IVF refers to In Vitro Fertilization. It is a process in which fertilisation of the ovum and the sperm occurs outside the body of the female. By stimulating a woman’s ovulatory process, an ovum is obtained. This ovum is fused with a sperm in a laboratory. After two to three days, the fertilised egg is transferred into the female’s body. Sometimes, in cases like surrogacy, where the mother’s uterus is unfit to carry the baby, the fertilised egg is transferred to a different female’s body. The process of IVF is boon for couples dealing with infertility issues. It is a type of assisted reproductive technology.
If you are considering an IVF, here are some vital steps of the procedure you might want to know about.
Step One- Meeting A Specialist
The first step is meeting a good fertility expert. A doctor will guide you through the medicals tests and evaluation that needs to be done prior to the procedure. It is important to have a good talk with your doctor to clear all your doubts regarding the procedure. At Apollo Fertility, we make sure that you are in the hands of the best team of doctors and technicians.
Step Two- Stopping Your Natural Menstrual Cycle
You will be given medications that will affect your natural menstrual cycle. Owing to this step, the medications prescribed in the next stage will work effectively.
Step Three- Ovary Stimulation
In the third step of the procedure, medications are prescribed for the stimulation of the ovarian follicles. Usually, only one egg is released by either of the ovaries in a month. But after the stimulation, more than one eggs are released.
Step Four- Egg Retrieval
In this step, the eggs are collected or retrieved from your ovaries. General anaesthesia is administered to the patient to make the procedure painless. A needle is guided through the vagina to retrieve the eggs from the ovaries. Everything is constantly monitored through ultrasound. The process roughly takes around thirty minutes.
Step Five- Fertilisation
After the collection of eggs, they will be allowed to fuse with your partner’s sperm under special laboratory conditions until they are inseminated. If you are going for a donor, the sperm will be thawed beforehand in an incubator.
Step Six- Embryo Transfer
Usually, it takes about four days for the cell to successfully fertilise. Hormone medicines will be administered to prepare the uterus for the egg. Finally, the embryo is placed inside the uterus with the help of a thin catheter. The process is quick and no anaesthesia is required. The patient can go about her regular activities without the least fear. The number of embryos that are to be transferred is mutually decided by the doctor and the patient. If there are any surplus embryos, they are frozen.
Step Seven- The Blood Test
The wait of two weeks is often the most crucial part of the procedure. After a period of two weeks, a blood test is done to confirm pregnancy. If the results are negative, there will be a repetition of the procedure.
