IVF or In Vitro Fertilization is one of the more widely known types of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART). IVF works by using a combination of medicines and surgical procedures, to help the sperm fertilize an egg. Here the eggs are fertilized outside the human body and implanted in the uterus.These procedures can be used to help couples struggling with infertility and also in prevention of genetic problems.A pregnancy starts with fertilization – when a woman’s egg joins with a man’s sperm. Fertilization usually takes place in the fallopian tube within the woman, which is a tube like organ that joins an ovary to the uterus. If the fertilized egg ( which is now called an embryo)successfully travels down the fallopian tube and implants in the uterus, an embryo starts growing on the endometrial wall, in the uterusWhen this normal process of fertilization does not take place in couples who are planning to have a baby, advanced techniques of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART)are utilized to increase the chances of conceiving a healthy baby.In an IVF cycle, eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and sperms are collected from the ejaculate (or surgically retrieved from the husband’s testes if ejaculation is not possible or if ejaculate has no viable sperms). These sperms are then allowed to fertilize the egg outside the body, in the laboratory. This fertilization can happen if the sperms and eggs are kept in close proximity to each other (called as conventional IVF) or is forced by pushing the sperm into the egg (through a process called as ICSI). The fertilized eggs are then cultured and ‘grown’ in the lab in conditions that mimic the woman’s uterus. The fertilized egg gets all nourishment from the culture media that it is kept in. An embryologist monitors the growth of the embryo. When the embryo has grown sufficiently, it is either transferred into the uterus of the woman (called fresh embryo transfer) or is frozen for a future transfer (called as frozen embryo transfer).One full IVF cycle takes about three weeks but sometimes the procedure is split into parts, to manage certain challenges in the couples. This may delay the process.IVF can be done using the woman’s own eggs and the male partner’s sperms or it may involve sperms, eggs or embryos from anonymous donors. Sometimes a gestational carrier (a woman who has an embryo implanted in her uterus) might be used. Such a carrier is called a surrogate mother and the process is called a surrogacy.When is IVF advised?There are various reasons where a couple may be advised IUI, to attain the joy of parenthood. IUI is recommended in the following situations:Blocked or defects in fallopian tubesOvulation disordersPremature ovarian failureEndometriosisUterine fibroidsPoor ovarian reserveWomen with ovulation troubles due to advanced ageIndividuals with a genetic disorderWomen with removed fallopian tubesUnexplained infertilityRepeated IUI failuresMale factor infertility with diminished counts, motility or morphologyA problem called varicoceleOther factors of male infertilityPoor motility of the spermsFertility preservation for cancer or other health conditionsSurrogacyIUI is a non-invasive and a painless procedure and can be done with your natural cycle with minimal medication. During ovulation, sperm cells are collected from the male partner and used in IUI. The chances of conception can increase with a combination of IUI and ovarian stimulation. The ovarian stimulation to produce multiple eggs could be achieved with specific medications that stimulate the growth of eggs in the ovaries.
