IVF Treatment

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a type of assisted reproductive technology (ART). It involves retrieving eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm. This fertilized egg is known as an embryo. The embryo can then be frozen for storage or transferred to a woman’s uterus.

Depending on your situation, IVF can use:

• your eggs and your partner's sperm
• your eggs and donor sperm
• donor eggs and your partner's sperm
• donor eggs and donor sperm
• donated embryos

IVF helps people with infertility who want to have a baby.These may include taking fertility drugs or having intrauterine insemination. During that procedure, a doctor transfers sperm directly into a woman’s uterus.

Infertility issues for which IVF may be necessary include:

• reduced fertility in women over the age of 40
• blocked or damaged fallopian tubes
• endometriosis
• uterine fibroids
• male infertility, such as low sperm count or abnormalities in sperm shape
• unexplained infertility

Parents may also choose IVF if they run the risk of passing a genetic disorder on to their offspring. A medical lab can test the embryos for genetic abnormalities. Then, a doctor only implants embryos without genetic defects.

Before beginning IVF, women will first undergo ovarian reserve testing. This involves taking a blood sample and testing it for the level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH). The results of this test will give your doctor information about the size and quality of your eggs.

Your doctor will also examine your uterus. This may involve doing an ultrasound. Your doctor may also insert a scope through your vagina and into your uterus. These tests can reveal the health of your uterus and help the doctor determine the best way to implant the embryos.

Men will need to have sperm testing. This involves giving a semen sample, which a lab will analyze for the number, size, and shape of the sperm. If the sperm are weak or damaged, a procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be necessary. During ICSI, a technician injects sperm directly into the egg. ICSI can be part of the IVF process.

There are five steps involved in IVF:

1. stimulation
2. egg retrieval
3. insemination
4. embryo culture
5. transfer

Stimulation

A woman normally produces one egg during each menstrual cycle. However, IVF requires multiple eggs. Using multiple eggs increases the chances of developing a viable embryo. You’ll receive fertility drugs to increase the number of eggs your body produces. During this time, your doctor will perform regular blood tests and ultrasounds to monitor the production of eggs and to let your doctor know when to retrieve them.

Egg Retrieval

Egg retrieval is known as follicular aspiration. It’s a surgical procedure performed with anesthesia. Your doctor will use an ultrasound wand to guide a needle through your vagina, into your ovary, and into an egg-containing follicle. The needle will suction eggs and fluid out of each follicle.

Insemination

The male partner will now need to give a semen sample. A technician will mix the sperm with the eggs in a petri dish. If that doesn’t produce embryos, your doctor may decide to use ICSI.

Embryo Culture

Your doctor will monitor the fertilized eggs to ensure that they’re dividing and developing. The embryos may undergo testing for genetic conditions at this time.

Transfer

When the embryos are big enough, they can be implanted. This normally occurs three to five days after fertilization. Implantation involves inserting a thin tube called a catheter inserted into your vagina, past your cervix, and into your uterus. Your doctor then releases the embryo into your uterus.

Pregnancy occurs when the embryo implants itself in the uterine wall. This can take 6 to 10 days. A blood test will determine if you’re pregnant.

As with any medical procedure, there are risks associated with IVF. Complications include:

• multiple pregnancies, which increases the risk of low birth weight and premature birth
• miscarriage (pregnancy loss)
• ectopic pregnancy (when the eggs implant outside the uterus)
• ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a rare condition involving an excess of fluid in the abdomen and chest
• bleeding, infection, or damage to the bowels or bladder (rare)