What Is IVF?
The term IVF means “Invitro Fertilisation”, Invitro is a Latin word for “in glass” and refers to the laboratory process of fertilising the egg in a glass or more commonly a plastic petri dish. The commonly used term “test tube baby” stems from earlier IVF scientists using test tubes in place of a petri dish.
IVF is used to overcome a large variety of fertility issues including blocked tubes, low sperm count or embryo selection.
Before we talk about the process of IVF there are a few terms you need to know the meaning of in order to understand it.
Ovaries
Ovaries are glads that sit on either side of the uterus connected by fallopian tubes and are the same size and shape of an almond.
Every month for most women a mature egg is produced inside the ovary, either the left or right and released from the ovary into the fallopian tube.
Folies
Inside the ovaries there are follicles which are commonly referred to as follies. Each follicle contains a group of cells with an immature egg in the centre. We are born with all of our follicles and will not produce more. During ovulation roughly 20 folicles are stimulated and begin the process to produce a mature egg. Only one egg (in most cases) is released. The remaining follicles are reabsorbed by the body.
By the time a women reaches adulthood she would have lost over half of her follicles as they are absorbed by the body. When people refer to the phrase “Your biological clock is ticking” they are referring to the loss of follicles and the fact they are not “unlimited”.
Ovulation begins with a drop in oestrogen levels, when there is a drop in oestrogen levels it signals the brain to increase its levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) this in turn tells the pituitary gland to increase its levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is the hormone that stimulates up to 20 follicles to begin the process of maturing an egg.
At the end of ovulation the dominant egg will be released and the remaining eggs and follicles will be absorbed by the body.
The IVF Process
The primary goal of the IVF process is to stimulate as many follicles as possible and to maintain them until they can be collected.
The first stage of the IVF process is to stimulate the production of eggs within the follicles. This is done with injections of FSH.
The second stage is to prevent the early release of eggs. When there is an LH (Luteinizing Hormone) surge in the body this is the follicles signal to release the egg. During IVF this needs to be stopped by using medication to prevent the surge in LH.
The third stage is to trigger the LH surge when the doctors are ready for collection. They do this with an injection of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin).
The fourth stage is collection of the eggs and sperm. This is done on average 36 hours after the injection of HCG. The collection is most commonly performed by a Vaginal Ultrasound guided Collection method. A vaginal ultrasound probe is inserted into the vagina with a hollow needle on the end. This needle is used to collect the fluid from the follicle, this fluid contains the mature egg. The procedure is generally done under sedation or a general anaesthetic.
The fifth stage is culturing the egg and sperm in the laboratory and takes anywhere from 2-5 days.
The sixth stage is transferring the embryo to the uterus is a simple procedure and does not require sedation or medication. The doctor with inject the embryo/s into through the cervix and into the uterus. Depending on the stage of your cycle will determine the need for medication.
Not all embryos are transferred and they excess embryos can in most cases be placed in frozen storage for later use.
The seventh stage is often the hardest, the two week wait until the pregnancy test. The doctor will perform a blood test at 14 days even if your regular period has arrived. During the IVF process there is a high chance of a false result with a home pregnancy test, so a blood test is the most accurate.
As with any medical procedure the process and details can vary. All doctors have their own techniques and timing so the above is only a guide. Please consult your IVF clinic to talk about their individual process and procedures.
IVF is used to overcome a large variety of fertility issues including blocked tubes, low sperm count or embryo selection.
Before we talk about the process of IVF there are a few terms you need to know the meaning of in order to understand it.
Ovaries
Ovaries are glads that sit on either side of the uterus connected by fallopian tubes and are the same size and shape of an almond.
Every month for most women a mature egg is produced inside the ovary, either the left or right and released from the ovary into the fallopian tube.
Folies
Inside the ovaries there are follicles which are commonly referred to as follies. Each follicle contains a group of cells with an immature egg in the centre. We are born with all of our follicles and will not produce more. During ovulation roughly 20 folicles are stimulated and begin the process to produce a mature egg. Only one egg (in most cases) is released. The remaining follicles are reabsorbed by the body.
By the time a women reaches adulthood she would have lost over half of her follicles as they are absorbed by the body. When people refer to the phrase “Your biological clock is ticking” they are referring to the loss of follicles and the fact they are not “unlimited”.
Ovulation begins with a drop in oestrogen levels, when there is a drop in oestrogen levels it signals the brain to increase its levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) this in turn tells the pituitary gland to increase its levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). FSH is the hormone that stimulates up to 20 follicles to begin the process of maturing an egg.
At the end of ovulation the dominant egg will be released and the remaining eggs and follicles will be absorbed by the body.
The IVF Process
The primary goal of the IVF process is to stimulate as many follicles as possible and to maintain them until they can be collected.
The first stage of the IVF process is to stimulate the production of eggs within the follicles. This is done with injections of FSH.
The second stage is to prevent the early release of eggs. When there is an LH (Luteinizing Hormone) surge in the body this is the follicles signal to release the egg. During IVF this needs to be stopped by using medication to prevent the surge in LH.
The third stage is to trigger the LH surge when the doctors are ready for collection. They do this with an injection of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin).
The fourth stage is collection of the eggs and sperm. This is done on average 36 hours after the injection of HCG. The collection is most commonly performed by a Vaginal Ultrasound guided Collection method. A vaginal ultrasound probe is inserted into the vagina with a hollow needle on the end. This needle is used to collect the fluid from the follicle, this fluid contains the mature egg. The procedure is generally done under sedation or a general anaesthetic.
The fifth stage is culturing the egg and sperm in the laboratory and takes anywhere from 2-5 days.
The sixth stage is transferring the embryo to the uterus is a simple procedure and does not require sedation or medication. The doctor with inject the embryo/s into through the cervix and into the uterus. Depending on the stage of your cycle will determine the need for medication.
Not all embryos are transferred and they excess embryos can in most cases be placed in frozen storage for later use.
The seventh stage is often the hardest, the two week wait until the pregnancy test. The doctor will perform a blood test at 14 days even if your regular period has arrived. During the IVF process there is a high chance of a false result with a home pregnancy test, so a blood test is the most accurate.
As with any medical procedure the process and details can vary. All doctors have their own techniques and timing so the above is only a guide. Please consult your IVF clinic to talk about their individual process and procedures.
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