In Vitro Fertilization literally means ‘fertilization in glass’, hence the familiar name of ‘test tube baby’. The woman’s eggs are taken from her ovaries and then in a laboratory dish, fertilized with sperm 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.

Whilst every clinic works slightly differently, the main procedure is a fairly routine one. Initially your physician will give you hormone blocking drugs normally produced during your menstrual period. 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. 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.

Next the man must produce some fresh sperm at about the same time as the eggs are collected. This will be stored for a short time before the sperm are washed and spun at a high speed, so that the healthiest and most active can be selected. For a woman using donated sperm, the same process is used once the sperm has been taken from the freezer. Your eggs are then mixed with your partner’s sperm and left in a laboratory dish for 16-20 hours before they are checked to see if any have fertilized. Any embryo’s that have fertilized abnormally or not at all, are discarded, then those remaining are left for another 24 to 48 hours prior to a final check.

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 Treatments

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