Delia Wu
In-vitro fertilisation
- Introduction
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a technique in which egg cells are by sperm outside the woman's womb, in vitro. IVF is a major treatment in infertility when other methods of assisted reproductive technology have failed. The process involves hormonally controlling the ovulatory process, removing ova (eggs) from the woman's ovaries and letting sperm fertilize them in a fluid medium. The fertilized egg (zygote) is then transferred to the patient's uterus with the intent to establish a successful pregnancy.
- Method of fertilization
The method of fertilization contains these steps: Ovarian stimulation, Oocyte retrieval, Fertilization, Selection and Embryo transfer.
- At first, the treatment are taken by the female when the period have started three days, this helps to stop ovulation. After 6 days, the woman need to go to hospital to block the natural surge of .
- Secondly, the eggs are retrieved from the patient using a transvaginal technique involving an ultrasound-guided needle piercing the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries. Through this needle follicles can be aspirated, and the follicular fluid is handed to the IVF laboratory to identify ova.
- Then, is prepared for fertilization by removing inactive cells and seminal fluid. The sperm and the egg are incubated together (at a ratio of about 75,000:1). By that time should have taken place and the fertilized egg would show two .
- Embryos are graded by the embryologist based on the number of cells, evenness of growth and degree of fragmentation. Finally, the embryos judged to be the "best" are transferred to the patient's uterus through a thin, plastic , which goes through her and cervix. Several embryos may be passed into the uterus to improve chances of and .