In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is an assisted reproductive technique that involves the fertilization of the egg by the sperm outside the woman’s body, in a specialized laboratory. The resulting embryo is cultured for a few days and then transferred into the woman’s uterus in the hope that it will implant and a pregnancy will develop. It is a more complex procedure than artificial insemination and is reserved for more severe cases of infertility.

Advantages of IVF

• High success rate: it offers one of the highest success rates among fertility treatments, especially in women under 35 years of age.
• Solution for different types of infertility: it can be effective in cases of fallopian tube obstruction, severe endometriosis, low ovarian reserve, severe male fertility problems and unexplained infertility.
• Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD): allows for PGD, a technique that analyzes embryos before implantation to detect genetic and chromosomal abnormalities.
• Greater control over the process: it allows control over various factors that influence conception, such as the quality of the eggs and sperm, and embryo development.

Disadvantages of IVF

• High cost: it is an expensive treatment that may not be affordable for all couples.
• Invasive procedure: requires the administration of drugs for ovarian stimulation, ovarian puncture to extract the eggs and embryo transfer, which can be uncomfortable or painful.
• Risk of multiple pregnancy: increases the risk of multiple pregnancies, leading to increased risks for the mother and babies.
• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS): ovarian stimulation can lead to OHSS, a complication that can be serious in some cases.
• Emotional stress: the process can be emotionally demanding for couples, due to uncertainty, expectations and the possibility of failure.
• It does not guarantee success: despite being an effective treatment, IVF does not guarantee pregnancy in all cases.

IVF procedure

This assisted reproduction treatment consists of the following five steps prior to the pregnancy test:

• Ovarian stimulation: hormonal drugs are administered to stimulate the production of multiple mature eggs.
• Egg retrieval: an ultrasound-guided ovarian puncture is performed to extract the mature eggs.
• Fertilization: the eggs are fertilized with sperm in a laboratory, either by conventional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
• Embryo culture: the resulting embryos are cultured in the laboratory for several days.
• Embryo transfer: one or more embryos are transferred into the woman’s uterus through a thin catheter.

Approximately two weeks after the embryo transfer, a pregnancy test is performed to determine if the treatment has been successful.

Best time to consider IVF