Assisted Reproductive Technologies offered by Austin Fertility & Reproductive Medicine:
In vitro fertilization (IVF) – fertilizing the female partner’s matured eggs by the male partner’s sperm in the IVF lab for transfer of embryo(s) into the uterus.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) – in certain cases, it may be advisable to have a sperm injected into an egg for fertilization.
Assisted Hatching – opening the covering (zona pellucida) around the embryo in order to help it “hatch” and increase the chance of implantation; shown to be helpful in women 38 years of age and over.
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis – in certain cases, chromosome analysis of an embryo prior to embryo transfer.
IVF consists of:
- Ovarian Stimulation: Using medication to stimulate the ovaries to grow multiple follicles which contain eggs.
- Transvaginal ultrasound monitoring and hormone level checks.
- When the follicles are large enough and appropriate in number, Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) injections to mature the eggs.
- Egg retrieval at IVF laboratory.
- Egg fertilization by In Vitro Fertilization (placing the sperm and eggs together in a controlled laboratory environment) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
- Embryo Transfer three days after egg retrieval.
- Cryopreservation of surplus embryos 5-6 days after egg retrieval.
- Estrogen and progesterone supplementation until time for pregnancy test.
- Some indications for IVF include tubal factor infertility, male factor infertility, severe endometriosis and unexplained infertility. Each patient's IVF protocol is individualized based on age, ovarian reserve testing, and previous responses to fertility medication.
Videos
"IVF" - 06/14/10
