July 11, 2008
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In Vitro Fertilization literally means ?fertilization in glass?, hence the familiar name of ?test tube baby?. Eggs are fertilized in a laboratory dish with sperm and then place inside the woman?s womb. Women who use In Vitro Fertilization are often recommended this method when others have failed or because they are older.
Methods of IVF will invariably differ a little from clinic to clinic but should proceed along these lines. At the start of your treatment your doctor gives you drugs to block the hormones your pituitary gland usually produces during your monthly cycle. The reason for this is so the physician has improved control over when your eggs are produced. Further drugs are given to ensure your ovaries create more than a single egg.
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Vaginal ultrasound scans are carried out to monitor your developing eggs along with blood tests to chart the rising levels of estrogen produced by the eggs. Another hormone injection will be given when the tests show the time is right to help the 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. To collect the eggs, ultrasound guidance is used and as it takes about half an hour, either drugs or a general anesthetic is given which may make you feel drowsy.
Next the man must produce some fresh sperm at about the same time as the eggs are collected. The health of the sperm is important so after a short storage period they are spun at high speed after being washed so only the healthiest and most active are used. Donated sperm is kept in the freezer but the same method to prepare it is used. After the eggs and sperm have been collected they are left to mix in a laboratory dish for between 16 and 20 hours and then inspected to see whether fertilization has taken place. Any that haven?t, or any that have fertilized abnormally, are discarded and the remaining embryos are then left for another 24-48 hours before being checked again.
Two days after your eggs have been collected; you are given an injection, gel or pessaries to help prepare the lining of your womb.
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