An IVF treatment procedure is one of the most chosen ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) used for treating infertility. It has resulted in 8 billion child births since its first use in 1978. IVF or In Vitro Fertilization technique involves fertilizing an egg with sperm in a controlled environment like a laboratory. Basically, the egg is fertilized outside the human body with acute medical assistance. By doing this, healthcare providers can easily avoid the common reasons for infertility and facilitate childbirth for couples facing fertility issues.
Infertility means when there is no pregnancy even after one to two years of unprotected sex between a heterosexual couple. There are many reasons for infertility including age, genetic disorders, overweight, low-quality sperm, weak eggs and many more. IVF helps to negate most of these issues to assist couples with the birth of healthy babies.
Why is IVF performed?
IVF is performed for couples facing fertility issues due to any known or unknown reason. It is also chosen by couples when any one of them is dealing with an irrefutable health condition, which intervenes in natural childbirth. Advanced maternal age, father with any form of addiction, genetic conditions etc are some of the common reasons to resort to IVF treatment procedures. It is also preferred by same-sex couples or individuals who want to have children without a partner. IVF is also chosen by people who have experienced failure in multiple fertility treatments.
IVF treatment procedure is recommended in the following cases:
- Women with damaged Fallopian tubes
- Women who have crossed the ideal maternal age
- Endometriosis
- Weak sperm or low sperm count in men
- Alcohol addiction
- Ovarian disorders like PCOS etc
- Fibrosis in uterus
- Disorder of uterus
- Genetic problems which may pass on to the progeny
- Unknown reasons for infertility
- Nutrition deficiencies
- Excessive stress resulting in damage to reproductive health
- Issues that are common to men and women
Image source: www.hhs.gov/
The IVF process is explained in six steps
Here, we explain the step-by-step procedure for IVF treatment. However, depending on the case, the doctor or medical professional may prescribe a ‘pre’ step which requires them to give birth control pills or estrogen to the woman planning for IVF. It is prescribed to prevent the formation of ovarian cysts. Also, it regulates the timing of her menstrual cycle. Depending on the level of infertility, some women are prescribed birth control pills (estrogen) or a combination of estrogen and progesterone.
Step 1: Ovarian Stimulation
The reproductive cycle of a healthy woman leads to the formation of a group of eggs each month. Normally, only one of these eggs matures enough to ovulate and the rest automatically disintegrate. During the ovarian stimulation phase, the healthcare providers give you injectable hormone medications to ensure that all the eggs in the cycle mature simultaneously. Following this, the response of the ovaries is monitored for two weeks through ultrasounds and levels of hormones in the blood. They observe the size of the ovarian follicles to check the maturity of eggs. The next step is to give a trigger shot to finalize the maturation of eggs. Normally, a trigger shot is administered 36 hours before the egg retrieval time.
Step 2: Egg Retrieval
The next major step is to retrieve the matured eggs. This is done by inserting a thin needle into the ovaries with the help of an ultrasound. There is a suction device connected to the needle. This device pulls the eggs out of the ovarian follicles. The eggs are then placed in a dish containing a medicated solution. The dish is then shifted to an incubator to ensure the eggs get a safe, controlled environment. Women are given mild sedation to minimize the discomfort faced during the egg retrieval phase.
Step 3: Sperm Collection
During the time of egg retrieval, the healthcare providers will also ask for your partner’s sperm sample. Some may choose donor sperm if there are any challenges with the sperm health of their partner. The sperm are then cleansed by making them go through a high-speed wash and spin cycle. Weak sperm will die during this cycle, and only the healthier ones will survive.
Step 4: Fertilization
The next step is to fertilize all the mature eggs through intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI. Fertilization involves injecting sperm into the mature eggs. Experience shows that only 70% of mature eggs get fertilized, which means they become embryos. Healthcare experts also choose to freeze excess eggs for future IVF cycles.
Immature eggs cannot be treated through ICSI. They are placed in a dish containing sperm and necessary nutrients. If they mature due to the nutrients, then the sperm will try to fertilize them. However, there are rare chances of the immature eggs placed in the dish maturing.
Step 5: Embryo Culture
For the next five to six days, the health experts will monitor the formation of embryos from the fertilized eggs. Only half of the embryos reach the blastocyst stage, which is the form suitable for insertion into the uterus. This means that out of seven, only 3-4 reach the blastocyst stage. The rest may not reach this stage, and hence these failed ones are discarded. The embryos are then frozen on the 5th or 6th day of fertilization, and saved to be used in the future.
Step 6: Embryo Transfer
This stage involves two kinds of embryo transfer – fresh and frozen. Depending on the health condition of the woman, the healthcare provider decides the best solution for her. So, fresh embryo transfer means that a fresh embryo is inserted into the uterus of a woman on any day between the third and seventh days post-egg retrieval.
In the second case, the IVF experts first take a frozen embryo, thaw it and then place it inside the uterus. Frozen embryos can be kept for years and made to be used for other IVF cycles if the couple decides to go for IVF for the next childbirth. Or, even in cases where the first attempt is not successful.
The uterus is prepared medically to accept the embryo by giving hormones through oral, injectable, vaginal or transdermal methods. Normally, the process involves taking 14 to 21 days of oral medicines, followed by injections for the next six days. Ultrasound and blood tests are used to monitor if the uterus is fully ready to accept the embryo or not. Once it is found to be ready enough, the embryo transfer procedure is scheduled.
The same process applies for fresh embryo transfer, but here the time limit is within three to five days of egg retrieval.
Embryo transfer is a relatively simple and painless process administered without anaesthesia. The embryo is inserted through a catheter and takes just ten minutes.
Final step: Pregnancy check
The result of the whole IVF treatment procedure is a healthy pregnancy that is achieved when the transferred embryo implants itself into the lining of the uterus. It is checked through a blood test, after nine to fourteen days of embryo transfer.
For donor eggs, the same process is executed. The only difference is that here the egg is donated by another woman. It is done for women facing the issues of poor-quality eggs. Once the embryo is ready, it is transferred to the uterus of the woman who wants to conceive.
Conclusion
IVF is a common yet complex procedure for treating infertility. It has been highly successful in giving birth to healthy babies. All you need to do is consult a reputed IVF expert with considerable experience. If you are battling infertility, then considering IVF is the best solution.
Khushhi IVF is renowned for its highly successful results in IVF treatment in Ahmedabad. We have medical experts, trained staff and complete infrastructural facilities. With a highly successful track record for IVF treatments, we could be your best medical assistant for conceiving healthy babies. Feel free to connect with us for detailed discussions!