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For further information, see CMDT Part 18-11: Infertility
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Couples who have not responded to traditional infertility treatments may benefit from in vitro fertilization (IVF)
Age is an important determinant of success
For couples younger than age 35, the average pregnancy rate is 50% per cycle
The rate for women aged 43–44 is 4%
In 2017, approximately 35% of ART pregnancies were multiple, most of which (34%) were twins and only 1% were triplets
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All procedures involve ovarian stimulation to produce multiple oocytes, oocyte retrieval by transvaginal sector scan-guided needle aspiration, and handling of the oocytes outside the body
With IVF, the eggs are fertilized in vitro and the embryos transferred to the uterus. Extra embryos may be cryopreserved for subsequent cycles
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection allows fertilization with a single sperm, which is helpful in the setting of severe oligospermia or obstructive azoospermia