IVF pregnancy is no different from a natural pregnancy. It is distinguished only by being long-awaited and hard-earned. Below are the possible risks of IVF pregnancy, including the risk of pregnancy loss.
LOW HCG LEVELS:
The pregnancy hormone hCG is measured in the blood. It’s tested 9 days after transfer. Initially around 100 IU, the value should double every other day. In patients whose hCG level starts below 50 or doesn’t double, the risk of loss is high. This condition is called biochemical pregnancy and typically and with menstrual bleeding without intervention, observed in 7% of cases.
ENDING WITH AN EMPTY SAC:
Even with high hCG levels and doubling every two days, this situation can occur. About 10 days after the first blood test, a vaginal ultrasound shows the gestational sac, but no heartbeat is detected in later weeks. This condition is attributed to genetic or structural defects in the embryo, accounting for about 5% of pregnancy losses.
LOSS OF HEARTBEATS:
This means the heartbeats observed in previous checkups are no longer detected. Genetic or structural defects in the embryo, along with uterine issues or clotting disorders, may contribute to this condition.
VAGINAL BLEEDING DURING PREGNANCY:
Although often harmless, this condition can cause concern as it’s seen as a miscarriage threat. In these cases, bed rest and progesterone medications are commonly recommended. Bleeding rarely leads to pregnancy loss.
HEALTH CHECKUPS DURING PREGNANCY:
Anemia, diabetes, hypertension, thyroid diseases, and other conditions affecting pregnancy are monitored once a month. Diabetes screening is done at 26 weeks with a 50-gram sugar loading test if there’s no family history.
SCREENING FOR FETAL ABNORMALITIES:
Screening for Down syndrome is performed between the 11th and 13th weeks of pregnancy, including nuchal translucency (NT) measurement and nasal bone assessment. These combined first-trimester screening methods have an approximate detection rate of around 70%. The “NIPT” (Non-Invasive Prenatal Test), also known as the fetal DNA test in maternal blood, offers approximately 99% accuracy. Due to the small but existing risk of pregnancy loss associated with amniocentesis, we recommend first the NIPT test.
PREVENTING PRETERM BIRTH:
On the 20th week, a vaginal ultrasound measures the cervix length to prevent preterm birth. For twin pregnancies, where the risk is four times higher, a monthly measurement is advised. If the cervical length drops to 2 cm, a cervical stitch (cerclage) is recommended to strengthen that area. Progesterone therapy is also effective for patients with previous preterm births.
CHOOSING THE TYPE OF BIRTH:
There are no obstacles to natural birth.