In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
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(608) 824-6160
(888) 474-3933
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Generations Fertility Care in Madison, Wisconsin offers in vitro fertilization (IVF), a medical technique used to help a woman become pregnant.
Typically, other forms of assisted reproductive methods are used, if possible. before trying an IVF.
Steps Involved in an IVF Cycle
Once a couple decides to undergo an IVF procedure, there are several steps involved in the process. As with any medical procedure, there are certain risks involved and pregnancy is not a guaranteed result. Your physician will discuss the IVF procedure and its risks with you.
The following is a brief overview of an IVF cycle.
Stimulation
Medicines, commonly called fertility drugs, are given to the woman to boost her egg production beginning approximately one month prior to the actual procedure.
Normally, a woman produces one egg per month. Fertility drugs tell the ovaries to produce several eggs. During this step, the woman will have regular transvaginal ultrasounds to examine the ovaries and blood tests to check hormone levels.
Egg retrieval
A minor surgery, called follicular aspiration, is done to remove the eggs from the woman's body. The surgery is normally done as an outpatient procedure in the clinic. Patients will be given pain medication to minimize any discomfort.
Using ultrasound images as a guide, the doctor will insert a thin needle through the vagina and into the ovary and sacs (follicles) containing the eggs. The needle is connected to a suction device, which pulls the eggs and fluid out of each follicle, one at a time. The procedure is repeated for the other ovary. Patients may experience some cramping after the surgery, but it usually goes away within a day.
Insemination and Fertilization
The man's sperm is placed together with the best quality eggs and stored in an environmentally controlled chamber. The mixing of the sperm and egg is called insemination. The sperm usually enters (fertilizes) an egg a few hours after insemination.
The man's sperm is placed together with the best quality eggs and stored in an environmentally controlled chamber. The mixing of the sperm and egg is called insemination. The sperm usually enters (fertilizes) an egg a few hours after insemination.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be used to aid the fertilization process. During ICSI, the sperm is washed and the best quality sperm are selected. These sperm are then injected directly into the egg.
Embryo Culture
When the fertilized egg divides, it becomes an embryo. The lab director, Jeffrey Jones, will call you with updates on how the embryos are developing and their quality.
The embryos are graded as they develop. Grades are determined by how the embryos are dividing, their shape and overall quality. The best embryos will be used for embryo transfer.
Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis
Couples who have a high risk of passing a genetic (hereditary) disorder to a child may consider pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The procedure is done about 3 - 4 days after fertilization. Embryologists remove a single cell from each embryo and screen the material for specific genetic disorders.
Embryo Transfer
At Generations Fertility Care, embryos are transferred 3-5 days after egg retrieval. The quality of embryos can change as they develop. Waiting until day five can help better determine which are the highest quality embryos.
The transfer procedure is performed in the clinic while the woman is awake. The doctor inserts a thin tube (catheter) containing the embryos into the woman's vagina, through the cervix, and up into the womb.
After transfer, if an embryo sticks to (implants) in the lining of the womb and grows, pregnancy results.
Recovery
After embryo transfer, the woman may be told to rest for the remainder of the day. Most women return to normal activities the next day.
Women who undergo IVF must take the hormone progesterone for 8 - 10 weeks after the embryo transfer. Progesterone is a hormone produced naturally by the ovaries that helps thicken the lining of the uterus. This makes it easier for the embryo to implant.
About 12 -14 days after the embryo transfer, the woman will return to the clinic for a pregnancy test.
