In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is an assisted reproductive technology that helps individuals and couples overcome infertility. IVF may be suitable for patients with fertility challenges like miscarriages, tubal factors, diminished ovarian reserves, endometriosis, or severe male factors. A fertility specialist can suggest different types of IVF based on your reproductive health needs and circumstances. Here are some types of in vitro fertilization offered at infertility clinics:
Conventional IVF
The IVF process begins with ovarian stimulation, where fertility specialists administer fertility medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. The goal is to retrieve several mature eggs for fertilization. Infertility clinics use blood tests to monitor hormone levels and ultrasounds to track follicle development.
Once the eggs have matured, fertility experts retrieve the eggs through a minimally invasive procedure. On the same day as the egg retrieval, these professionals collect a sperm sample from the male partner or a sperm donor. They process the sperm in the laboratory to isolate healthy, motile sperm. The retrieved eggs and processed sperm are combined outside the womb for fertilization. Fertility specialists then place the combined cells in an incubator and monitor the fertilization.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
If conventional IVF has not been successful in achieving fertilization, fertility professionals may suggest ICSI treatment. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is helpful when issues like sperm quantity, quality, motility, or morphology impair natural fertilization. During the ICSI process, an embryologist selects healthy sperm using a fine glass needle. These professionals analyze and process the collected sperm sample to isolate high-quality, motile sperm.
The fertility professional selects a mature egg and holds it using a specialized pipette tool. The embryologist then uses a delicate glass needle containing the chosen sperm to pierce through the outer membrane of the egg and access its inner cytoplasm. Following the microinjection, the expert places the injected eggs in an incubator and monitors the fertilization process.
Donor-Assisted IVF
Donor-assisted IVF may entail using donor eggs, donor sperm, or both. Donor eggs are helpful when the intended mother has issues with egg quality, diminished ovarian reserve, or medical conditions that affect her ability to produce viable eggs. Fertility specialists use donor sperm when the intended father has significant male fertility issues, like low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or genetic disorders.
Fertility specialists retrieve eggs from a healthy donor and fertilize them with the intended father’s sperm or donor sperm in their laboratory. They can obtain donor sperm from sperm banks or known sperm donors. Some couples may require both donor eggs and donor sperm if both partners have infertility issues. After successful fertilization and embryo transfer, the intended mother can carry the pregnancy.
Gestational Surrogacy
Gestational surrogacy is a process in which a third-party woman carries and delivers a baby for another individual or couple. This woman is known as the gestational surrogate or gestational carrier. This type of IVF treatment involves fertility experts retrieving mature eggs from the genetic mother’s ovaries through a minor surgical procedure. The retrieved eggs are fertilized with sperm outside of the womb through conventional IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection methods.
Fertility professionals culture the resulting embryos up to the blastocyst stage to assess their viability. The fertility clinic selects one or more healthy embryos for transfer based on quality and genetic screening. They then transfer the viable embryos into the gestational surrogate’s uterus for implantation.
Frozen Embryo Transfer
Infertility clinics can cryopreserve eggs or embryos until the individual is ready to pursue pregnancy. The frozen eggs or embryos are thawed when the individual is prepared to conceive. Fertility experts can fertilize preserved eggs through IVF or transfer the preserved embryos directly to the uterus. Following the embryo transfer, fertility specialists may prescribe hormonal medications, such as progesterone, to support the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. This helps create a favorable environment for embryo implantation and early pregnancy.
Choose Reputable Infertility Clinics
Reputable infertility clinics may use conventional IVF, ICSI, donor-assisted IVF, frozen embryo transfer, or gestational surrogacy to help couples build a family. The type of IVF procedure your fertility specialist recommends depends on the cause of infertility and your fertility treatment history. Schedule an appointment with a trusted fertility clinic today to learn more about IVF treatment options.