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. Many older women use In Vitro Fertilization as it is a recommended procedure for them, also if there is a blockage in the tubes, unexplained infertility or if other methods have failed.

Methods of IVF will invariably differ a little from clinic to clinic but should proceed along these lines. The first thing your doctor will do is to stop the hormones released by the pituitary gland during your period by the use of other drugs. Blocking the hormones helps the doctor have greater control over your egg production. 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. As soon as the tests show that the time is right, you will have another injection of a different hormone to help your eggs mature. This injection is given 34 to 38 hours before the eggs will be collected to the timing of this is very important. When it is time to collect the eggs, you may be given a general anesthetic or drugs to make you feel drowsy as they are collected by ultrasound guidance and it takes about 30 minutes.

Around the time the woman’s eggs are collected, the male produces a fresh sample of sperm. To make sure that the best sperm are used for the process, the sample is washed and then spun at high speed, this will give the healthiest and the most active sperm. Sperm which has been donated is kept in a freezer but the same method for preparation is used. 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. Any embryo’s that have fertilized abnormally or not at all, are discarded, then those remaining are left for another 24 to 48 hours prior to a final check.

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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