IVF
IVF Procedure Informaton
IVF, which stands for in vitro fertilization, is a method in which scientific technology helps women who are having trouble getting pregnant. The term "in vitro" is Latin and means "in glass", which refers to the fact that the IVF procedure involves the fertilization of an egg outside of the woman’s body, traditionally in a glass container such as a petri dish. Today, the use of the term in vitro still lingers, even though many different methods of performing IVF are used, some of which no longer use glass containers. Generally, IVF is indicated when a woman is biologically capable of producing eggs and carrying a baby in her womb, but is having trouble with her fallopian tubes or difficulty with the fertilization and implantation process.
In the IVF procedure, a woman usually takes a small dose of a follicle stimulating or fertility stimulating medication in order to induce her to ovulate and produce several eggs. Then, in a simple, non-invasive procedure usually taking place in the doctor’s office without the need for anesthetic, these eggs can be removed from her body. In the laboratory, the harvested eggs are combined with sperm and if all goes well, one or more eggs are fertilized successfully and can then be transferred to the woman’s body.
Often times, a couple is able to use their own sperm and eggs for the IVF procedure. However, sometimes, medical testing ends up finding some kind of problem with either the eggs, sperm, or both that would prevent successful fertilization. In these cases, the couple may have the option of using an egg or sperm donor. Some couples prefer to use an anonymous donor, while others use the egg or sperm of a friend or family member. If IVF is successful, a baby will grow in the woman's womb just as in a natural pregnancy, but the baby will have some of the genetic material of a donor.