In vitro fertilisation (IVF)

Clinics
VivaNeo

Austria, Vienna

CReATe Fertility Centre

Canada, Toronto

Srushti Fertility Centre

India, Chennai

Indigo Womens Center

India, Chennai

 

According to the definition of the World Health Organization “infertility is a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.” Infertility can affect both men and women. Today more and more people face this problem. Scientists try to search and develop more effective ways of infertility treatment. Nowdays modern medicine offers in vitro fertilization procedure or extracorporeal fertilization (IVF). 

IVF treatment involves the fertilization of an egg (or eggs) outside the body. Eggs are fertilized with partner’s or donor’s sperm to create an embryo.

IVF treatment can be performed using patients own eggs and sperm, or using either donated sperm or donated eggs, or both. 

IVF treatment is recommended if:

  • Women who have been diagnosed with unexplained infertility
  • Women with fallopian tubes obstruction
  • Other techniques such as fertility drugs or intrauterine insemination (IUI) have not been successful
  • A limited number of oocytes are available
  • The male partner has serious fertility problems
  • Couples are using donated eggs or their own frozen eggs in their treatment
  • Couples are using preimplantation genetic screening to avoid passing on a genetic condition to the child

More and more couples are seeking IVF clinics abroad to get more cheap treatment and avoid waiting lists. Another reason is that in some countries age of patients undergoing IVF is not strictly limited. The most popular IVF destinations are Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Estonia, Russia, Czech Republic, Poland. Altravita IVF clinic, FIV Center Madrid, Embryoland, Dogus IVF Center, URH Garcia del Real, Klinika Bocian, Nova Vita try to offer bespoke services and modern methods of fertility treatment to foreign patients. 
No doubt the process of IVF treatment is exciting and nervous experience for the couples struggling with infertility. IVF procedure combines 4 stages which should be done step by step with great patience.

Stages of IVF treatment

Preparation

Before starting IVF process in the clinic abroad patients send there information on health condition and medical rests results. Doctor examines all the information and recommends the type of IVF program which is suitable individually for each couple. The doctor may ask patients to do some additional tests in their country before arrival to the clinic to be sure there are no other problems with health and IVF is not dangerous. 

When patients come to the clinic, they sign necessary documents and visit reproductive endocrinologist. At the consultation patients discuss a type of IVF procedure once again and doctor selects individual stimulation protocol (if woman use her own eggs). Patients complete medical tests at the clinic and on the 2nd day of menstrual cycle hormonal stimulation starts and lasts 10-12 days. 

Ovulation induction

Medications for hormonal stimulation are prescribed by the doctor individually depending on patient’s health condition and age. Ovulation induction is needed to ensure a higher number of eggs. During this time woman regularly visits her fertility specialist who monitors the follicles growth under the ultrasound. The number of matured eggs and quality of uterine lining is checked as well. 

Fertilization

After that egg retrieval is performed by gynecologist under general anesthesia. The whole procedure takes 10-20 minutes. At the same time husband gives a sperm sample. Sperm is collected, analyzed and prepared for fertilization. Semen is prepared for fertilization by removing inactive cells and seminal fluid in a process called sperm washing. Later eggs are fertilized with sperm using ICSI or IMSI methods. 

Embryo transfer

The produced embryos are cultivated in special incubators for 5-6 days. Their development is closely monitored by experienced embryologists. If necessary, PGT can be performed to select embryos free from genetic diseases.  

In fresh IVF cycle embryo is transferred to the uterus as soon as it is developed. It is usually made on the 5-6th day. Spare embryos are cryopreserved by vitrification method. If first attempt fails, doctor prepares patient’s uterus for cryopreserved embryo transfer in next cycle. 

Embryo transfer is painless procedure, it is carried out with a thin flexible catheter which is placed into the uterine cavity through the cervix. In some countries a number of transferred embryos is limited in order to avoid a multiple pregnancy.
Two weeks later woman can do a HCG blood test to know if she is pregnant.

IVF, image 1
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