IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatment is a type of ART (assisted reproductive technology). During IVF fertility treatment, the eggs of a woman are merged with the sperm of a man outside the woman’s body. After embryo formation takes place, it’s implanted into the uterus. IVF is among the most effective when it comes to fertility treatments.

A couple could seek IVF if getting pregnant by any other route is not working out. The technique is usually used when the fallopian tubes of a woman are blocked, if she has endometriosis, or has trouble ovulating. Endometriosis is a medical condition where the uterus lining grows in different areas within the body. IVF fertility treatment could also be resorted to in scenarios where the man has fertility problems, making way for a donor sperm. The treatment can be carried out with the help of an egg donor too.

To begin IVF treatment, the lady would usually take a drug to stimulate the ovaries so that they produce multiple eggs. Generally, the woman would be self-injecting the drugs every day or with the help of her partner. With the eggs developing, the doctor would monitor things, usually via ultrasounds and blood tests. If there is an egg donor in the scene, she must undergo the same process.

After the eggs reach maturity, a doctor would remove the eggs from the ovaries with the help of a needle that goes inside the vaginal wall. During this procedure, the woman could be given local anesthetics or may be sedated. For some weeks post the removal, she could feel some pressure and pain in the region.

The next step entails combining a man’s sperm and the eggs. Special equipment is employed to ensure the eggs are fertilized. In certain scenarios, a single sperm could be directly injected into each egg for fertilization. After fertilization, the eggs are not touched for several days so that they could develop into embryos.

Once the embryos comprise a few cells, they can be inserted into the uterus of a woman. The embryos are put in a fluid and inserted with the help of a catheter. Generally, two to four embryos are put inside the uterus so that the chances of an embryo implanting onto the uterine wall are high.

IVF treatment is complex and has its share of risks. Since multiple embryos are commonly implanted, a woman could end up carrying more than two babies at a time. Pregnancy complications, including miscarriage and early delivery, are quite likely when there are multiple foetuses involved. Other treatment risks are ovarian hyper-stimulation symptoms, which are usually accompanied by abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloating.