What is IVF?
In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
In Vitro
BIOLOGY
adjective
(of a process) performed or taking place in a test tube, culture dish, or elsewhere outside a living organism.
"in vitro fertilization"
It’s easy to see how the term “test tube baby” came about but what is the actual process of getting the sperm to meet the egg? Like most people, my understanding of IVF was pretty limited prior to going through it.
During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory.
The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman's womb to grow and develop.
It can be carried out using a couple’s own eggs and sperm, or eggs and sperm from donors.
There are many avenues that lead to IVF. Initially, reproductive specialists will assess the couple's medical history, perform necessary tests, and outline the various stages of the process. The IVF journey is different for everyone.
Ovarian Stimulation
The first step involves stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple eggs using hormone injections while frequently monitoring egg development through blood tests and ultrasounds. The goal is to harvest several mature eggs for fertilization.
Egg Retrieval
Once the eggs have matured, a minor but uncomfortable surgical procedure known as egg retrieval is performed. Under sedation, a thin needle is guided through the vaginal wall to retrieve the eggs from the ovaries. These eggs are then handed over to the embryology lab for fertilization. Simultaneously, the male produces his sample. I found this part particularly frustrating, as a male with fertility issues I saw that it was my fault for making my wife go through discomfort. She laughed it off but it was hard for me to ignore the unfairness of it all.
Fertilization
In the laboratory, the eggs are mixed with sperm to facilitate fertilization. This can be done using traditional insemination or via intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is directly injected into an egg. This is what they had to do with my sample. After fertilization, the embryologists monitor embryo development, looking for the formation of healthy embryos.
Embryo Transfer
The most anticipated stage of the IVF journey is the embryo transfer. Usually, one or more healthy embryos are chosen for transfer into the uterus. This is a relatively simple, painless procedure, and it's often performed without anaesthesia.
The Two-Week Wait
The two-week wait is an emotional rollercoaster. Couples try to stay positive, but it's not uncommon to experience anxiety and apprehension. They may wonder if they should take a home pregnancy test or wait for the official clinic test.
After care
If you do become pregnant, ultrasound scans will be carried out during the following weeks to check things are progressing as expected.
The couple will then be offered the normal antenatal care given to all pregnant couples.
References
https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/infertility/in-vitro-fertilization/
Oxford English Dictionary
