Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about fertility treatments and this quiz
The quiz evaluates 10 key factors — your age, duration of trying, diagnosis, previous treatments, male factor status, menstrual regularity, lifestyle, budget, timeline, and priorities. It uses a decision-tree algorithm based on published clinical guidelines from ICMR, ESHRE, and ASRM to recommend the most appropriate starting treatment. It is not a substitute for medical consultation but helps you understand your likely treatment path before visiting a specialist.
IUI (Intrauterine Insemination) is a simpler, less invasive procedure where washed sperm is placed directly into the uterus during ovulation. It costs ₹8,000–₹20,000 per cycle with 12–22% success. IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) involves stimulating the ovaries, retrieving eggs, fertilising them in a lab, and transferring the embryo. It costs ₹1–₹2.5 lakhs with 35–65% success. IUI is tried first for unexplained infertility and mild issues; IVF is recommended for tubal factor, severe male factor, low reserve, or when IUI fails.
Go directly to IVF if you have blocked fallopian tubes (IUI requires open tubes), severe male factor infertility, very low ovarian reserve, age over 38 with 1+ years of trying, endometriosis (stage 3–4), or if 3–4 IUI cycles have failed. In these cases, IUI has very low success rates and IVF is significantly more effective. Your fertility specialist can advise based on your specific diagnosis.
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is an advanced technique where a single sperm is injected directly into each egg. It’s used alongside IVF when there is male factor infertility (low count, poor motility, abnormal morphology), surgically retrieved sperm, previous IVF fertilisation failure, or low egg numbers. ICSI achieves 70–85% fertilisation rates and is now used in over 60% of all IVF cycles worldwide.
PCOS is actually one of the more treatable causes of infertility. The typical path is: lifestyle modification (weight loss of even 5–10% can restore ovulation) → ovulation induction with Letrozole or Clomid → IUI (3–4 cycles) → IVF if needed. Women with PCOS often have good ovarian reserve and respond well to stimulation. The key challenge is achieving regular ovulation. Many PCOS patients conceive without needing IVF at all.
Donor egg IVF is recommended for women over 42 (own-egg success rates fall below 5–10%), those with premature ovarian failure or very low AMH (<0.5), repeated IVF failures with own eggs, or genetic conditions you don't want to pass on. Donor eggs from young women (21–30) achieve 50–65% success per cycle regardless of the recipient's age. In India, donor eggs are available through registered ART banks under ICMR guidelines.
Many couples conceive in the first IVF cycle, but planning for 2–3 cycles is realistic. Cumulative success after 3 cycles is 65–80% for women under 35. Most fertility specialists recommend at least 3 attempts before concluding IVF won’t work. Multi-cycle packages (offered by most Indian clinics) save 10–22% per cycle. Freezing surplus embryos from each cycle provides additional FET attempts at a fraction of fresh-cycle cost.
IUI costs ₹8,000–₹20,000 per cycle. Basic IVF ranges from ₹80,000 to ₹2,50,000 depending on the city. IVF with ICSI costs ₹1.1–₹3 lakhs. Donor egg IVF costs ₹2–₹4.5 lakhs. FET costs ₹25,000–₹75,000. Tier-2 cities (Patna, Guwahati, Indore) are cheapest. Mumbai and Delhi are most expensive. Government hospitals offer subsidised IVF from ₹5,000. Use our IVF Cost Calculator for a personalised city-wise estimate.
Yes, significantly. Achieving a healthy BMI can improve IVF success by 5–10%. Quitting smoking improves egg and sperm quality within 3 months. Reducing alcohol and caffeine, managing stress, getting 7–8 hours of sleep, and taking prenatal supplements (folic acid, CoQ10, Vitamin D) all contribute measurably. For couples under 35 with no diagnosed issues, lifestyle optimisation alone leads to natural pregnancy in many cases within 6–12 months.
No. This quiz is an educational tool designed to help you understand the general treatment landscape before your first consultation. It cannot replace a thorough medical evaluation, physical examination, diagnostic tests (AMH, hormones, semen analysis, ultrasound, HSG), and the clinical judgment of a qualified fertility specialist. Use the quiz results as a conversation starter with your doctor, not as a treatment plan.