IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) and Treatment

What is IVF?

IVF stands for “In Vitro Fertilization.” It is a medical procedure used to assist people who are experiencing infertility in their efforts to have a child. IVF involves the fertilization of an egg with sperm outside of the body in a laboratory setting, and it is one of the most well-known and commonly used methods of assisted reproductive technology.

 

The IVF process typically involves the following steps:

  1. Ovarian Stimulation: The individual undergoing IVF is given hormonal medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. Normally, only one egg is released during a menstrual cycle, but IVF aims to retrieve multiple eggs for fertilization.
  2. Egg Retrieval: Once the eggs have matured, a minor surgical procedure is performed to retrieve the eggs from the ovaries. This procedure is usually done with the guidance of ultrasound and is minimally invasive.
  3. Fertilization: The retrieved eggs are combined with sperm in a laboratory dish to allow fertilization to occur. In some cases, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is used, where a single sperm is injected directly into an egg.
  4. Embryo Development: The fertilized eggs, now called embryos, are cultured and monitored for several days as they develop. The goal is to obtain healthy embryos for transfer.
  5. Embryo Transfer: One or more of the best-quality embryos are selected and transferred into the uterus. This is typically done 3 to 5 days after egg retrieval. The number of embryos transferred depends on the patient’s age and specific circumstances, with the aim of achieving a successful pregnancy while minimizing the risk of multiple pregnancies.
  6. Embryo Freezing (Cryopreservation): Any surplus high-quality embryos not used in the initial transfer can be frozen for potential future use.
  7. Pregnancy Test: Approximately two weeks after the embryo transfer, a blood test is conducted to determine if the procedure has resulted in pregnancy.

 

IVF can be a highly effective method for couples or individuals struggling with infertility due to a variety of reasons, including blocked fallopian tubes, male infertility, endometriosis, and unexplained infertility. It’s important to note that the success rate of IVF varies depending on factors such as age, the cause of infertility, and the quality of the embryos.

 

IVF can be physically and emotionally demanding, and it is often recommended that individuals or couples considering IVF work closely with fertility specialists to determine the most appropriate treatment plan for their specific circumstances.

 

With the most cutting-edge reproductive technologies, Infertility India offers quality infertility treatments at reasonable prices. concentrate on IVF clinic, IVF therapy, IVF cycle, and IVF Due to surgery, tubal pregnancy, infection, or both, the fallopian tubes are nonexistent or obstructed (STD, or Tuberculosis) reduced sperm count or motility (IVF is typically done for levels greater than 5 million per ml). for counts per milliliter fewer than 5 million. ICSI is a superior choice.) patients for whom all other treatments, such as intra uterine insemination to induce ovulation, have failed.

Patients with unexplained infertility who, despite usual therapies, are unable to conceive despite all investigations on the pair being normal.

Patients who have tried all conventional treatments for infertility without success.

Patients seeking conception through the process of egg and embryo donation. Our unit’s IVF success rates, which range from 20 to 30%, are similar to those of the top centres worldwide.

 

There are five major steps in the IVF and embryo transfer sequence:

  • Monitor the development of ripening egg(s) in the ovaries
  • Collection of eggs
  • Obtaining the sperm
  • Putting the eggs and sperm together in the laboratory, and providing correct conditions for fertilization and early embryo growth
  • Transferring the embryos into the uterus

 

To summarize, the IVF procedure consists of:

  • Controlled ovarian stimulation using medications (such as gonadotrophins and analogues of GNRH) to increase egg production.
  • Utilizing serial Estradiol hormone estimation and vaginal sonography, one can track the growth of follicles and eggs.
  • HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotrophins) injections are given when the two leading follicles are 18 mm in diameter.
  • 35 to 37 hours after the HCG injection, oocyte or egg retrieval is performed under brief general anaesthesia.
  • Laboratory isolation and identification of eggs.
  • sperm collecting and laboratory processing.
  • Fertilization of the egg with the sperm.
  • 2 to 5 days after fertilisation, embryos begin to develop.
  • After two days (four cell embryo), three days (six-eight cell embryo), or five days (blastocyst stage), good quality embryos are transferred back into the womb.