Steps of IVF
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a kind of assisted reproductive technology, which is used to help couples who cannot conceive naturally achieve their fertility aspirations. The following details the main steps that IVF needs to go through.
1. Ovulation induction
The first step of IVF is to promote female ovulation through drug treatment. During the treatment, doctors will monitor the ovarian function of women and adjust the dosage of drugs according to the monitoring results. Usually, doctors will choose to give ovulation promoting drugs to stimulate ovarian development and follicle growth, and regularly check the size and number of follicles.
Once the follicle has reached the proper size, the doctor will prepare for egg collection. The usual method is to combine ultrasound guidance and hormone monitoring to ensure that the collection is carried out at the best time.
Some women may need to take hormones to help adjust ovarian function and ovulation time, so as to improve the success rate of IVF.
2. Egg collection
Egg collection is one of the key steps in IVF process. This process is often carried out in the operating room, and the patient is under mild anesthesia. The doctor uses a slender needle guided by ultrasound to suck the follicular fluid in the ovary and transfer it to a culture dish for culture.
The collected eggs will then be sent to the laboratory for further processing to prepare to combine with male sperm for fertilization and embryo culture.
3. Fertilization and embryo culture
In the laboratory, doctors combine sperm and eggs for fertilization. This can be achieved either by conventional fertilization or by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). ICSI technology is a method of injecting a single sperm into an egg to solve male infertility or other fertilization problems.
After fertilization, the eggs will be cultured in the laboratory. The culture time is usually 3-5 days, during which the doctor will closely monitor the development of the embryo to assess its quality and development potential. Only when the embryo is well developed will doctors choose to implant it into a woman's uterus.
4. Embryo implantation and pregnancy observation
Embryo implantation is one of the last steps of IVF. In this process, doctors use a thin tube to implant the embryo into a woman's uterus and wait for the pregnancy result. The common method is intrauterine injection guided by transvaginal ultrasound, which can enable doctors to accurately place the embryo in the appropriate position.
After implantation, the patient needs to conduct pregnancy observation to ensure that the embryo is successfully implanted and develops into a healthy fetus. Doctors usually arrange blood or urine tests to detect early indicators of pregnancy, such as progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels.
summary
IVF is a complex medical technology, involving multiple steps such as ovulation induction, egg collection, fertilization, embryo culture, embryo implantation and pregnancy observation. Each step requires accurate operation and strict monitoring to improve the success rate and ensure the health of mothers and infants. However, although IVF technology has been widely used in many hospitals, the situation and results of each couple may be different. Therefore, before receiving IVF treatment, couples are advised to conduct thorough consultation and evaluation with their doctors to understand their personal situation and possible risks and effects.
