During IVF, we fertilise your eggs outside your body in our lab. You may have been offered IVF for a variety of reasons, for example, because of damage to your fallopian tubes or endometriosis. It may even be that no specific cause can be found – we call this ‘unexplained infertility’.
We know that this is a very stressful time for you and that you’ll have many questions about how to prepare for your treatment and what to expect. To help you decide on what to do, we run information sessions. During these we talk you through the treatment steps so you can get an idea of what is involved and ask any questions before you make a decision. Please contact us to arrange a visit.
This is your treatment. We know you want to be fully aware of the facts and their implications so that you can make the right decisions.
How IVF works
Normally a woman produces one egg every month. This egg is released into the fallopian tube where it may be fertilised following sex. The fertilised egg then travels to the womb. If the resulting embryo implants, you will become pregnant.
During IVF, we will stimulate your ovaries to produce a number of eggs. When the eggs are ready, we will collect them from your ovaries using a fine needle. On the same day that your eggs are collected, we will combine the eggs with sperm in our laboratories. The sperm may come from your husband, partner or a donor.
We will monitor your eggs closely to confirm whether they fertilise and become embryos. Once fertilisation has taken place, we will put one or two embryos back into your uterus. This usually takes place either three or five days after the eggs and sperm are combined. After five days, the embryos should have developed into blastocysts.
Remaining, good quality blastocysts may be frozen for future use.
A typical treatment cycle takes approximately seven weeks from when you take the first drug, until your pregnancy test.
If you would like more information, please contact us.