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IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) |  |
IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)
The IVF program at the Center for Fertility and Gynecology (CFG) is second to none in the greater Los Angeles area. Our many years of experience along with talented staff members and a state-of-the-art laboratory combine to provide exceptional pregnancy success rates and consistently high patient satisfaction.
The Center performs all aspects of IVF including intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), assisted hatching, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), oocyte (egg) freezing, oocyte (egg) donation and gestational surrogacy. In addition, some unique treatment modalities including: ZIFT, GIFT and others are also offered at CFG.
IVF is probably the most well known of the “Assisted Reproductive Technologies.” Originally popularized as "test tube baby," IVF has helped couples overcome infertility for more than two decades. IVF, which was initially developed to treat tubal factor infertility, has evolved to become the treatment of choice for many other causes of infertility including: unexplained infertility, male factor infertility, immunologic problems and others.
The IVF process is composed of four steps:
- Step # 1: Over a 2 week period, fertility medication stimulates the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. During this time, serial ultrasounds and blood work are employed to monitor the growth of the eggs. This step is referred to as ovarian stimulation or "superovulation".
- Step # 2: When the eggs are appropriately mature based on ultrasounds and blood work, the final signal is given with an injection of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin ( HCG) known as the "trigger shot".
- Step # 3: 36 hours after the trigger shot, the eggs are retrieved by an ultrasound-guided-needle aspiration. This procedure is usually performed under anesthesia. At the same time, a sperm specimen from the partner/donor is obtained and prepared. Washed sperm is then injected into the eggs (ICSI), or placed in a dish with the eggs to allow fertilization. After 18 hours, the eggs are checked under a microscope for evidence of fertilization (the pronucleus of egg and sperm). The eggs are now embryos. The embryos are then incubated for further development into multi-cell embryos.
- Step # 4: One to five days later, the embryos are transferred into the fallopian tubes (in the case of a ZIFT) or the uterine cavity via a catheter inserted through the cervix. The number of embryos transferred varies based on patient age, quality of embryos and patient desire. If additional embryos remain, they can be frozen and stored for future use.
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