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. 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.

Methods of IVF will invariably differ a little from clinic to clinic but should proceed along these lines. 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. You then take different drugs to make your ovaries produce 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. Another hormone injection will be given when the tests show the time is right to help the eggs mature. This injection is given 34 to 38 hours before the eggs will be collected to the timing of this is very important. Eggs are usually collected by ultrasound guidance which takes around 30 minutes and you are either given a drug to make you drowsy or a general anesthetic.

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. Donated sperm is kept in the freezer but the same method to prepare it 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 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.

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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