The process of IVF: from fertilization to pregnancy
IVF technology is a kind of assisted reproductive technology to help couples who cannot conceive naturally realize their reproductive dreams. The process of IVF can be divided into hospital selection, ovulation promotion, oocyte retrieval and fertilization, embryo culture and transfer, and pregnancy and pregnancy care. Before officially entering the IVF process, both husband and wife need to fully understand and understand the relevant processes and precautions.
Select Hospital
First, both husband and wife need to choose a formal and qualified reproductive hospital for consultation and treatment. Some well-known reproductive hospitals in China, such as the Reproductive Medicine Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the Reproductive Medicine Center of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, etc. Choosing a suitable hospital and communicating face to face with doctors can help couples better understand the whole process of IVF and get professional advice and guidance.
In the process of hospital consultation, the doctor will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the physical conditions of both the husband and wife through detailed inquiry, physical examination and relevant examination reports to determine whether IVF technology is suitable. The doctor will also explain the principle and the whole process of IVF technology in detail, and answer the questions and concerns of both spouses.
Ovulation induction
After the doctor's evaluation and determination of the suitability of IVF technology, the couple will conduct ovulation induction therapy. Usually, women need to inject ovulation promoting drugs to stimulate ovarian development and discharge multiple mature eggs. This process requires accurate monitoring and adjustment by doctors, and usually requires multiple follow-up visits.
By monitoring the changes of follicle size and estrogen level in the blood, doctors can determine the best time to retrieve eggs. 24-36 hours before taking eggs, both husband and wife need to go to the hospital. The woman receives the egg taking operation, and the man provides sperm samples.
Egg taking and fertilization
The egg retrieval operation is generally carried out under general anesthesia. The doctor removes the mature eggs from the ovarian cyst through vaginal puncture. The egg retrieval operation usually takes dozens of minutes. Generally, the woman can be discharged on the same day. The eggs taken out will be quickly sent to the laboratory for fertilization.
The sperm samples provided by the man were treated professionally, and were artificially fertilized with the eggs taken out, or were fertilized using the minimally invasive single sperm injection technology (ICSI). After a period of culture, the successfully fertilized eggs will develop into embryos.
Embryo culture and transfer
The successfully fertilized embryos are cultured in the laboratory, and doctors will select the most promising embryos for transplantation according to the development of the embryos. Embryo transfer is a simple daytime operation. Doctors use catheters to transfer embryos into the woman's uterine cavity.
After embryo transfer, both husband and wife need to pay attention to rest and avoid overwork and mental stress. In the next two weeks, the woman needs adjuvant treatment with progesterone and other drugs to improve the success rate of embryo implantation. During this period, both husband and wife should keep happy, avoid excessive anxiety, and wait for the result of pregnancy.
Summary
The course of IVF includes hospital selection, ovulation promotion, oocyte retrieval and fertilization, embryo culture and transfer, and pregnancy and pregnancy care. The key steps to successfully realize IVF are to select a suitable hospital, strictly follow the doctor's instructions to conduct ovulation induction treatment, take eggs and fertilize them, select the most promising embryos for transplantation, and provide careful care during pregnancy.
The continuous development and improvement of IVF technology has brought new hope to those couples who cannot conceive naturally. But at the same time, it also requires both husband and wife to maintain a good attitude and patience throughout the process. Under the guidance of doctors and professional teams, the husband and wife work together and believe in the power of love, so they have the opportunity to realize their reproductive dreams.
