• Fertility preservation for cancer or other health conditions

How is it done?

IVF can be done using a couple's own eggs and sperm, or it may involve eggs, sperm or embryos from a known or anonymous donor. In some cases, a gestational carrier or surrogate might be used.The steps involved in the IVF procedure include

• Stimulation - Also called superovulation, this is the first step in the IVF procedure. Here, fertility drugs are given to the woman to boost egg production.
• Egg Retrieval - A minor surgery is to be done to remove the eggs from the woman's body. Using ultrasound images as a guide a thin needle is inserted through the vagina into the ovary and follicles containing the eggs. The needle is connected to a suction device, which pulls the eggs and fluid out of each follicle, one at a time. The procedure is then repeated for the other ovary.
• Insemination and Fertilisation - Eggs and sperm are stored together in a controlled chamber. Sperm most often fertilises an egg a few hours after insemination. If the doctor thinks the chance of fertilisation is low, the sperm may be directly injected into the egg, through intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
• Embryo Culture - When the fertilised egg divides, it becomes an embryo. The embryo has to be under constant supervision, in order to make sure it is growing properly. Within about 5 days, there will be several cells in it that are actively dividing.
• Embryo Transfer - The embryo is placed into the woman's womb 3-5 days after egg retrieval and fertilisation. Mostly, embryos are transferred only in the next cycle, and this is called frozen embryo transfer. The doctor inserts a thin tube or catheter containing the embryos through the woman's vagina and cervix, into the womb. If an embryo implants on the lining of the womb and grows, pregnancy is resulted. A maximum of 2 to 3 embryos may be placed into the womb at the same time, which can lead to twins or triplets.

Women who undergo IVF must take daily shots or pills of the hormone progesterone for 8 to 10 weeks after the embryo transfer, since this helps an embryo to attach onto the uterine lining. It also helps an implanted embryo to grow and become established in the uterus. Too little progesterone during the early weeks of pregnancy may lead to miscarriage. A pregnancy test can be done about 12 to 14 days after the embryo transfer, so as to ascertain conception.

The chances of having a healthy baby using IVF depend on many factors. Age is one of the strongest factors in the success of IVF. The chance of becoming pregnant through IVF is much higher if you're under 35 years old.There are also a few risks involved in undergoing IVF, which includes multiple births, premature delivery and low birth weight, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, miscarriage, egg-retrieval procedure complications, ectopic pregnancy, and birth defects. If the pregnancy test is negative, it is recommended to have one complete menstrual cycle before the next IVF cycle. A small break between cycles is usually advised, for health, financial and emotional reasons. IVF can be time-consuming, expensive, and an invasive experience. So, it is necessary to prepare oneself before trying the IVF procedure.