In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Stimulating your ovaries
You take gonadotropin — a fertility medication that stimulates ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs — 8-14 days before the beginning of your menstrual cycle. You also have to take synthetic hormones such as leuprolide or cetrorelix that prevents too early egg release.

Egg retrieval
After you receive an anesthetic, your doctor inserts an ultrasound probe to check your ovaries and identify the follicles. Then, a thin needle is also inserted to extract eggs, which are usually 8-15. Some women experience cramping or spotting for a few days after the egg retrieval process, but generally, you will feel better in a day or two.

The sperm
If you’re a couple planning on using fresh sperm, the male will produce a sample the morning of the egg retrieval. If you are using frozen or donor sperm, our scientists will have it ready in the lab.
The sperm is graded using 4 different levels of quality. It’s washed in a special mixture to slow it down so our scientists can spot the best ones under the microscope. A perfect, healthy sperm is not too fat or thin, with a tail that’s not too long or short. The best sperm are selected, and they’re ready and waiting in the lab to be introduced to the eggs.

Fertilization
Now it’s time for your eggs to be combined with your partner’s sperm for fertilization. Before this, an embryologist, who is a specialist in sperm, eggs, and embryo, will examine your eggs.
If after a few cycles of IVF fertilization doesn’t happen or the sperm quality is low, the specialist may recommend an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure. In this technique, sperm is directly injected into the ovum using a microinjection device.

Embryo transfer
If your embryo develops in the lab, you’re ready for it to be transferred into your uterus.
Your fertility nurses will contact you to explain what you will need to do to prepare.
The embryo transfer is a very simple process, like a pap smear. It takes about 5 minutes, you’ll be awake, there’s no anaesthetic, and you can get up straight away. You can continue with your day, the embryo can’t fall out if you stand up or go to the toilet.
A scientist prepares your embryo by placing it in a small tube called a catheter. It’s critical this is done by an expert to disturb the embryo as little as possible.
Your fertility specialist places the catheter through your cervix and into your uterus.

Pregnancy
If you are lucky enough, the implanted embryo will grow into a baby. If you get more than one embryo, the chance of your pregnancy will be higher, and so is the chance of having multiple pregnancy. That is why some 20% of babies born through in-vitro fertilization are twins, triplets, or more.
Two weeks after embryo transfer, you can take a pregnancy test.