What are the medical technologies of IVF?
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a method for couples who cannot conceive naturally through assisted reproductive technology. In IVF medical technology, there are four main technical achievements, including in vitro fertilization, embryo culture, embryo selection and embryo implantation.
In vitro fertilization
In vitro fertilization is one of the key steps in IVF medical technology. In the process of in vitro fertilization, the doctor will take out her eggs from the female body through surgery, combine them with the male sperm in the laboratory, and then cultivate the fertilized eggs.
First, women need to conduct ultrasound guided ovarian puncture to extract mature eggs from the ovary. Then, the doctor will take out the egg and male sperm for in vitro fertilization. This can be done by placing eggs and sperm in a culture dish, or by injecting sperm into eggs using micromanipulation techniques. After fertilization, the doctor will observe the formation of the fertilized egg.
With the development of in vitro fertilization technology, couples who cannot conceive in a natural way have more choices and hopes. However, this process requires careful operation and professional equipment, so only hospitals with professional training and certification can perform IVF surgery.
Embryo culture
Embryo culture is another important part of IVF medical technology. After in vitro fertilization, the fertilized eggs will be cultured in the laboratory until they reach the development stage suitable for implantation into the uterus.
Embryo culture usually uses culture dish, culture medium and corresponding incubator. The incubator can provide appropriate temperature, humidity and gas environment to simulate the conditions in the female uterus. Petri dishes provide a platform suitable for embryo growth. The culture medium contains nutrients needed for embryo growth.
The development of embryo culture technology enables doctors to better understand the development of the fertilized egg and select the most promising embryo for implantation. At the same time, the development of embryo culture has also improved the success rate of IVF.
Embryonic selection
Embryo selection is an important technology in IVF medical technology, which aims to screen the embryos most likely to be successfully implanted and develop into healthy infants.
Embryo selection can be carried out in a variety of ways, including genetic testing, morphological evaluation and genetic screening. Genetic testing can detect the genome of an embryo to screen out embryos carrying abnormal genes or genetic diseases. Morphological evaluation is to select embryos with normal appearance and good development by observing the development of embryos in culture dishes. Genetic screening tests whether an embryo carries certain gene mutations by taking a small number of cells.
The development of embryo selection technology enables doctors to better select healthy embryos for implantation, improve the success rate of IVF, and reduce the risk of transmission of some genetic diseases.
Embryo implantation
Embryo implantation is the last step of IVF medical technology. The screened embryos are implanted into women's uterus to achieve pregnancy and pregnancy development.
Embryo implantation is usually carried out through intrauterine or intrauterine catheters. Doctors will use ultrasound-guided catheters to send embryos into a woman's uterus. This process is usually carried out in the operating room, which requires strict aseptic operation and precise operation skills.
With the development of embryo implantation technology, the success rate of IVF continues to improve, bringing hope to couples who cannot conceive through natural means. However, the success rate of embryo implantation is still affected by many factors, including the status of female endometrium, embryo quality, etc.
summary
The medical technology of IVF involves in vitro fertilization, embryo culture, embryo selection and embryo implantation, and each aspect has its key technical achievements. With the continuous development of these technologies, the success rate of IVF continues to increase, which brings hope to those couples who cannot conceive by natural means.
