Flow of IVF
As an assisted reproductive technology, in vitro fertilization (IVF) has made a great breakthrough in the medical field. It provides an opportunity for couples who cannot conceive naturally to have children. The IVF process needs to go through the following steps.
1. Ovulation promotion and egg collection
The first step of IVF process is to promote ovulation and collect eggs. At this stage, the woman receives an injection of fertility aids to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple follicles. Regularly monitor the growth of follicles through ultrasound and other examinations. When the size and number of follicles reach the appropriate level, egg collection is performed. Usually, the woman will extract mature eggs through cervical puncture under local anesthesia.
The egg collection operation is usually carried out in the painless ward and other operating rooms, and the operation time is relatively short, generally about 30 minutes. After the operation, the woman needs a recovery period, which usually ranges from several hours to one day, depending on the individual situation.
2. Sperm treatment and fertilization
The egg after collection is fertilized with the sperm provided by the man. If the sperm quality is good, and the patient has no other fertility problems, the traditional "in vitro fertilization" method can be selected, that is, sperm and eggs are placed in a specific medium to promote egg fertilization. Another option is to use minimally invasive technology, that is, single sperm injection into the egg, called "Intrascopic Sperm Injection (ICSI)".
After a period of culture, the doctor will evaluate the fertilization. If the number of successfully fertilized eggs is sufficient, the next step of embryo cultivation and transfer will continue.
3. Embryo cultivation and selection
The successfully fertilized eggs will be incubated in a specific medium. The culture time is usually 3 to 5 days, and the quantity and quality of embryos cultivated will affect the subsequent transfer effect.
During the incubation period, the doctor will evaluate the development of each embryo and select the most promising embryo for transplantation. This selection is usually based on the appearance, development speed, quality and other indicators of the embryo, and doctors will make personalized evaluation and selection according to the patient's situation.
4. Embryo transfer and follow-up
After embryo cultivation, the most promising embryos will be selected for transplantation. During the transfer process, the doctor will use a thin tube to put the embryo directly into the woman's uterus. This process usually does not require anesthesia and does not have too much impact on daily life.
After transplantation, the woman needs to wait for a period of time for embryo implantation and pregnancy. In the process of waiting, patients usually take some routine hormone therapy to promote the stable development of pregnancy.
Summary
The process of IVF involves many steps, such as ovulation promotion and egg collection, sperm treatment and fertilization, embryo cultivation and selection, and embryo transfer. These steps need to be professionally operated and accurately evaluated by doctors to ensure the success of IVF. Although the process of IVF is more complicated, it provides many couples with the opportunity to realize their reproductive dreams and brings hope to couples who cannot conceive naturally.
