Test tube babies, as they are commonly known, are created using IVF or In Vitro Fertilization which literally means fertilization in glass. 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: At first your physician will halt the release of hormones that are produced during your monthly cycle by giving you some drugs. The reason for this is to assist control over when the eggs are ready. Further drugs are given to ensure your ovaries create more than a single egg.

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It’s important that levels of estrogen produced by the eggs are monitored so a combination of blood tests and vaginal ultrasound scans are used. Once the time is right, another hormone will be injected to help the eggs mature. 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. 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. 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 then continues with the eggs and sperm left for 16 to 20 hours in a laboratory dish to mix and after that period, checked to see if they have fertilized. Any that haven’t, or any that have fertilized abnormally, are discarded and the remaining embryos are then left for another 24-48 hours before being checked again.

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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