In Vitro Fertilization literally means ‘fertilization in glass’, hence the familiar name of ‘test tube baby’. Eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish before being placed in the woman’s womb. When other fertilization techniques have failed, the mother may be older or there is no apparent reason for infertility, then In Vitro Fertilization is frequently recommended.

Whilst every clinic works slightly differently, the main procedure is a fairly routine one. Your doctor will give some drugs to block the hormones normally released during the menstrual cycle. This allows them better control over when your eggs are produced. To ensure you ovaries produce more than a single egg, further drugs are given.

Genetics & IVF Institute...

To monitor your developing eggs, vaginal ultrasound scans are taken as well as blood tests to ensure that the eggs are increasing the estrogen level. All these tests are designed to show when the time is right for an injection of another hormone to help the eggs mature. The eggs are collected between 34 and 38 hours after the injection is given so the timing for it is crucial. Ultrasound guidance is used to help collect the egg but it means you have to be given drugs or a general anesthetic to help you relax because it takes about 30 minutes.

It is not until this time that the man gets involved and needs to produce a sample of 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. If you are using donated sperm, the sample is taken from the freezer and prepared in the same way. Once that has been completed the sperm is mixed with the eggs in a dish and left for between 16 to 20 hours and then checked to see if they have been fertilized. Successfully fertilized embryos are then left for a further day to two days before the last inspection is carried out.

Once your eggs have been collected there is a waiting period of two days, then you are given pessaries, an injection or gel to ready the lining of your womb.

Genetics & IVF Institute

Technorati Tags: ivf institute, albany ivf, symptoms after ivf