What is In Vitro Fertilization?

In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is sometimes called having a "test tube baby", and has been a success in assisting infertile couples conceive and have children for over twenty years. Nowadays, the fertilization actually occurs in a dish, and not a test tube. The method was originally developed to help couples overcome tubal factor infertility, but has become useful in treating many other infertility factors.

In Vitro Fertilization basically has 4 steps:

• 1) The patient takes medications to make multiple follicles begin to develop on their ovaries. This is known as ovarian stimulation, or superovulation.
• 2) Then, doctors monitor follicular growth via ultrasound, to tell the progress of egg growth and uterine lining development. When it is determined that the follicles and the uterine lining are appropriately mature, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin is then administered.
• 3) Thirty Six hours after the HCG is admisitered, the retrieval of the eggs begins by ultrasound-guided-needle aspiration, done in-office. Then, a sperm specimen is washed and prepared for insemination. It is placed in a dish with the eggs, and they are placed in an incubator for 18 hours. After 18 hours, the embryos are observed for normal fertilization, under a microscope, where the pronucleus of egg and sperm can be seen. Finally, the embryos are incubated for further development into multi-cell embryos.
• 4) Lastly, we transfer the embryos into the uterine cavity via a catheter inserted through the cervix. The number returned varies with the desires of the patient. Additional embryos may be frozen and stored for future use.

Click these links to learn more about IVF:

California InVitro Fertilization
In Vitro Fertilization
IVF - After the Procedure
IVF- Treatment Costs
Reasons for In Virto Fertilization