In Vitro Fertilization, also known as IVF is an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). It is a complex of services used to stimulate ovulation, extract the egg from the woman’s body, retrieve the sperm from the male partner or a sperm donor and fertilize the egg in a laboratory. The first step includes giving medications to the patient to stimulate the ovaries so that multiple mature oocytes (eggs) can be produced. Follicles are monitored through an ultrasound examination and once these oocytes are at a certain size, the eggs are removed from a woman’s body using a small needle. The eggs are then assessed for maturity and quality, fertilized with the sperm in the embryology lab. The resulting embryos are grown for 3 to 5 days and placed back into the woman’s uterus. A pregnancy test is performed approximately 10 days later.
