F O R   P A T I E N T S – ivf-et
IVF-ET is the most commonly used assisted reproductive technology service. It involves

To view diagrams of this procedure, click here.

collecting a couple's eggs and sperm and placing them together in a laboratory dish to fertilize outside of the body. The fertilized eggs are then transferred into the uterus, or womb, where implantation and embryo development may occur. The eggs are transferred by placing a small catheter directly into the uterus.

Benefits of IVF-ET

• IVF-ET lets physicians know whether the eggs have actually been fertilized by sperm. If fertilization fails, various changes can be made during a future attempt to create an embryo.
• IVF-ET is used for women without functioning fallopian tubes since the fertilized eggs are placed directly into the uterus.

The IVF-ET procedure involves four stages

1. Ovarian Stimulation: With a normal menstrual cycle, a single egg develops each month. To have as many eggs as possible available for fertilization and transfer, you will be given a combination of medications to help the ovaries create several Follicles. Follicles are the areas in the ovaries where eggs develop. Eventually, the Follicles rupture, each releasing one egg.

   How this process works: You will receive injections of a medication that temporarily stops the production of hormones which your body naturally makes to stimulate the ovaries. When blood tests confirm that the drug has worked, you will begin a 10-12 day series of injections to achieve the growth of several Follicles. Blood tests and ultrasounds monitor Follicle growth. When the Follicles reach the right size, you will receive an injection of hCG. hCG is a drug which helps the eggs mature.

2. Egg Retrieval: Egg retrieval takes place about 36 hours after hCG is given. It is a minor surgical procedure which takes about 30 minutes and requires general anesthesia. A vaginal ultrasound probe guides your physician in placing a needle through the vaginal wall and extracting the eggs from the Follicles. The eggs are then incubated alone for about four to five hours.

3. Fertilization: Prior to egg retrieval, a semen sample is collected from your partner. Using various laboratory techniques, several thousand of the strongest and most active sperm are added to each dish with the egg for potential insemination. The sperm and eggs are incubated at body temperature and checked for fertilization 16 to 18 hours later. Embryos are kept in the laboratory for 48-60 hours until they are ready to be placed in the uterus.

4. Embryo Transfer: Two to five days after retrieval, the embryos are transferred into your uterus by a thin plastic tube. This procedure is quick and painless. Pregnancy testing is done about 14 days after egg retrieval.