IVF
IVF involves removing mature eggs from ovaries and fertilizing them in a laboratory with sperm. After that, a uterus receives the fertilized egg (embryo) or eggs (embryos).
Stages
- Suppressing the natural cycle – suppression of your menstrual cycle with medicine
- Increase the number of eggs they produce – medication to encourage your ovaries to make more than one egg at a time
- Maturing the eggs and monitoring the progress – an ultrasound scan to examine the development of the eggs and medicine to help them mature
- Collection of the eggs – insertion of a needle through the vagina into the ovaries to remove the eggs
- Fertilization of the eggs – mixing the eggs with sperm for a few days to allow fertilization
- Transferring the embryo – one or two fertilized eggs (embryos) placed into your womb
To determine whether the procedure was successful, you must wait two weeks after the embryo(s) fixation in your womb before performing a pregnancy test.
Success rate
The age of the woman undergoing treatment and infertility’s underlying cause (if known) affect IVF’s likelihood of success.
A successful pregnancy is more likely to occur in younger women. Since the chances of a successful pregnancy are generally low, IVF is typically not advised for women over 42.
The percentage of IVF treatments that resulted in live birth:
- 4% for women aged over 44
- 32% for women under 35
- 25% for women aged 35 to 37
- 19% for women aged 38 to 39
- 11% for women aged 40 to 42
- 5% for women aged 43 to 44
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD
Page last reviewed: 04 October 2022