IVF Products

Most people know the term ‘test tube baby’ but the correct name for this process is ‘In Vitro fertilization’. Eggs are removed from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory dish before being placed in the woman’s womb. Many older women use In Vitro Fertilization as it is a recommended procedure for them, also if there is a blockage in the tubes, unexplained infertility or if other methods have failed.

Techniques of In Vitro Fertilization differ from clinic to clinic but a typical pattern of treatment might go like this: The first thing your doctor will do is to stop the hormones released by the pituitary gland during your period by the use of other drugs. This allows them better control over when your eggs are produced. Further drugs are given to ensure your ovaries create more than a single egg.

Houston IVF...

Estrogen levels produced by the eggs are monitored to ensure they rise, using vaginal ultrasound scans and blood tests. As soon as the tests show that the time is right, you will have another injection of a different hormone to help your eggs mature. The reason for this is that the eggs will be collected between 34 and 38 hours later, even if it is the middle of the night. Collecting the eggs takes about 30 minutes and is carried out using ultrasound guidance so often either drugs or a general anesthetic is given to make you feel more relaxed.

It is now the male’s job to ensure that a fresh sperm sample is ready. After a short storage period the sperm are washed and spun at high speed to enable the most active and healthiest to be chosen. If you are using donated sperm, the sample is taken from the freezer and prepared in the same way. The process then continues with the eggs and sperm left for 16 to 20 hours in a laboratory dish to mix and after that period, checked to see if they have fertilized. Any embryo’s that have fertilized abnormally or not at all, are discarded, then those remaining are left for another 24 to 48 hours prior to a final check.

In order to help prepare your womb, pessaries, gel or an injection are given two days after your eggs have been collected.

Houston IVF

Technorati Tags: ivf doctors, natural ivf, ivf success