In Vitro Fertilization literally means ‘fertilization in glass’, hence the familiar name of ‘test tube baby’. Eggs are fertilized in a laboratory dish with sperm and then place inside the woman’s womb. In Vitro Fertilization is recommended if you are an older woman, have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, those whose tubes are blocked, or if other techniques have been unsuccessful.

Although techniques for In Vitro Fertilization vary, a normal method of IVF would go something like this. Initially your physician will give you hormone blocking drugs normally produced during your menstrual period. This will help them have improved control as to when your eggs will be produced. To ensure you ovaries produce more than a single egg, further drugs are given.

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Vaginal ultrasound scans are carried out to monitor your developing eggs along with blood tests to chart the rising levels of estrogen produced by the eggs. To help the eggs mature a different hormone will be injected once all the tests say the time is right. Timing is crucial, as you must have this injection 34-38 hours before your eggs are collected - this may mean you having it last thing at night. To collect the eggs, ultrasound guidance is used and as it takes about half an hour, either drugs or a general anesthetic is given which may make you feel drowsy.

It’s about this time that the man must produce some fresh sperm. The health of the sperm is important so after a short storage period they are spun at high speed after being washed so only the healthiest and most active are used. Donated sperm is kept in the freezer but the same method to prepare it is used. After the eggs and sperm have been collected they are left to mix in a laboratory dish for between 16 and 20 hours and then inspected to see whether fertilization has taken place. Only those embryos that have fertilized successfully are kept and left for a further day to two days before a final inspection.

The womb needs to be ready to accept the fertilized egg so a gel, injection or pessaries are given to ensure the lining of the womb is prepared.

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