In Vitro Fertilization popularly known as the IVF technology is one of the most successful forms of assisted reproductive technologies that are available today. It is a simple process in which the egg of a woman is fertilized with a sperm in a medically controlled environment. There is a systematic method of carrying out this process. There are several fertility clinics all around the world, which carry out the process of IVF. In this process firstly the eggs are removed from ovaries of the mother, after which it is fertilized with a healthy sperm collected from the male donor. The fertilization process which takes around three to four days, is then carried out inside an incubator. After the egg is fertilized, it is then transferred back to the uterus of the mother. After around nine to thirteen days of completing this process, a blood test is conducted to confirm the pregnancy.
Around two to three attempts are needed on an average to establish a successful pregnancy through IVF technology. Once the pregnancy is confirmed through IVF, the doctors carry out constant checkups of the patients for monitoring miscarriages or multiple pregnancies.Few common reasons for conducting an IVF are:
• Damaged fallopian tube- A damaged or blocked fallopian tube is unable to fertilize an egg, and the embryo from travelling to the uterus, thus resulting in failure in conceiving.
• Male infertility- many men have low sperm count or dysfunctional sperms that hinders fertilization.
• Damage in the ovaries, or other ovary related issues might hinder fertilization.
• Endometriosis
• Tumors in the uterus or abnormal uterus size
• Other immunological disorders
However there are a lot of risks that you might come across while making use of the ivf technology. Accumulation of fluids in abdominal cavities, swelling of ovaries, abdominal pain, vomiting, and nausea are some common problems. Little bit of bleeding or infection might occur while retrieving the egg. The process of transferring the embryo must be handled very skillfully; else it might just lead to multiple pregnancies. In spite of all the risk, hassle and hard work, the IVF technology is simply a boon for medical science as it helps in overcoming the problem of female and male infertility. With the rapid advancement in medical science, the success rate of pregnancies through the IVF technology has gone up to a great extent. Thus more and more couples are making use of this process in recent times.