STAGES OF IVF PROCEDURES:

Normally the IVF procedure is comprised of the following stages:

1. INVESTIGATION

Investigations is the 1st step in the IVF procedure. A thorough investigation of the male and female is done to rule out any hormonal imbalance or deficiencies, like thyroid, vitamin D, hemoglobin, urine and blood sugar, etc.

The following tests are done before starting the IVF cycle:

1. FSH/LH /prolactin, TSH, and E2.
2. Vitamin D.
3. CBC.
4. Random blood sugar.
5. Viral markers like HIV, Australia antigen, Hepatitis C, and VDRL.
6. Rubella.
7. Urine routine and culture.
8. Husband semen analysis.

Once the investigations have been completed, IVF treatment is initiated on the 2nd day of the menstrual cycle to improve the probability of success.

2. OVARIAN STIMULATION

The ovarian stimulation stage consists of follicular monitoring, which is a series of ultrasounds carried out to monitor the ovarian follicles, and the reason why we monitor them is to evaluate the mutation of eggs and document the pathway to ovulation.

For this stage, small subcutaneous injections are prescribed to be taken every day for the next 9-10 days. At the same time, follicular monitoring and hormone tests are done 2 to 3 times for 10 days.
If there is an increase in the thickness of the endometrium, hormone levels, and signs of egg maturation are displayed, then it is considered a good sign.
After strict monitoring, the trigger injection is given which provides final maturation to the eggs, and it will be retrieved after 34 to 36 hours of triggering the Injection.

3. EGG RETRIEVAL

The timing of egg retrieval is very crucial, as otherwise eggs can be released in the abdomen if delayed. The egg retrieval is done in IVF OT under strict aseptic precautions. General anesthesia is given for 10 to 15 minutes, and the follicular fluid is sucked with the help of a machine. Eggs are retrieved from the ovaries with the help of a vaginal ultrasound machine. They are identified from the follicular fluid and kept in the culture media, so the egg retrieval process is complete.

4. FERTILIZATION

In the fertilization process, the selected eggs are mixed with washed semen samples provided by the husband. Once the fertilization process is completed, the prepared dish in which eggs and sperm are fertilized is kept in the incubator for 2 to 3 days. A regular check of these embryos such as their quality and numbers is done. Once the good quality of embryos is identified the next process starts, which is embryo transfer.

5. EMBRYO TRANSFER

Embryo transfer is a simple painless procedure and is done under ultrasound guidance which takes 5 to 10 minutes. Before the embryo transfer is performed, the quality and quantity of the embryos are obtained after the discussion with the couple. Once the couple gives consent regarding the number of embryos to be retained, the rest of the embryos can be frozen for subsequent use.

6. PREGNANCY TEST

By the end of the procedure, a blood test is performed for pregnancy. The doctor will run a blood test to determine the pregnancy and, if so, the test will be repeated in 2 days. As long as your blood hormone level (hCG) is rising appropriately, a vaginal ultrasound is scheduled approximately 3 weeks later to view the health of the pregnancy.