In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), or more commonly known as “IVF”, is the application of egg cells formed in the female body and sperm cells formed in the male body out of the body, after being fertilized with various drugs in the laboratory environment, then embryo and then placed in the main womb.
The entire process after the embryos or embryos are placed in the womb continues the same way as the normal pregnancy process.
“The difference of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) method from normal pregnancy is that fertilization takes place in a laboratory environment.”
This method has been used for a long time and is preferred when other assisted reproductive methods do not work.
How is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Application Performed?
The main difference of this method from normal pregnancy is that the part of the fertilization process until the embryo occurs in a laboratory environment and in a controlled manner. The egg cells taken from the mother candidate and the sperm cells taken from the father candidate are left side by side in a special environment, the sperm are expected to enter the eggs and fertilize on their own.
Stages of IVF Treatment
IVF treatment consists of four stages.
1- Stimulating the ovaries of the woman using medication: This stage starts 3 days after the woman begins to have menstruation. This stage, which aims to stimulate the ovaries using daily needles containing hormonal drugs, usually takes 10-12 days, but the time to respond to the drugs may vary. In this process, the response of the ovaries is observed with the help of ultrasonographic examination and blood tests. When the structures called follicles in the ovary reach a certain size, the second phase of the application is started.
2- Egg collection: Eggs that reach a certain size in the first stage of treatment are then collected in the operating environment and by applying anesthesia to the mother. Egg collection takes about 30 minutes. On the day of this procedure, the sperm cells of the man are also taken.
3- Combining eggs and sperm: Egg cells from women and sperm cells from men are left side by side and sperm cells are expected to fertilize egg cells.
4- Placement of embryos in the uterus: The embryos formed after fertilization of the combined egg cells by sperm cells are observed between 2-5 days. The highest quality ones among the observed embryos are placed in the womb after reaching a certain size. Transfer of embryos to the main womb is a fairly simple and painless procedure. After embryo transfer is performed, the pregnancy process begins in the same way as the normal pregnancy process.
“The result of the application can be seen with the pregnancy test to be performed 14 days after IVF application.”
Is There Any Difference Between IVF and Microinjection?
The difference between In Vitro Fertilization and microinjection, which has basically similar stages with each other, emerges during the fertilization process. While sperm cells left next to the egg cells are expected to perform fertilization on their own in In Vitro Fertilization application, this process is performed artificially in the microinjection method. In the microinjection method applied in cases such as the number, movement or function deficiency in male cells, male cells are selected under a microscope and the appropriate ones are placed in female cells.
In Which Situations IVF Application Is Required?
Problems that may arise from both men and women can prevent pregnancy from occurring. The most common conditions requiring In Vitro
Fertilization treatment are:
No pregnancy longer than 1 year, although no prevention method is used
The cervical ducts of the woman are blocked
The man has no sperm
Having sperm dysfunctions
Low number of motile ones of male sperm
Mothers to be over 38 years of age
Failure to achieve pregnancy with drug therapy
Immunological infertility
Repeated miscarriages
If any of these conditions exist, in vitro fertilization is needed.