In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

What is in vitro fertilization (IVF)?

IVF is a procedure in which a woman’s eggs are fertilized with sperm in vitro (in the laboratory). The fertilized eggs are then transferred into the mother’s uterus or frozen and preserved for a future IVF procedure.

Who is a good candidate for in vitro fertilization?

The team at NOVA IVF may recommend IVF for couples with infertility caused by conditions such as:

• Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes
• Ovulation disorders
• Pelvic adhesions
• Endometriosis
• Longstanding infertility (longer than two years)
• Decreasing egg quality due to age
• Low sperm count
• Azoospermia (lack of sperm in ejaculate)
• Sperm motility problems
• Unexplained infertility 

When male factor infertility is present, the team at NOVA IVF may perform additional procedures. For example, they may need to aspirate sperm from the testes or epididymis in men with a blockage or azoospermia. 

What happens during IVF?

During your IVF consultation, you spend 1-2 hours talking with your NOVA IVF provider. They provide a lot of information during your first visit that will help you throughout the IVF process, and they take the time to answer your questions.

Throughout your IVF, all the testing you need, such as tests to determine the number and quality of your eggs, is done in the office.

One full cycle of IVF goes through the following specific steps: 

Ovarian stimulation

You receive subcutaneous injections of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and LH (luteinizing hormone) to stimulate the production of multiple eggs. You take the medications for about 8-12 days. During that time you have several ultrasound examinations and blood tests to monitor the development of follicles in your ovaries. When the follicles reach the appropriate size, you receive an injection to trigger their maturation. 

Egg retrieval

About 35-37 hours after your final injection, your provider retrieves the mature eggs. Using ultrasound guidance, they insert a thin needle through the top of the vagina and into your ovary, and gently draw the mature eggs into the needle. 

Fertilization

Your eggs go to the lab, where they’re fertilized using your partner’s sperm or donated sperm. In a typical IVF, the eggs and sperm are placed together in a small dish and fertilization occurs naturally. If male factor infertility is a concern, the team performs intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). During ICSI, they inject a single, healthy sperm into the egg. 

Optional preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)

If you’d like to have the embryos tested for genetic and inherited disorders, the team at NOVA IVF can perform PGD by taking a few cells from the embryo. 

Embryo transfer

Around 2-5 days after egg retrieval, or after you receive the PGD results, the embryo is ready to be transferred to your uterus. Your doctor at NOVA IVF uses a thin tube to collect the embryos, then uses ultrasound guidance to insert the tube through your cervix and precisely place the eggs in your uterus.

Embryos that aren’t transferred are cryopreserved and stored in liquid nitrogen. If your embryo transfer is not successful, your next IVF procedure can be a frozen transfer using your preserved embryos.

If you have questions about in vitro fertilization, call NOVA IVF or schedule an appointment online.