What are the Five Stages of IVF Treatment You Must Know?
Becoming a parent is one of the biggest joys in life. Sadly, not all couples can give birth to children normally. However, advances in medical science have been helping such couples to enjoy parenthood after all, with modern fertility treatment measures such as IVF. In vitro fertilization (IVF) has become a revolutionary, effective technology that helps couples conceive successfully.
Five Stages of IVF Treatment
Want to know what are the stages of IVF treatment? The IVF Treatment process comprises 5 important stages. Read on and find out about them.
Stage 1: Medication
In this stage, the woman who wants to have a baby is administered with hormone injections. It aims to stimulate a healthy environment in the body for egg development. With IVF, she can produce more eggs than would have been possible in a normal month.
In a standard ovulatory month, one egg is ovulated. When IVF is used, infertility doctors aim to get 10 – 15 eggs ovulated.
Stage 2: Harvesting The Eggs
When this happens, the woman is given sedatives and under the effects, a minor surgery is conducted on her. Eggs are gathered from her ovaries and retrieved trans-vaginally.
Over a transvaginal ultrasound, a needle is passed with the help of a small needle guide. This is done for the removal of fluid from the follicles. Sperm collection is done by her male partner on the same day. IVF doctors in Kolkata can guide both partners during the entire stage.
Stage 3: Fertilization
Once the sperm and the egg are collected, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) or other fertilization technologies are used in a lab setting to combine them.
Stage 4: Embryo Culture
The embryos are then put in a state of observation by embryologists. They keep a watch as the embryos divide from 2 to 4 and 8 cells. Embryologists keep observing them as they continue to grow in number. At times, the growth occurs for up to 5 days at the blastocyst stage. During that stage, there are as many as 100 – 125 cells.
Stage 5: Embryo Transfer
At the time of embryo transfer, the uterus is observed with ultrasound. A small catheter is passed through the cervix into the uterine cavity. Then, embryos are inserted into the uterus. This is the most crucial stage of IVF. Embryo health and successful implantation in the uterus depend on how accurately the transfer happens. Any biological factor or improper timing can affect the success of the process.
After 10 days, the woman comes back to the clinic. A blood test reveals whether or not she has got pregnant. If the test is found to be positive, this concludes the process.
At the best infertility center in Kolkata, IVF treatment is conducted with proper care, in a completely hygienic environment. Couples do not have to worry about infection or other health risks at any stage of undergoing the process. They can have maximum chances of a successful outcome and even in any adverse case, knowledgeable infertility doctors can guide them on what to do next.