embryos is limited, and it depends on a woman’s age and the physical constitution of the body. Multiple pregnancies increase the risk of miscarriage and premature births.

How much does IVF cost in Singapore?

While the average cost of In Vitro-Fertilisation treatment can vary from one institute to another, the typical costs per cycle are around S$12,000 – but could be as low as S$10,000 and as high as S$15,000. In general, you’ll be looking to pay anywhere between those two figures at the three public hospitals that offer IVF.

To help make this type of treatment more accessible, there are also co-funding options available from public hospitals. In order to get co-funding, either you or your spouse will need to be a permanent Singapore citizen and without 3 co-funded fresh and 3 co-funded frozen cycles previously.

If you would rather go to a private medical centre instead for an IVF treatment package, you could be looking to pay anywhere between S$8,000 and S$20,000. This price will be the sum of several different fees; from laboratory charges, to the cost of the doctor’s consultation.

Can I reduce my IVF costs in Singapore?

Some women may find that the costs of an IVF procedure are just too much, but this doesn’t mean that they have to give up. There can actually be quite a few ways for individuals to make the fees of In Vitro-Fertilisation treatment more affordable. For example, it’s always well worth taking a closer look at your insurance plan in case there’s anything you missed. In some cases, your insurance might cover certain parts of the treatment, like your ultrasounds.

If you’re worried about the procedure being unsuccessful and not getting your money back, you could consider a Shared Risk or IVF Refund Program to help recoup your losses (you may receive all or at least some of your money back).

Where can I find the best IVF doctor in Singapore?

There are a lot of fertility centers in Singapore that help couples to achieve their dream of having children, including KK Women’s and Children Hospital and IVF Fertility Clinics dotted around Singapore.

There are a lot of couples in Singapore who need an assisted reproductive procedure to conceive, many have been successful.

They need to make an appointment with the best gynecologists or IVF doctors and ask for a thorough diagnosis.

The cost of the procedure depends on the particular case of infertility, but it becomes more affordable the younger the mother is and the more eggs she has. We can all thank advanced medicine and IVF doctors who have developed techniques that provide a high rate of successful pregnancies and live born children.

What should I ask at an IVF consultation in Singapore?

Before you go through with anything, it can often be a good idea to ask a couple of questions during the initial fertility consultation. A few examples of what you should find out include:  

  • What are the payment and insurance options?
  • What tests are recommended?
  • What lifestyle changes should I make?
  • What types of fertility treatments do you offer?
  Of course, this isn’t a definitive list of what you may want to ask at an IVF consultation. If you are relatively prepared or have other things on your mind, you should always feel free to speak with your consultant to ensure that you’re not left in the dark on any matters.

Is IVF painful in Singapore?

In general, you won’t need to worry about an IVF procedure being painful. Typically, the needles used are too thin to cause any issues. During egg retrieval, you’ll be sedated and given pain medication so you won’t feel anything at all. At most, you might feel a slight stinging sensation.

After the procedure, you may have mild cramping and feel a little pressure, but this should be the worst of your worries and it’s nothing to be worried about.

Most women will find that afterwards, they’ll be given some antibiotics to minimise the chances of infection. The process doesn’t usually take too much time either, with most patients going home within a few hours.

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