In vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment is used to treat couples where one or both partners have complications that result in the female’s inability to get pregnant. IVF is only undertaken when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed and is therefore a last resort in fertility treatment.

In IVF, the fertilization process takes place outside of the body by removing the female egg and fertilizing it with the male sperm before replacing it into the female body again. IVF is usually used for women who have blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, resulting in infertility. It can also be used if the male has a low sperm count, but there are other fertility treatments available in these cases.

Procedure information
The eggs are removed from the women’s ovaries via surgical aspiration. This is carried out with a needle being inserted through the vagina into the ovary. General anesthetic is not required for this procedure, but a sedative may be given. The fluid is then examined in a laboratory to confirm the presence of eggs. The man then gives a semen sample (usually through masturbation) which the laboratory then extracts the sperm from before using it to attempt to fertilize the egg.

After about 18 hours, technicians can tell if the eggs are fertilized and if an embryo has begun to grow. If the eggs have been successfully fertilized, then they are placed into the womb by the doctor via a catheter (a long thin tube). It is necessary for the female to take hormone supplements over the next few weeks to increase the chances of the embryos attaching to the wall of the womb.

Recovery time
Due to the nature of IVF treatment, it is non invasive and therefore no recovery period is necessary. Patients will have to lie still for about an hour while the embryos are being placed into the womb. The patient is then free to go home, but must continue taking hormone supplements for a few weeks following the procedure.