Part 1 - The IVF Process Overview
1. Ovarian Stimulation
The first step is to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. This is typically achieved through the administration of fertility medications, such as hormone injections. The goal is to increase the number of eggs available for fertilisation.
2. Monitoring
During the ovarian stimulation phase, regular monitoring is conducted through blood tests and ultrasound scans. These help the healthcare team assess the development and growth of the ovarian follicles (containing the eggs) and adjust the medication dosage if needed.
3. Egg Retrieval
Once the follicles reach the desired size, an egg retrieval procedure is performed. This is usually done under sedation or anesthesia. A thin needle is guided by ultrasound into the ovaries through the vaginal wall to collect the mature eggs from the follicles.
4. Sperm Collection
On the same day as the egg retrieval, a semen sample is collected from the male partner or a donor. The sample is then prepared in the laboratory to isolate the healthiest and most motile sperm for fertilisation.
Fertilisation: The collected eggs and sperm are combined in a laboratory dish for fertilisation. This can be done through traditional IVF, where the sperm is added to the eggs (switch off the light, close the door and let them play), or through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is directly injected into each mature egg.
5. Embryo Development
The fertilised eggs, now called embryos, are cultured in a controlled laboratory environment for several days. The healthcare team monitors their development and progression, assessing their quality and selecting the most viable embryos for transfer.
6. Embryo Transfer
Once the embryos have developed, one or more of them are selected for transfer into the uterus. This is usually a painless procedure and does not require anesthesia. The embryos are placed into the uterus using a thin catheter, guided through the cervix. Usually you can see the catheter placement inside the uterus on the ultrasound.
7. Embryo Freezing (Cryopreservation)
If there are additional good-quality embryos not used in the fresh transfer, they can be frozen and stored for future use. This allows for subsequent frozen embryo transfers (FET) without the need for repeated ovarian stimulation.
8. Pregnancy Testing
Approximately two weeks after the embryo transfer, a blood test is performed to determine if pregnancy has occurred. This test measures the levels of pregnancy hormones (such as HCG) in the blood.