How long does the IVF treatment cycle take?
IVF is an assisted reproductive technology. For those couples who cannot conceive naturally, it provides an opportunity to hope to have their own children. However, the IVF treatment cycle requires a series of steps and time. The schedule of IVF treatment cycle will be elaborated from four aspects.
Infant screening and evaluation stage
Before the start of IVF treatment cycle, doctors will conduct a comprehensive physical examination and infant screening for couples to assess possible disease risks. This process usually takes several weeks. First, the doctor will provide a detailed questionnaire to the couple to understand their medical history and the risk of genetic diseases. Then, the doctor will conduct physical examination, including blood and urine tests, to ensure that the couple's physical condition is suitable for IVF treatment. Finally, doctors will conduct genetic counseling and genetic testing to assess the risk of any possible genetic disease.
The whole baby screening and evaluation phase usually takes 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the couple's personal conditions and hospital arrangements.
Operation stage of ovulation induction and egg collection
When the screening and evaluation phase of the baby is successfully completed, the next step is to promote ovulation and collect eggs. At this stage, women will receive a series of ovulation promoting drugs to increase egg production. This process usually takes several weeks. Doctors regularly monitor the growth and development of eggs, and use ultrasound and blood tests to determine the best collection time.
Egg collection is usually performed within 36 hours after ovulation. This is a simple surgical procedure and requires local anesthesia. Doctors use a needle to pass through a woman's vaginal wall, enter the ovary, and extract the eggs. The whole procedure usually takes only a few minutes. Then, the egg will combine with the sperm in the laboratory for in vitro fertilization.
The operation phase of ovulation induction and egg collection usually takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Embryo culture and transfer stage
After the egg is fertilized, the embryo is cultured in the laboratory. This process usually takes three to five days. Doctors will closely monitor the development of embryos to select the healthiest and most promising embryos. Generally, only the best embryos will be selected for transplantation.
Embryo transfer is a simple process, usually carried out on the 3rd to 5th day of embryo culture. The doctor will use a thin tube to put the embryo into the woman's uterus. This process usually requires no anesthesia and is very fast. After embryo transfer, women will continue to take some drugs to help implantation and maintain pregnancy.
The embryo culture and transfer phase usually takes 1 to 2 weeks.
Pregnancy detection and evaluation stage
After embryo transfer, couples need to wait several weeks for pregnancy testing. This stage is usually the longest period of time. Before the pregnancy test, women usually continue to take drugs to maintain pregnancy. Once pregnancy occurs, blood tests can be performed to confirm the pregnancy and further evaluate the progress of pregnancy.
The time of the whole pregnancy detection and evaluation phase depends on the pregnancy results and the doctor's advice. If the pregnancy is successful, the couple will continue to receive routine prenatal examination and pregnancy care. If the pregnancy is unsuccessful, the couple can choose to resume IVF treatment.
To sum up, the treatment cycle of IVF usually takes several months. From the infant screening and evaluation stage to the pregnancy detection and evaluation stage, each stage requires time and patience. However, for those couples who aspire to become parents, this time and effort are worth it.
