In the IVF process, a doctor can give multiple hormonal injections to the woman for egg maturation when the eggs are in ovaries.
In the IVF process, a doctor can give multiple hormonal injections to the woman for egg maturation when the eggs are in ovaries. In IVM procedure, mature the eggs after retrieving from the ovaries. So, it is not required to give a hormonal injection to the woman for egg maturation. This is a good option for women with existing reproductive issues, a woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) problems, or woman in remission or recovery from cancer due to side effects from an influx of hormones.
In one month period, IVF patients will take hormone injections and 5 blood tests and 3 ultrasounds. The new IVM procedure requires transvaginal ultrasounds, a couple of blood tests less than a week. There are small doses of hormones are given to IVM patients. They are scaled back 90% less than what IVF patients take. In IVM, the hormones are typically available in a pill or suppository. IVM cost is much lower than IVF.
The process of IVM and IVF are the same after the process of egg retrieval and maturation. In both procedures, eggs and sperms are placed in a dish or choose ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) to fertilize the eggs manually.
Steps Involved with IVM process
Step 1: Taking some ultrasounds and blood test to determine the exact time of egg retrieval. The woman may take hormones prior to the procedure in suppository or pill form.
Step 2: Once the egg extraction is occurring, immature eggs are collected with little no ovarian stimulation through a minor surgical process. Ultrasound imaging is helped to guide a hollow needle through a pelvic cavity to collect the eggs. Medication is provided to the patient to remove and reduce the discomfort.
Step 3: In the OLD IVM process, the immature eggs are taking in a cell and stimulate with hormones until they get matured. In new IVM process, the immature eggs are placed in a cell and stimulate with c-AMP or cumuli until they get mature. Both old and new procedure may take 24 to 48 hours.
Step 4: In most of the cases, ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is used to fertilize the eggs manually.
Step 5: After the egg fertilization, the doctor will insert 1 or 4 embryos into the uterus through a minor surgical procedure.
Step 6: If the cycle succeeds, the pregnant woman will move her care to an OB/GYN. If the cycle is failed, the woman or couple is going to another IVM cycle.
IVF Treatment Process
One IVF cycle takes 4 weeks to complete. After placing the embryo into the uterus, the pregnancy test is performed. Basic health check-up is required while doing this IVF cycle. This assessment generally included hormonal assay, pelvic ultrasound, catheter trial, uterine cavity assessment, semen culture & analysis, and laparoscopy.
This process is done according to the age of the woman, ovarian reserve and hormonal profile. Below is the step by step procedure of IVF treatment
Step 1: Day 1 of the period
The first day of the IVF cycle begins on day 1 of your period. Everyone’s body is different and a fertility specialist will help you to understand how to identify day 1.
Step 2: Stimulation Phase
In day 1, the stimulation phase is started. In the menstrual cycle, the ovaries will produce 1 egg. You will take medications for 8 to 14 days to stimulate the follicles in your ovaries to release more eggs.
The fertility specialist will give specific medications and treatment plan. It is given in the form of injections which can vary from 1 to 2 per cycle or 1 to 2 per day. Your fertility specialist will help you to show how and where to give the injections. Your partner also allowed watching and learning about this treatment. The hormones used for stimulating the ovaries are:
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
The fertility specialist will observe how follicles are developing with ultrasounds and blood tests. A transvaginal probe is inserted into your uterus. The fertility doctor will track the end of the stimulation phase to give the trigger injection perfectly.
The trigger injections get the eggs that are ready for ovulation. The fertility specialist will schedule the retrieval of eggs before you ovulate.
Step 3: Egg Retrieval
Egg retrieval is a procedure where the eggs are collected from your ovaries. The doctor will give you anesthesia while doing this procedure. It will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes.
The IVF specialist uses the latest ultrasound technology to insert a needle into each ovary. It is a difficult process where a fertility specialist can only do this procedure. One cannot see an egg with an eye. They contain fluid in the follicles within the ovaries. The IVF specialist removes the fluid from the follicles.
The fertility specialist has an idea about how many eggs are there before retrieval with the help of ultrasounds. The average number of eggs collected from the ovaries is 8 to 15.
Step 4: Sperm
If you are a couple and want to use fresh sperm, the male partner will produce the sperm after the egg retrieval. If you are using frozen or donor’s sperm, then the team will provide the tested sperm.
The sperm is quality is measured at 4 different levels. These sperms are washed in a special mixture and select the best on by using a microscope. A perfect sperm is not too thin or fat with a tail not too short or long. The best sperm is chosen and stored in the lap to be introduced to the egg.
Step 5: Fertilization
The fertility specialists will give the retrieved eggs which are still in the follicles of the ovaries to the scientists. The scientists then use a powerful microscope to find the eggs and remove the fluid.
The eggs and sperms are placed in a dish. So, they fertilize naturally.
Step 6: Embryo Development
If a sperm fertilizes the egg, it will become the embryo. The scientists then put the embryo into an incubator for good development and growth.
The scientists will keep an eye on this embryo over 5 to 6 days. Not all eggs are fertilized. The strong sperm and matured egg will be fertilized. The fertility specialists will give updates on embryo development.
Step 7: Embryo Transfer
If the embryo is developed, then it will be placed in your uterus. The embryo transfer is very simple. It takes r minute. In this procedure, No anesthesia will give you.
Step 8: Final Blood Test
After 2 weeks of your embryo transfer, you will have a blood test to check the HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone levels. HCG in your blood will be a positive sign of your pregnancy test.
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