In-Vitro Fertilization or IVF is one of the most commonly used Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) to help couples conceive when normal conception methods are not successful due to various reasons.
Couples may benefit from IVF treatment if any one of the following factors are present:
In Females
- Damaged or blocked fallopian tubes, including past tubal ligation
- Ovaries are unresponsive to fertility medications
- Immunological factors
- Endometriosis-related infertility
- Implantation problems – the fertilised egg does not attach to the lining of the uterus
- “Unexplained” infertility
In Males
- Low sperm count
- Sperm being blocked from release
- Abnormal sperm / Poor sperm quality
- Testicular damage resulting in an inability of the testicle to produce sperm
- “Unexplained” infertility
IVF Programme
While each IVF programme has different protocols for the medications, the overall process is the same. Medication is given to stimulate the ovaries to allow multiple eggs to grow and mature. The matured eggs are surgically removed in the Operating Theatre and put in a dish along with the male spouse’s sperms for fertilisation. After 3-5 days, the healthy embryos are placed back into the uterus in the hope they will implant and pregnancy to occur.
The cycle of IVF can be broken down into the following stages:
