IVF (Invitro Fertilization) is a type of assisted reproductive technology that has helped millions of couples become parents worldwide. It is also the fertility treatment with the highest success rate among all others.
IVF is a complex process that involves a series of procedures. Each procedure is important and plays a part in the final result of the treatment. There are five procedures involved in IVF.
- Ovarian stimulation
- Egg and sperm retrieval
- Fertilization
- Embryo culture
- Embryo transfer
In this article, let’s look at each procedure in detail and understand what happens during the IVF procedure. This might be helpful to you if you wish to undergo the procedure in the future.
What are the 5 Stages of IVF?
Now that we know what the five stages of the IVF treatment are, let’s look at them in detail. Each of these procedures should be done with expert care and precision to achieve the desired result: a baby.
Ovarian stimulation
This is the first stage of the IVF procedure. Here, you will administered hormonal injections to stimulate your ovaries to mature and produce more eggs. The duration and doses of the injections depend upon the condition of your health and fertility.
These injections can be self-administered, and you will be required to take them every day (1–2 shots per day) for about 8–14 days. Your fertility doctor will regularly monitor the development of your follicle.
You don’t have to worry that your fertility will be affected or your ovarian reserve will deplete during the procedure. These injections don’t affect your fertility in any way.
Retrieval of the Eggs and sperm cells
When the follicles are about 15–18 mm in size, they are collected from the ovaries through the egg retrieval procedure.
In this procedure, a thin needle will be inserted through the vagina into the ovaries. The suction device inserted in the needle will collect the follicle with the mature eggs. You will administered a mild anesthetic during the procedure, so you won’t feel any pain or discomfort.
Simultaneously, the sperm is also collected from the male partner on the same day. Your partner can either ejaculate into the container given by the lab or they can undergo procedures like testicular sperm extraction (TESE) to collect sperm.
The collected sperm will then be sent for sperm analysis, where they will be washed and evaluated for volume, mobility, and quality. The highest-quality sperm among them will be separated from the rest.
Fertilization
Once the eggs and sperm are collected and tested, they will be prepared for fertilization. IVF fertilization can be done in two ways: traditional IVF fertilization and ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection.)
In traditional IVF fertilization, the mature eggs and selected sperm are placed together in a lab dish and made to fertilize overnight. Here, the sperm will have to swim to the egg and fertilize it without any external assistance.
In ICSI, a single, high-quality sperm is collected in a thin needle and injected into the egg’s cytoplasm. This procedure is usually preferred when the couple has male fertility issues, and the sperm can’t fertilize the eggs on their own.
Embryo culture
Once the eggs are fertilized, they are monitored closely for some days to test for development. These embryos will also be tested for growth and for any chromosomal abnormalities.
Some fertility clinic undergo embryo grading procedures to grade the embryos according to their chances of successful implantation and growth.
Most times, the embryos with the highest grade will be chosen to be transferred into the uterus. However, these grades are not obsolete, as some issues might not be found during the tests.
Embryo transfer
This is the last stage of the IVF procedure. Here, the developed embryos will be transferred into your uterus to implant into the uterus resulting in a successful pregnancy.
The embryos can be transferred when the embryos are on day 3 (cleavage stage) or day 5 (blastocyst stage) of development. Most embryos are transferred during day 5 or day 6 after being monitored closely during these days.
The embryo(s) with the highest chances of implantation are collected in a catheter and injected into the uterus. These embryo(s) will then be implanted into the uterine lining and result in fertilization. You will also be sedated during this procedure, so there will be no pain.
The remaining embryos that have developed well can be frozen using cryopreservation methods and used during later cycles. This prevents you from having to go through the ovulation induction and egg retrieval procedure again.
Conclusion
After embryo transfer, you can wait about 2 weeks before taking a pregnancy test to check if you become pregnant. You can also visit your fertility doctor and take a blood test or ultrasound scan to confirm pregnancy.
IVF treatment is a significant procedure that offers many couples the hope of having their own baby. Though IVF has the highest success rate among other treatments, it also depends on various other factors.
Consult with our fertility doctor and take the necessary measures like lifestyle changes and medications to increase your chances of pregnancy. All your hard work will be worth it when you hold your little baby in your hands.
From the start of ovarian induction to embryo transfer, the process can take several weeks to complete. The duration will also vary depending on the condition of your health and fertility.
You can look out for symptoms like missed periods, nausea, etc., to check if you are pregnant. You can also take a pregnancy test or visit your doctor to confirm your pregnancy.
Though IVF is a relatively safe procedure, some people might still be prone to risks like OHSS (Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome), multiple pregnancies, ectopic pregnancy, etc.
However, you don’t need to worry too much about these risks as the chances of getting them are very low. You can prevent these issues with careful observation and treatment.
The number of injections during ovulation induction differs from person to person. The average number of injections administered during the procedure is about 90 shots, with a frequency of 1 to 2 shots per day. The number of days to take the injections also varies depending on the development of the egg follicles.
According to studies, the two-week wait after embryo transfer is the hardest part for most women. This is the period when the couple waits anxiously to know whether the IVF cycle worked or not.
