In Vitro fertilization is the proper medical name for what the press dubbed ‘test tube babies’ many years ago. Essentially, a woman’s eggs are removed from her ovaries and sperm from her partner or donor is used to fertilize them before being inserted into her womb. In Vitro Fertilization may be recommended for a number of reasons including; age, other techniques have failed, the woman’s tubes are blocked or the infertility cannot be explained.

Whilst every clinic works slightly differently, the main procedure is a fairly routine one. 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. The reason for this is to assist control over when the eggs are ready. You then take different drugs to make your ovaries produce more than one egg.

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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. 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. The timing for this injection is crucial and must be carried out no earlier that 34 or later than 38 hours before your eggs are collected. 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’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. 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. Successfully fertilized embryos are then left for a further day to two days before the last inspection is carried out.

In order to help prepare your womb, pessaries, gel or an injection are given two days after your eggs have been collected.

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