In Vitro fertilization is the proper medical name for what the press dubbed ‘test tube babies’ many years ago. The woman’s eggs are taken from her ovaries and then in a laboratory dish, fertilized with sperm before being inserted into her womb. Women who use In Vitro Fertilization are often recommended this method when others have failed or because they are older.

Techniques of In Vitro Fertilization differ from clinic to clinic but a typical pattern of treatment might go 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. After this your ovaries are stimulated by drugs to create more than one egg.

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Estrogen levels produced by the eggs are monitored to ensure they rise, using vaginal ultrasound scans and blood tests. Once the time is right, another hormone will be injected 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. Collecting the eggs takes about 30 minutes and is carried out using ultrasound guidance so often either drugs or a general anesthetic is given to make you feel more relaxed.

It is not until this time that the man gets involved and needs to produce a sample of fresh sperm. Once this has been done the sperm are stored for a short period before they are washed and then spun at high speed to ensure only the healthiest ad most active sperm are used. Sperm which has been donated is kept in a freezer but the same method for preparation is used. The process can take between 16 and 20 hours during which time the sperm and eggs are allowed to mix in a laboratory dish before they are inspected to find out if the fertilization was successful. Only those embryos that have fertilized successfully are kept and left for a further day to two days before a final inspection.

To ensure the womb is ready for the fertilized egg, two days after they have been collected, the womb lining is prepared by giving you pessaries, gel or an injection.

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