What is IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)?
An assisted reproductive method called In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) involves taking eggs from your ovaries and fertilising them with sperm in a specialist facility. The possibility that a pregnancy will develop is increased by allowing the fertilised egg (embryo) to mature in a safe environment for a few days before being placed into the woman’s uterus (on the uterine wall)
Why is IVF treatment carried out?
Several different reasons might lead people to consider IVF, such as infertility problems or when one spouse has a pre-existing medical condition. When previous fertility treatments have failed or if the woman is beyond her reproductive prime, some individuals consider IVF treatment. It is a reproductive choice that is available to same-sex partners as well as to individuals who want to become parents.
IVF is a possibility if you or your partner has:
• Endometriosis
• Low sperm count or other issues with sperm
• Damaged or obstructed fallopian tubes
• Complications with your uterus
• Ovarian problems such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or others
• A chance of passing on a hereditary illness or disease
• Either a gestational surrogate or an egg donor is being used
What are the stages of IVF treatment?
It might take anything between four and six weeks to finish an IVF cycle and conceive the IVF baby. The sequential IVF process includes the following:
• Birth Control Pills or Oestrogen
Your doctor can recommend oestrogen or birth control tablets before you begin IVF therapy. This is used to regulate the time of your menstrual cycle and prevent the growth of ovarian cysts. It enables your doctor to manage your treatment and increase the number of mature eggs collected during the egg retrieval operation.
• Ovarian Stimulation
In a normal woman, each menstrual cycle results in the production of one egg. However, several eggs are necessary for IVF. The likelihood of creating a healthy embryo improves when more than one egg is used. To boost your body’s egg production, you’ll be given fertility medications. You’ll be prescribed injectable hormone medications during your IVF cycle to encourage all of the eggs in that cycle to develop at once and completely. In order to track the development of eggs and determine when to collect them, your doctor will do routine blood tests and ultrasounds during this period.
• Ultrasound Examination
To evaluate how well the medications on your ovaries are working, a vaginal ultrasound test is performed at regular intervals. If the outcome is bad, it’s possible that your doctor will suggest stopping the IVF treatment cycle. You and your doctor will decide together on this.
• Egg Retrieval
The egg retrieval procedure is carried out 36 hours following your hormone IVF injections given for stimulation. TransvaginalSonography is used to help retrieve eggs from the ovaries while the patient is under general anaesthesia. Your reaction to the medications will determine how many eggs are collected, and the operation lasts 15 to 30 minutes. Around two to three hours following the treatment, you can leave for home. Sometimes there may be some stomach pain and vaginal spotting, but these symptoms usually go away in a day or two.
• Sperm Collection
A sample of semen is required from your spouse. On the day the eggs are harvested, a sample of fresh semen is often taken. A previously frozen sample can also be used, though, if a fresh sample can’t be made on the same day or if the spouse isn’t there on the day, the eggs are collected. The sperm and the eggs will be combined by a technician in a petri dish. If it fails to result in embryos, your doctor can choose to perform ICSI.
• Fertilising the Eggs
The eggs will be fertilised in the laboratory, either through ICSI or traditional IVF. The embryologist will check the eggs the following day to see whether they have been fertilised and then later to see if any embryos have developed further. It is possible to freeze additional well-developed embryos if there are more than three for eventual later transfer.
• Embryo Implantation in the Uterus
This is done two, three, or five days following egg harvest. To decide if a day 3 or day 5 transfer is necessary, embryologists keep an eye on the development and viability of the embryos. The embryo is positioned in your uterus using a tiny catheter that is implanted. It takes between six and ten days for the implantation to take place if the operation is successful. A course of medicines to assist the luteal phase will be provided to you after the transfer.
• Pregnancy Test
A pregnancy blood test is carried out after two weeks following extraction. In the event that the test is positive, the patient is thought to be four weeks pregnant.
About IVF Process
During the IVF procedure, mature eggs are collected and fertilised using a semen sample in a lab. Then the fertilised eggs or the embryo is transferred to the uterus, and pregnancy is achieved with minimal side effects. One full IVF cycle requires at least three weeks. However, sometimes these steps are divided into several procedures that might take longer.
