In vitro fertilization (IVF)

1. What is it?
2. Why is it performed?
3. What does it consist of?
4. Preparation
5. Care after the procedure
6. Specialist

What is in vitro fertilization?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a treatment that consists of the union of an egg and a sperm in a laboratory dish. It requires anesthesia with sedation at some step of the process.

Why is in vitro fertilization performed?

This treatment is performed to help a woman become pregnant because she is having trouble getting pregnant naturally. This may be due to:

• Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes.
• Advanced maternal age
• Male infertility factor
• Endometriosis
• Unexplained infertility

Once the embryo transfer has been performed
the woman should rest for the rest of the day.

What does in vitro fertilization consist of?

IVF requires several steps to achieve ultimate success:

• Controlled ovarian stimulation: the woman receives hormonal treatment using medication for approximately 10 days. This is done to stimulate the production of eggs in order to obtain a greater quantity of eggs. This medication also makes it possible to control the time of ovulation and thus increase the chances that the eggs obtained will be suitable for fertilization.
• Ovarian or follicular puncture: this is a surgical procedure that consists of extracting the mature eggs from the ovary. The process is performed by aspiration under anesthesia and sedation and lasts between 20 and 30 minutes.
• Sperm collection and preparation: consists of collecting the sample from the male and passing it through a sperm capacitation process so that the sperm are able to fertilize the egg and give rise to the embryo.
• Fertilization: consists of fusing the egg with the sperm, either by conventional IVF (by themselves) or by ICSI (microinjection).

Preparing for in vitro fertilization

It is important to take into account three points to prepare for IVF treatment:

• Nutrition: it is important to take folic acid and vitamin B, as they increase the chances of pregnancy. Thus, it is recommended to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, dairy products and meat, and to avoid fast food, foods high in transgenic fats and sugars and low in vitamins and minerals.
• Exercise: being in shape gives advantages to conceive. Even so, it is not recommended to increase physical exercise, but to keep it as usual.
• Stress relief: stress can reduce the chances of successful treatment, so stress-relieving activities are recommended.

Post-treatment care

Once the embryo transfer has been performed, the woman should rest for the rest of the day, although total bed rest is not necessary. Progesterone hormone should also be administered orally or with injections for 8-10 weeks after the transfer.

At 12-14 days after the transfer, the woman returns to the specialist for a pregnancy test. It is important to visit the specialist if symptoms such as pelvic pain, fever over 38°C, blood in the urine or vaginal bleeding occur.

Which specialist performs the treatment?

The specialist in charge of monitoring and performing in vitro fertilization is the specialist in Assisted Reproduction.