IVF
The Process
Ovarian stimulation and ultrasound monitoring
Follicles are fluid-filled sacs located within a woman’s ovaries. To assist in follicle growth, you will receive hormone injections to recruit multiple eggs from your ovaries, starting on day one to three of your cycle. Ovarian stimulation may require 8-14 days of injections.
After beginning these medications, you will be monitored for follicle growth with transvaginal ultrasounds every 3-5 days. Approximately three to five office visits will be scheduled for ultrasounds to accurately assess egg maturity. Once your follicles have reached the ideal size, you will receive a special injection 36 hours prior to the retrieval of your eggs. Then, you will be ready for egg retrieval.
Collection of Eggs (Transvaginal retrieval eggs)
Oocyte retrieval is the removal of eggs from the ovary. Anesthesia will be administered so that you can sleep comfortably throughout the procedure. Using an ultrasound as a guide, the physician aspirates the follicles from each ovary, and the follicular fluid is collected in test tubes. The embryologist then carefully searches for the eggs. The egg retrieval takes approximately 15 minutes, followed by a period of recovery. You can expect to take the day off from work and may often feel bloated or experience minor cramping and spotting afterward.
Fertilization of the Egg and Growth of the Embryo
On the day of the egg retrieval, a sperm sample from the partner (or donor) is processed by the laboratory. Later that day, the eggs are fertilized with sperm, either by standard insemination or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). In the days following fertilization, your embryos are cultured for up to six days in a temperature-controlled incubator. Embryologists regularly monitor the embryos to ensure that the best quality ones are selected for transfer, maximizing the chances of success.
Embryo Transfer
The embryo transfer is a simple and fast procedure that doesn't require any anesthesia or recovery time. On the day of your transfer, a healthy embryo is selected, and the remaining embryos can be cryopreserved (frozen) for future use. The embryo(s) are picked up with a very fine catheter, which is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus, and the embryo(s) are placed within the uterine cavity under ultrasound guidance. The transfer itself may cause mild irritation to the cervix or uterus. You will relax in the room for a short period of time once the embryo transfer is complete. We will schedule your pregnancy test 10-12 days after your transfer.
