How is the IVF procedure done, and what to expect out of it

By
December 29, 2023

Whenever someone thinks of fertility treatment, the first thing that comes to mind is the IVF procedure. IVF treatment has been known to people for ages, and they already know the basic conception of this process. There are different types of IVF, like IUI or ICSI procedures, where an egg unites with the sperm in a laboratory outside the human body. If you want to know IVF in detail, then read on below.

How is the IVF Procedure done?

Doctors carry out IVF procedures in the following 5 stages.

  • Boosting Egg Production with the Help of Super Ovulation

Then, doctors will provide fertility drugs that will enhance the fertilization process. It is called ovary stimulation or superovulation. This drug containing Follicle Stimulating Hormone will cause the body to produce multiple eggs every month.

  • Retrieving the Eggs

Before the day of egg retrieval, the doctor will give a hormone injection that will assist in maturing the egg rapidly. With the help of a follicular aspiration procedure, the doctor will retrieve the egg. In this procedure, a thin needle enters the ovaries through the vaginal cavity and retrieves the eggs with a suction device attached to them.

  • Sperm collection

The sperm are then collected from the partner or a donor. The collected sperm then goes through a high-speed washing and spinning cycle so the doctor can find the healthiest ones.

  • Uniting the eggs and the sperm

Now, it is time to combine the egg with the sperm, a process called insemination. If the doctor directly injects the sperm into the egg, it is called an ICSI procedure. 

  • Embryo transfer into the uterus

After egg collection, you will again receive some medications. This one will prepare the uterus lining for successfully receiving the embryo. After 3 to 5 fertilization days, the doctor will transfer the embryo to the uterus through a catheter. Next, the patient has to wait for 14 days to do the pregnancy test and see if the IVF procedure is successful or not.

How to prepare for an IVF treatment?

Before beginning the IVF process, you have to go through thorough medical and other fertility exams like below.

  • Uterine test
  • Mammogram and PaP test if the patient is over 40 years
  • STI (Sexually Transmitted Infection) and other infection screening
  • Screening for genetic carrier
  • Evaluation of uterine cavity through SIS (Saline Infused Sonography) or Hysteroscopy
  • Analysis of the partner’s or donor’s semen
  • Testing of the ovarian reserve
  • Urine and blood tests

What is the success of the IVF procedure?

The success rates of IVF procedure till 2019 were:

  • 7% for younger than 35 patients
  • 2% for women aged between 35 and 37
  • 6% for women aged between 38 and 40
  • 6% for women aged between 41 and 42
  • 2% for women aged between 43 and up

However, the above success rate depends on the below-mentioned factors:

  • Age
  • Previous birth numbers
  • Usage of donor or self-eggs
  • Fertility clinic success rate
  • Infertility causes
  • Weight and height
  • Total pregnancy number
  • Previous IVF cycle number
  • Other health conditions
FAQ

How many injections does the patient have to take during IVF treatment?

After fertilization and egg retrieval, doctors often prescribe supplemental hormones to facilitate embryo implantation and support the uterine lining. These hormonal injections include suppositories or progesterone injections. Thus, the total number of injections a patient might have to take in an IVF procedure ranges from 11 to more than 20.

End words

IVF process replicates the complicated natural reproduction. Some people also select to store or freeze the embryo so they can get another chance of getting pregnant in the future. Most IVF processes, like the ICSI procedure, make your dream of becoming parents of a beautiful and healthy child into reality without difficulty.