IVF stands for In-vitro Fertilization, which is an assisted reproductive technique (ART) that involves the fertilization of an egg with a sperm outside of a woman’s body in a laboratory setting. It is used to treat infertility and to support surrogacy. 

Procedure

The five steps in IVF are:

1. Stimulation or Superovulation: During IVF, doctors inject drugs into a woman to produce several eggs within a month. The eggs are examined regularly to select the healthiest one for the next process.
2. Egg Retrieval: eggs are collected from the women body through a minor surgery called follicular aspiration. A thin needle is inserted through the vagina and into the ovaries and follicles containing the eggs using ultrasound images as the guide. A suction device is connected to the needle and pulls the egg and fluid from each follicle one by one. Simultaneously sperms are collected from semen sample and washed to remove inactive cells.
3. Egg Fertilisation: The female egg is incubated with the male sperm, and the egg is fertilised with the sperm. In most cases, the sperm enters the egg, and inseminated with the egg. However, in cases of low sperm motility, the sperm is injected directly into the egg using a technique called ICSI
4. Formation of embryo: the fertilized egg divides many times to form an embryo. The growth of the embryo is observed under laboratory and after 4-5 days the embryos are cryopresevered. 
5. Final Embryo Transfer: After considering all medical conditions, doctor transfer one or two healthy embryos into the uterus. This is done through a catheter that goes up the woman’s cervical and vaginal walls. The embryo is then placed in the uterus and is able to stick to the lining, resulting in pregnancy. 

Why IVF

IVF can be used to treat a variety of infertility conditions, such as advanced maternal age, damaged/blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, male factor infertility, decreased sperm count, blockage, PCOD and unexplained infertility.

Risks of IVF

IVF does not always lead to pregnancy, and the process can be physically, emotionally and economically challenging. It is recommended that you receive counselling to assist you through the IVF process.

There is a variety of health risks associated with IVF, such as:

• Side effects (hot flushes, headaches, etc.)
• Multiple births (e.g., twins, triplets, etc.).
• Ectopic pregnancy (embryo implants in fallopian tubes instead of in the uterus).
• Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS): When your ovaries overreacts to the medications used during your IVF treatment.

After the Procedure

After embryo transfer, you may be advised to rest for 2-3 days. You may not need to go to bed completely unless you are at an increased risk of post-embryo shock syndrome (OHSS). Most women are able to resume normal activities the following day.

For women who undergo IVF, daily progesterone injections or pills are required for 8-10 weeks after embryo transfer. The hormone progesterone is naturally produced by the ovaries and helps prepare the uterine lining for an embryo to attach. It also helps the embryo grow and settle in the uterus.

About 12-14 days after embryo transfer, you can take a pregnancy test. Contact your provider immediately if you had an IVF procedure and have:

• a fever over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius)
• pelvic pain
• heavy bleeding from your vagina
• blood in your urine

Benefits of IVF

Although IVF is not the only treatment for infertility, it offers several safe advantages for most people.

• High success rate of pregnancy: IVF has been proven to increase the chances of conception in women over 30 years of age. IVF offers the highest rate of success for all infertility problems. Over time, women’s eggs become less and less fertile due to natural aging. Only the most suitable eggs are chosen for the IVF procedure.
• Help overcome infertility in both men and women: IVF involves egg retrieval and sperm or donor egg and sperm.
• Less chance of miscarriage: IVF uses advanced technology to ensure the integrity of embryos before they are transferred to the uterus
• Open to All: IVF is open to any man or woman who may not have the chance to become parents. Whether you’re a same-sex couple, an infertile woman, or a single person, IVF can provide you with the same opportunity. You can choose to use donated eggs/sperms for IVF or can go for surrogacy.
• IVF can help improve your chances of having a healthy baby: With the help of IVF therapy, PGT can be tested for genetic decay within the embryo prior to being transplanted into the uterus.
• You can cryopreserve the eggs or sperms for future and later you can choose the right time for pregnancy through IVF 
• Surrogacy is also possible only due to IVF technique.