In Vitro Fertilization Procedures
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Ovulation Procedure
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The in vitro fertilization procedure begins with inducing ovulation in the female patient. This is done when the women injects herself or is injected with medications called IVF medication stimulation protocols that will develop multiple follicles and eggs. Follicles are structures in the ovaries that are filled with fluid. Each follicle contains a single, microscopic egg.
Egg Aspiration Procedure
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Once the follicles and eggs mature, the egg aspiration procedure begins. After the patient is given anesthesia medications through an IV, the fertility specialist removes the eggs from the woman's ovaries using a needle which is inserted through the top of the vagina to get to the ovary and follicles. The specialist draws the fluid along with the eggs into the needle, then places it in an IVF lab. After the specialist identifies the eggs, she rinses them in a culture media, then places them in small drops in plastic dishes. The dishes are then kept in IVF incubators that are placed in a controlled environment.
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Fertilization Procedure
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After four hours have passed, donated sperm is added individually to each egg. This begins the fertilization procedure. The next day, the specialist checks the eggs to determine if they have fertilized. Once fertilization has taken place, the specialist cultures the embryos in the IVF lab for two to five more days. Once this procedure is completed, the embryos are transferred to the patient's uterus.
Embryos Transfer Procedure
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The embryo transfer procedure is similar to a pap smear and is painless (no sedation is needed). The procedure begins when the specialist uses an embryo transfer catheter filled with the embryos and inserts it into the woman through the cervical opening and up to the middle of her uterine cavity. The specialist, using ultrasound as guidance, ejects the embryos into the endometrial lining or the uterine cavity. The specialist removes the catheter and checks for any remaining embryos. If there are any embryos left in the catheter, then the specialist will repeat the procedure to make certain that all the embryos are transferred into the woman's uterus.
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