The whole process of IVF
In vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer (ET) are used to help couples who cannot conceive naturally obtain healthy babies with the help of assisted reproductive medicine technology in the laboratory. The process of IVF can be divided into the following aspects:
Select hospitals and doctors
Before IVF, couples need to choose a reliable reproductive medical center and experienced professional doctors. The doctor will make a comprehensive assessment according to the specific situation of the couple to understand their medical history, age and fertility problems. The doctor may also require a series of examinations, including the woman's ovarian function, uterine condition and the man's sperm quality. The importance of selecting hospitals and doctors lies in ensuring the safety and success rate of surgical operations.
Ovulation induction
Before starting the IVF process, the woman needs to receive ovulation induction treatment to increase the number of mature eggs. Ovulation induction therapy usually involves the use of drugs to stimulate women's ovaries to produce multiple follicles. Doctors will regularly carry out ultrasonic examination and blood test according to the growth of female follicles to determine the best time for pregnancy.
Generally, when the ultrasound examination finds that the follicle is mature, the doctor will recommend the woman to inject artificial ovulation guidance drugs to ensure that the eggs are released at an appropriate time. The purpose of this step is to collect eggs at an appropriate time.
Egg collection and sperm collection
Egg collection is one of the key steps in IVF. Women usually need to obtain eggs through surgery or minimally invasive surgery guided by transvaginal ultrasound. Doctors use special needles to puncture ovarian cysts and suck mature eggs from follicles.
At the same time, the man needs to provide semen samples. Usually, the man can provide semen samples in the specific environment of the hospital. If the man is unable to provide semen, or the semen quality is poor, you can consider using semen donation to help pregnancy.
Embryo cultivation and transfer
After the eggs are collected, they are fertilized in vitro with the sperm provided by the man to form a fertilized egg. The fertilized egg will be cultivated and observed in the laboratory for several days to ensure the quality and development of the embryo is good.
Generally speaking, the embryo will develop in the incubator for 2-5 days. The doctor will decide the best time and quantity of embryo transfer according to the number, quality and development of embryos, as well as the personal situation of the couple.
The process of embryo transfer is similar to endometrial biopsy. The doctor inserts a slender catheter through the vagina and transfers the embryo into the woman's uterus. The whole process is usually very short and does not require anesthesia.
Summary
The whole IVF process includes the selection of hospitals and doctors, ovulation induction therapy, egg collection and sperm acquisition, and embryo cultivation and transplantation. This process is a complex and meticulous medical technology, which requires the guidance and strict operation of professional doctors. Through IVF technology, many infertile couples can realize their cherished desire for childcare.
