IVF - Know Procedure Of It!

In Vitro Fertilization is the most common and effective way to help women to conceive. This method is a blessing for those couples who are not able to have children because of some medical issues. IVF has opened the doors of hope of such couples. IVF method is an artificial method of fertilizing an egg outside the body in the laboratory and then implanting it in the uterus. This method is best when the other treatments have failed. The success rate of IVF is high and the chances of multiple births are more. This method of conceiving is getting popular in many countries among childless couples. Studies have shown that one percent of the babies in the United States are born through IVF. IVF is safe and economical. This method keeps one of the parent biologically connected to the child.

Procedure:

1. Curbing the natural menstrual cycle: The women before undergoing this process is given an injection for two to three weeks to suppress her natural menstrual cycle.
2. Superovulation: To increase the production of eggs, fertility drugs containing the fertility hormone follicle stimulating hormone- FSH are given to the woman. This makes the ovaries to produce more eggs than usual. Regular ultrasound is done to examine the process of ovaries.
3. Retrieving the eggs: The produced eggs are then collected through a minor surgical procedure known as follicular aspiration. In this surgery, a very thin needle is inserted into the ovary through vagina which is connected to a suction device. This device sucks the eggs out. This process is repeated for each ovary. Doctors try to collect 15 eggs in one cycle which can give high chances of successful pregnancy. These eggs can be frozen or donated too.
4. Insemination and fertilization: The collected eggs are then placed with sperms in a controlled environment chamber. Sperms enter the egg naturally and sometimes it is directly injected, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection. After this, the fertilized egg is divided and becomes an embryo. After this, doctors recommend diagnosing the embryo in order to check if it is healthy and not diagnosed with some genetic disease. This decision is totally on the parents though. The selected embryo is then transferred. Women are given progesterone, this helps the lining of the womb to receive the embryo.
5. Embryo Transfer: Generally, more than one embryo is placed in the womb. This is done on the mutual discussion of the doctors and the parents. The embryo transfers with a thin tube or catheter. It enters the womb through the vagina. Once the embryo is attached to the lining of the womb, the embryo starts growing and the rest development is parent’s responsibility by taking good care of the mother.

Artificial implantation techniques may differ from clinic to clinic but the ultimate goal is to bring a baby in this world. IVF has become the best way for conception for the ladies who are not able to conceive and the birth success rate has made it more popular.