The most popular and successful method of treating infertility is in vitro fertilization (IVF). An egg is fertilized outside of a woman’s body in a specialized lab as part of the IVF Treatment process. It’s usually carried out when other methods of becoming pregnant haven’t worked. The journey towards in vitro fertilization (IVF) may seem extremely unclear when you first start out on it. You know what you want: a healthy baby, but it can be difficult to predict what will happen along the way. Although every case is different, it is impossible to know with certainty how your cycle will proceed.
What is IVF?
Latin’s translation of the word “in vitro” is “within the glass.” In a wider sense, an “in-vitro” refers to any process occurring apart from a living thing. In the in-vitro fertilization procedure, sperm is used to fertilize eggs in a petri dish under close laboratory supervision.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an advanced set of methods intended to improve fertility, avoid genetic issues, and help in conceiving a baby.
In IVF Treatment Process, mature eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a lab. The fertilized egg or eggs are then moved into the uterus.
IVF is often used to treat:
- Women who have a fallopian tube issue
- Women having problems conceiving
- Women with endometriosis
- Males who are infertile with a low sperm count or blockage
How long does it take to complete an IVF process?
The in vitro fertilization, or IVF, process typically takes between 3 and 6 weeks. However each cycle can be somewhat different.
Since no two cases are the same and may necessitate a specialized approach, the IVF process and its timeline may differ for each individual. If these phases are periodically split up into different steps, the method may take longer.
IVF Process Step-by-Step
Step 1: Preparing for IVF
Comprehensive laboratory tests are performed to show the overall fertility health and difficulties in order to design a customized IVF plan.
Step 2: Developing Egg Follicles & Ovulation Suppression
The day the woman’s menstrual cycle begins is when the first stage of the IVF procedure starts. She uses birth control pills during this period to manage her menstrual cycle and coordinate its timing with those of other reproductive drugs.
The woman starts taking fertility medication on the 21st day of her cycle, which she must continue taking for 10 days. In order to stop ovulation, the medication affects the area of the brain that stimulates the ovaries. The outcome is that the ovaries generate several mature follicles during the monthly cycle as opposed to only one. The fertility doctor performs a suppression check to ensure that ovulation has been suppressed after 10 days of taking the medication.
The woman then starts using medicine to stimulate her ovaries. The process of ovarian stimulation lasts between 8 and 12 days. The woman will thereafter have transvaginal ultrasounds and blood testing. These tests are performed by fertility specialists to determine when the biggest egg follicles are between 18 and 22 mm wide, which is the perfect size for an egg follicle.
Step 3: Egg Retrieval
The current egg retrieval method is a quick, minimally invasive surgical procedure. You will be given a hormone injection to speed up the maturation of your eggs a little more than a day before they are to be removed from your body.
The egg retrieval and sperm donation are often done on the same day if the woman’s spouse is providing the sperm. After being retrieved, the eggs are sent to a laboratory where specialists will grade and test them.
The fertility clinic’s ability to precisely count the number of healthy, viable eggs they would be dealing with is made possible by the grading and testing procedure.
Step 4: IVF Fertilization Process
Eggs are often placed into a petri dish containing sperm in order to fertilize them. However, ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is another method of fertilization.
The best sperm and eggs are used in combination. Insemination is the term for this phase.
For a sperm to fertilize an egg, it typically takes a few hours. Alternatively, using a procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, your doctor might inject the sperm right into the egg.
Step 5: Transfer of embryo into uterus
Following the collection of the eggs, the woman will be given another drug. This one is designed to prepare her uterus’ lining for receiving the embryos that will be returned to her. The doctor will use a catheter to insert the embryos into the uterus three to five days after fertilization. In the hopes that at least one will establish itself in the lining of the uterus and start to grow, many embryos are implanted back into the patient. Multiple births are typical in women who use IVF because multiple embryos are occasionally implanted.
IVF generally replicates the natural mechanism of reproduction. After IVF, a pregnancy test is used to determine whether the procedure was successful.
We hope the above-mentioned step-by-step explanation makes it easier for you to comprehend the entire IVF procedure timetable and improves the comfort of your fertility journey. We at 9M Fertility wish you success in your efforts to have a family and believe that our knowledgeable and experienced staff, highly effective IVF lab, and individualized treatment programmed will make you feel as ready as possible for your IVF procedure. Simply schedule a consultation with one of our medical professionals at 9M Fertility if you have any additional inquiries about the IVF Treatment Process.
