In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)

What is IVF?

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a fertility treatment that helps individuals or couples conceive a child when natural conception is challenging or not possible. IVF involves a series of medical procedures to combine a woman's eggs and a man's sperm outside the body in a laboratory dish. Once fertilization occurs and embryos develop, one or more healthy embryos are transferred into the woman's uterus, with the goal of achieving a successful pregnancy. 

Preparation:

• Ovarian Stimulation: The woman is given hormonal medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs rather than the usual one egg per menstrual cycle. Monitoring through blood tests and ultrasounds helps track egg development.

• Egg Retrieval: Once the eggs are mature, a minor surgical procedure is performed to retrieve the eggs from the ovaries. This is done using a thin needle guided by ultrasound.

Fertilization:

• Sperm Collection: A sperm sample is collected from the male partner or a sperm donor.

• Fertilization: The eggs and sperm are combined in a laboratory dish for fertilization. In some cases, a single sperm is injected directly into an egg (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection or ICSI) to assist fertilization.

• Embryo Development: The fertilized eggs, now embryos, are monitored as they develop over a few days.

Embryo Transfer:

• Embryo Selection: The healthiest embryos are selected for transfer into the woman's uterus.

• Embryo Transfer: A few days after egg retrieval, one or more embryos are transferred into the uterus through the cervix using a thin catheter. This is a relatively simple and painless procedure.

Post-Transfer:

• Luteal Phase Support: Hormonal medications are given to support the uterine lining and implantation of the embryos.

• Pregnancy Test: A blood test is conducted about two weeks after the embryo transfer to determine if the procedure was successful and pregnancy has occurred.

Success and Follow-up:

• Pregnancy: If the procedure is successful, a normal pregnancy ensues, and the woman will receive appropriate prenatal care.

• Multiple Cycles: Sometimes, more than one IVF cycle may be needed for a successful pregnancy.

IVF is often recommended for:

• Couples with fertility challenges, such as blocked fallopian tubes, male infertility, or unexplained infertility.

• Individuals or couples with genetic disorders, where genetic screening of embryos can be done before transfer.

• Those who have undergone unsuccessful fertility treatments like intrauterine insemination (IUI).

• Same-sex couples or individuals seeking parenthood.

What are top 5 Infertility Treatment hospitals in India?

• Manipal Hospitals

• Max Hospital

• Apollo Hospital

• BLK Hospital

• Artemis Hospital