Overview
IVF, or in vitro fertilisation, is a type of assisted reproductive technology that helps people or couples have a baby. This process involves removing eggs from the ovaries and fertilising them with sperm in a lab. To get pregnant, the embryo is placed in the uterus. IVF is one of the most common ways to help people get pregnant around the world. It includes a number of carefully planned steps, such as stimulating the ovaries, getting the eggs, fertilising them, growing the embryos, and moving them to the uterus. Depending on the medical situation, IVF may use the couple's own eggs and sperm or eggs and sperm from a donor.
Why It's Done
IVF is a good option for people who can't get pregnant because their fallopian tubes are blocked, they have problems with ovulation, endometriosis, male factor infertility, unexplained infertility, or they are getting older. It can also be used when other treatments for infertility haven't worked. In some cases, IVF lets you test embryos for genetic disorders before putting them in the womb. This reduces the risk of passing these disorders on. The goal is to increase the likelihood that you will have a healthy pregnancy.
What to Expect
Before IVF, doctors check the health of the reproductive system by doing hormone tests, ultrasounds, and semen tests. The woman takes fertility drugs to make her ovaries produce more than one egg. During egg retrieval, a simple procedure done while the patient is asleep, a thin needle guided by ultrasound picks up eggs from the ovaries. In the lab, sperm and eggs are mixed together to make babies. The embryos are watched for a few days before one or more are moved into the uterus with a thin catheter. Most of the time, the transfer doesn't hurt and doesn't need anaesthesia. Hormonal support drugs may be given after the procedure. About two weeks later, a pregnancy test is done to see if it worked.
Recovery & Outlook
After egg retrieval, recovery is usually quick, but you might feel some pain or bloating. It's normal to feel stressed out while you wait. The success rates depend on age and other factors. IVF helps many couples get pregnant, but they may have to go through more than one cycle.