Everything you need to know about In Vitro Fertilization

Parenthood is one of the best feelings in the world. Letting your life shine with the small footsteps of a child is one of the memories you will cherish for a lifetime. However, many couples are forced to stay away from this happy zone due to certain complications. With the changing lifestyle and nutrition patterns, many Indian couples are finding it hard to conceive. There are various reasons as to why the use of infertility treatments is rampant in India. Some of them include having children at a later stage of life, adapting to the western culture of living, drinking, and smoking and having an improperly balanced diet. All these reasons contribute to making infertility a common problem amongst couples.

In order to treat infertility, a collective procedure of artificial reproductive techniques (ART) is followed. It includes a number of procedures that can increase the chances of conception. One of the most popular ART techniques is the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). It is the most sophisticated type of infertility treatment and provides the highest rates of pregnancy in a given menstrual cycle.

There are many processes followed in in-vitro fertilization including ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilization of eggs in the laboratory, the culture of the embryos and transferring of embryos. The success rate of IVF Treatment is the highest in the country and is now followed by a number of couples who want to fulfill their dream of having their own child. Apart from all the procedures listed above, it also includes the cryopreservation of the remaining viable embryos either with the process of vitrification or with laser-assisted hatching in to facilitate implantation.

IVF is a chosen treatment for men who have an abnormal semen profile and for women who have damaged fallopian tubes, which obstructs the transfer of the egg to the uterus. Considering the trend of having children at a higher age profile, women with advanced maternal age can follow the procedure. Other conditions where IVF procedures can be successful include a diminished ovarian reserve, endometrioma, and failed fertility treatments.

The entire procedure of In Vitro Fertilization

Stimulation of the ovaries

This is the first procedure of In vitro Fertilization that involves the use of gonadotrophins for ovarian stimulation. Most commonly used gonadotrophins are follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. During the natural process of menstruation, the pituitary gland releases the hormones (gonadotropins) to support the growth of a single egg or follicle. However, in this process of the IVF, the gonadotrophins injections are given in order to support the growth of the multiple follicles or eggs. 

You are given an injection for 10 days on a regular basis before the egg retrieval. The first few days of the gonadotrophins administration will be free from any symptoms but the rest of the days will be experienced with abdominal tenderness and bloating.

The doctors will closely observe you till the time the ovaries are being stimulated with the help of ultrasound scams. The size and the number of follicles are checked at each ultrasound. Till will help in deciding the remaining stimulations and medications if any required. Once the follicles have reached the size required, the patient is scheduled for egg retrieval. 36 hours before your egg retrieval process, the patient is given a different injection for the maturation of the eggs. This is the last injection given in order to promote a successful egg retrieval process.

Egg retrieval:

This process is performed in sterile conditions where an ultrasound probe with a needle guide will pass through the vaginal wall and rupture the egg. The drained fluid is sent to the lab where it is then identified by an embryologist. This process might cause a little discomfort and you will be advised to take Ativan and feel relaxed until the procedure. You are also not allowed to wat or drink anything 45 minutes prior to the procedure. After the egg retrieval process, the patient is monitored for 1-2 hours before sending back home. It is common to experience vaginal bleeding and mild discomfort in sleeping through the night after the procedure.

Fertilizing of the eggs:

The sperm collected from the male is fused/mixed with the eggs through a technique called Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). ICSI procedure eliminates the chances of having mature eggs that do not fertilize. With the Classic IVF procedure, there is a risk of having a fertilization failure, which can be removed by ICSI. After the fusion of the sperms and the eggs, the sample is left in the incubator to allow the fertilization to occur. The next day you will know the number of eggs that have fertilized.

The transfer of the embryo:

After the egg retrieval and fusion, the embryo (the fused product of sperm and egg) is then transferred into the womb of the women. This is mainly done 5 days after the egg retrieval with the help of a soft catheter under the abdominal ultrasound guidance. It is generally not painful, requires a full bladder and takes only a few minutes.

The Procedure After The Embryo Transfer:

After the embryo transfer, women should limit their physical activity for 24-48 hours and not indulge in a stressful situation. Two weeks after the egg retrieval, a pregnancy test. If the test is positive then you will continue with progesterone supplementation. A second blood test is performed after 48-72 hours to confirm the results. An ultrasound is done to check the status of pregnancy.

The other process after embryo transfer includes the laser assisted hatching, cryopreservation of the embryos for later and the frozen thaw embryo transfer as well.

Get Your Appointment Fixed –

We at NEO fertility do not compromise with your dreams and provide you with the best care and attention during the IVF procedure. We have the ablest doctors and modern equipment to ensure that you receive the right care and treatment. We have aided in fulfilling the dreams of many couples before because we understand what parenthood means.