Here's a step by step description of what usually happens during an IVF treatment cycle.
1.
Fertility assessment At your first meeting, the doctor will discuss your medical and fertility history.
This will be followed by a fertility assessment of both the partners to determine which treatment process will work best for you and increase your chances of conception.
The fertility assessment will include ultrasound, blood tests, determination of sperm count and quality of eggs.
IVF treatment is not a painful procedure at all and you needn't worry or be stressed about it, especially in the hands of a good doctor.
Also, arrangements will be made for special psychological counselling sessions to help you cope with stress and anxieties regarding your infertility and IVF treatment.
2.
Ovulation stimulation This is a standard procedure in IVF treatment or other assisted reproductive methods.
Medication and injections are used to induce ovarian follicle development and oocyte maturation.
It also prepares a woman's uterus for embryo implantation by supporting the endometrial tissues onto which the embryo will be implanted in case of fertilization.
The growth of the follicle and the development of the uterine tissues are monitored by serial ultrasound scanning till the follicle is ready for collection.
This process takes about two weeks.
3.
Egg collection (oocyte retrieval) The egg collection procedure is conducted under anaesthesia.
Under ultrasound guidance, a needle with a suction device is inserted through the vaginal wall and into an ovarian follicle, ensuring no injury to organs located between the vaginal wall and the ovary.
Suction is gently applied to aspirate follicular fluid and retrieve the oocyte.
Once all the eggs are recovered, the patient is taken to the recovery room.
The patient will normally be fit enough to leave after 2/3 hours.
Some women experience cramps or a small amount of vaginal bleeding after the procedure, but this is normal and there's absolutely no cause for worry.
4.
The actual IVF process The actual process of in vitro fertilization involves fertilization of the egg by sperm in a fluid medium in the laboratory.
After the eggs are collected, they are inseminated with a prepared sample of sperm.
After 20 to 24 hours they are checked for signs of fertilization.
In case if the sperms are few or weak, each egg may need to be injected individually with a single sperm.
This is called ICSI process.
The fertilized eggs are left to grow in the laboratory for about 48 hours.
Then they are examined for division (cleavage).
If cleaved embryos have developed at this stage, then the embryo transfer can take place.
After egg collection you will be given medication to support the uterine lining.
The medication is given in the form of pessaries, injection or gel.
5.
Embryo transfer Embryo transfer is normally carried out 48 hours after the egg collection.
For this procedure a fine tube (catheter) is passed through the cervix and the embryos are injected high into the uterus in a minute amount of culture medium.
This technique does not normally require sedation.
Medical support is given for upto 15 days to support implantation.
A urine pregnancy test (BhCG) is carried out 15 days after the embryo transfer.
If the test is positive, the monitoring continues till the detection of foetal heart beat.
If conception does not occur, the cycle is repeated.