IVF

In vitro fertilization is what is in short referred to as IVF. In vitro fertilization is a process whereby the egg cells are fertilized by the sperm outside a women’s body. IVF is a major procedure for treating infertility and is found to be successful even when many others treatments fail. In very brief and simple terms what is done during IVF is as follows:

• The ovulatory process is harmonically controlled.
• The eggs are removed from woman’s ovaries.
• The sperm is collected from the dad.
• The sperm is allowed to fertilize the eggs in a fluid medium.
• The zygote or the fertilized egg is then transferred to the woman’s uterus for pregnancy to proceed.

Vitro is the Latin word for glass, since the fertilization that happened outside the body of the woman was usually always done on a Petri dish or a beaker the name originated from this word. The technique of IVF was first applied to humans by Patric Steptoe and Robert Edwards in 1978. Then on the science behind IVF has only improved and IVF has successfully brought the pleasure of parenthood to many conventionally infertile couples.

For IVF to be successful it is necessary that the mother is able to produce healthy ova or egg, the father can contribute sperm that can fertilize, and the mother possesses a uterus that can carry the pregnancy to its full term. Therefore any infertility that is caused by reasons other than defects in these three areas can be countered by IVF.

Follicle maturation is brought about with the use of several medicines. Ten days of injections are usually necessary and this stage of IVF usually begins on the third day of menstrual cycle. Spontaneous ovulation during this period is prevented by the use of other medicines, when the follicle maturation reaches a satisfactory level the retrieval of ova is done. This is achieved through the use of an ultrasound guided needle which pierces the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries. Follicular fluid is retrieved in this manner and handed over to the laboratory for identification of ova.

The semen is also put through treatment during which inactive cells and seminal fluid are removed, when eggs are also stripped of surrounding cells both components are ready for IVF to happen. The sperm and the egg are at this stage put in an incubator for 18 hours. They are put in the culture media for fertilization to happen. In a situation where the sperm count is low, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg. Then the fertilized egg is passed into a special growth medium and allowed to grow to a 6 to 8 cell stage.

The embryos are shifted either 2 or 3 days after arrival. The number of embryos that are transferred into the woman’s womb depends on many factors, the age of the woman, the health of the embryos, evenness of growth, degree of fragmentation and so on. Two to three embryos are usually transferred. The embryos that are judged to be the best are transferred through a thin catheter that goes through the vagina and the cervix.

In this way pregnancy can be made possible in what was traditionally considered hopeless cases too. IVF has proved to be a blessing and made proud parents out of many such couples all over the world.

• IVF-Normally an egg unites with a sperm inside the fallopian tube and pregnancy occurs, if for whatever reasons that does not happen eggs and sperms are collected from the couple undergoing treatment and united in the laboratory. Then the embryo is transferred to the uterus where they can grow in the normal way.
• ICSI – Men, who have very low sperm count or poor quality sperms, can successfully father children after undergoing this treatment. During ICSI each egg is held and injected with a single live sperm. This micro-fertilization is done with the help of a machine called the Micromanipulator. Chances of pregnancy occurring thus go up.
• Egg donation – When women plan pregnancy at an advanced age, their egg count is sometimes too low for pregnancy to occur or the quality of eggs they produce may be too poor. In this case, donor’s egg can be united with the sperm of the male member of the couple desiring to have a child and the resultant embryo inserted into the uterus of the infertile female. She will carry the pregnancy to full term and give birth like a natural mother.
• Surrogate pregnancy – In this case the embryo is transferred to the uterus of the surrogate, who is a woman who decides to carry another woman’s pregnancy to full term and give birth. In some cases women are considered infertile when due to whatever reason they are not able to carry their pregnancy to full term and miscarriage happens before they can give birth. In some cases eggs of the surrogate are used to form the embryo in union with the father’s sperms.

This list of treatments is by no means a complete one. There are several other forms of treatments available to bring the greatest joy into a couple’s life. Many countries including India, Malaysia have made phenomenal advances in practicing these procedures and bringing a dream to life for their patients. You may study the list of hospitals that we have prepared based on research and decide on visiting one to make your pregnancy possible.