In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) which means ‘fertilization in a glass’ is often more commonly referred to as a test tube baby. Eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish before being placed in the woman’s 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 the start of your treatment your doctor gives you drugs to block the hormones your pituitary gland usually produces during your monthly cycle. Blocking the hormones helps the doctor have greater control over your egg production. Once this has been done further drugs are given to multiply the number of eggs your ovaries produce.

IVF Transfer...

Estrogen levels produced by the eggs are monitored to ensure they rise, using vaginal ultrasound scans and blood tests. All these tests are designed to show when the time is right for an injection of another hormone 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.

Around the time the woman’s eggs are collected, the male produces a fresh sample of sperm. After a short storage period the sperm are washed and spun at high speed to enable the most active and healthiest to be chosen. For a woman using donated sperm, the same process is used once the sperm has been taken from the freezer. 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. 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.

IVF Transfer

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