I have been getting a lot of questions regarding IVF so I thought I should write a blog on what exactly IVF is.
IVF- In Vitro Fertilization:
noun
a specialized technique by which an ovum, especially a human one, is fertilized by sperm outside the body, with the resulting embryo later implanted in the uterus for gestation.
(Dictionary.com)
There 7 steps in IVF I will try to explain to my best knowledge each step so you can all understand.
#1: Pre- Cycle work up and testing:
This phase is to understand your cycle. Tests to examine your uterus, fallopian tubes, ultrasounds, hormone testing, semen analysis and possible genetic testing. Age and past conditions may lead to more testing.
#2. Preparing for your Cycle:
during this phase some women are put on birth control having a late or delayed cycle can stop a IVF cycle. Birth control is to regulate cycle and hormones. Blood work and ultrasounds to monitor hormone levels and make sure ovaries are responding are a major part of this step in the IVF process.
#3. Stimulation:
once you are prepped and hormones are where they should be clinic will prescribe a series of hormonal treatments, this is to hyper stimulate the ovaries to produce more mature eggs than normal. The more eggs usually means higher chances of success and or additional embryos to freeze. Stimulation medication can be expensive ranging from a few hundred to ten thousand depending on medications and insurance. During this phase you are closely monitored by your Dr. you will have quite a few blood draws and ultrasounds, this is all to make sure you are stimulated just right and trigger at the correct time. Triggering is an injection that tells the eggs to undergo the final stage of maturation before they can be retrieved. Timing is so important if its off eggs may not fertilize correctly.
#4. Egg Retrieval:
After the trigger your ready for retrieval. Egg retrieval is a surgical procedure where your eggs are removed by the Dr. its done by a long needle that reaches the ovaries through the vaginal wall. The needle is attached to a ultrasound probe for guidance. They will flush each mature follicle. The fluid will be examined by a embryologist to see if it contains an egg. This is repeated until each follicle is complete. This procedure is done under anesthesia and last about 20 minutes depending on how many follicles you have.
#5: Fertilization and monitoring:
Once eggs are retrieved they are taken to the IVF lab where they are combined with the Sperm of your partner or donor if need be. There are two ways fertilization takes place one is sperm is carefully washed and prepared then a set amount is combined with eggs in a petri dish and left over night for magic to happen. Second way is ICSI ( intracytoplasmic sperm injection) with ICSI the embryologist will pick out individual sperm and manually inject each egg. After the eggs are fertilized they are referred to as Embryos they are closely monitored and you will receive updates from Dr. or lab. Depending on how many embryos your have they might continue to monitor the embryos to blastocyst stage.
#6.Embryo Transfer:
Once you discuss and decide on how many embryos to transfer the Dr. will carefully transfer selected embryos into uterus with a small catheter. Close attention is placed on putting the embryo in just the right spot to help with a healthy implantation of embryo on the uterine wall. Extra embryos are then frozen for a FET (frozen embryo transfer) which will take place at a later date if wanted. Some Dr. prefer to do a FET rather than a Fresh cycle.
#7. Pregnancy test:
After embryo(s) are placed nothing else to do but wait! Takes time to see if procedure is a success. You will go back to Clinic for a blood test to confirm success or not.
This is an outline of a basic IVF cycle some are different depending on clinic and personal cycle needs.
Hope this helps explaine IVF!