How long is the IVF process from beginning to end?
IVF is not a single treatment process but a series of procedures. Thus, it takes 6-8 weeks from consultation to transfer. But the time may vary depending on how your body reacts to each stage. The steps involved in the process are explained briefly below.
What are the steps involved in IVF treatment?
Some people do not visit the doctor due to the time taken. But it shouldn’t be the case. The doctors at the fertility clinic will help you with the complication of conceiving with the IVF procedure. If you are concerned of what are the steps involved in the IVF treatment, we have explained the IVF procedure step by step below –
Step 1: Doctor Consultation
The consultation might have three stages, depending on your needs:
- The initial meeting, where the doctor will evaluate your medical history of you and your partner. It is beneficial, to be honest with the doctor. Based on the evaluation, they will suggest an IVF procedure.
- The diagnosis will be made and reviewed. They will also tell you if you should administer the stimulation medicine yourself.
- The doctor will discuss the total cost involved in the IVF procedure.
Step 2: Preparation for the Procedure (2-4 Weeks)
In this stage, you will be asked to undergo pre-IVF tests, which include –
- Blood tests
- Male fertility testing, including semen analysis
- Ultrasound
- Infectious disease screening
- Uterine evaluation
These tests give complete detail about your condition and identify the main cause of infertility.
Step 3: Medication and Monitoring (Week 5)
You will begin a controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) process. The process begins with an ultrasound to evaluate your ovary and uterus. Once the doctor finds everything is good, the process is started. The COH has two parts –
- Take fertility medicines
You will have to take fertility drugs for around two weeks. These medicines are usually taken orally or directly injected, which stimulates the ovarian follicles. This matures more eggs than they actually would in a regular cycle. The goal of the process is to mature four healthy eggs.
- Monitoring
After the ovary is stimulated, the doctor will ask you to visit again to monitor your eggs and the follicular development. This is the most time-consuming part and requires 5-7 visits to the doctor’s clinic.
Step 4: Triggering, Egg Retrieval, and Fertilisation
The final trigger is done for egg maturation with hCG, and egg retrieval is scheduled. Then the process is divided into four parts –
- Egg Retrieval
The egg retrieval procedure is done under sedation. Though no risks are involved, you might have to take a day off from work. This is because the procedure might exhaust you.
- Combining the Egg and Sperm in Lab
After your egg is extracted, fertilisation occurs, and embryos are created. The doctors fertilise an egg in the lab. During this stage, several methods are used to increase the chance of successful pregnancy.
- Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) – ICSI is a great option for male fertility. During this procedure, a single healthy sperm is directly injected into the egg.
- Assisted Hatching – In this procedure, a tiny hole is made in the embryo’s outer membrane to enhance the implantation rate after transfer.
- Preimplantation Genetic Screening – This procedure ensures that healthy embryos are transferred. It can be performed on frozen embryos as well.
Step 5: Evaluation of Embryos (3-6 Days AfterFertilisation)
Daily monitoring is done from the day after fertilisation to decide which embryo is healthy enough for transfer.
Step 6: Embryo Transfer
Three days after fertilisation, embryos are ready to transfer. However, some patients like to wait until they have reached the blastocyst stage (usually five days after fertilisation). The embryo is instilled via a flexible and thin tube, gently passed through the cervix opening, leading to the uterus’s interior. You don’t have to undergo sedation, as it is painless. But you might experience mild cramps.
FAQs About IVF
The success rate of IVF depends on several factors, such as the woman’s age, the cause of infertility, and the quality of the embryos. On average, success rates range from 40% to 50% for women under 35 and decrease with age.
While some people achieve pregnancy in the first cycle, others may need 2-3 cycles or more. The number of cycles varies based on individual factors like age, health, and response to treatment.
Common side effects include bloating, mild cramping, mood swings, and breast tenderness. Rarely, more serious conditions like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) may occur.
The IVF process is generally not painful, but certain steps, like injections and egg retrieval, may cause mild discomfort. Pain relief and sedation are provided as needed.
Yes, maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, reducing stress, and avoiding alcohol and smoking can improve your chances of IVF success.