In Vitro Fertilization literally means ‘fertilization in glass’, hence the familiar name of ‘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. In Vitro Fertilization is recommended if you are an older woman, have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility, those whose tubes are blocked, or if other techniques have been unsuccessful.

Techniques of In Vitro Fertilization differ from clinic to clinic but a typical pattern of treatment might go like this: 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. After this your ovaries are stimulated by drugs to create 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 eggs are collected between 34 and 38 hours after the injection is given so the timing for it is crucial. To collect the eggs, ultrasound guidance is used and as it takes about half an hour, either drugs or a general anesthetic is given which may make you feel drowsy.

It is not until this time that the man gets involved and needs to produce a sample of 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. With donated sperm, the process is the same but the sample is 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. During the next stage, only successfully fertilized embryos are kept and left for a further 24 to 48 hours before a final check is done.

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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