Most people know the term ‘test tube baby’ but the correct name for this process is ‘In Vitro fertilization’. 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. Women who use In Vitro Fertilization are often recommended this method when others have failed or because they are older.

Methods of IVF will invariably differ a little from clinic to clinic but should proceed along these lines. Initially your physician will give you hormone blocking drugs normally produced during your menstrual period. 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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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. 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. 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’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. Donated sperm is kept in the freezer but the same method to prepare it 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. Successfully fertilized embryos are then left for a further day to two days before the last inspection is carried out.

Two days after your eggs have been collected; you are given an injection, gel or pessaries to help prepare the lining of your womb.

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