Pre-test preparation
Various tests are performed on both partners to determine whether they are suitable for IVF and to serve as a basis for the subsequent medication regimen.
Common tests for female partner: tubal imaging, ultrasound to monitor follicle development and endometrial condition, blood hormone level, blood type, liver and kidney function, infectious index, karyotype analysis, etc;
Common tests for male partner: semen routine and sperm morphology, infectious index, karyotype analysis, etc.
Duration: 2-3 months
Super ovulation promotion
After the first stage of preparation, you can enter the official IVF cycle. The antagonist or short regimen, for example, is usually started on day 2-4 of menstruation. The use of ovulation stimulating drugs allows even small follicles that would otherwise be atretic to develop, resulting in 8-12 mature eggs in a menstrual cycle, which we call superovulation.
Duration: 9-12 days of continuous injections
Night injection
When the follicles have reached a certain size (usually 18-20mm in diameter), an ovulation injection (usually HCG, given at around 9pm) can be given to promote the further development and maturation of the eggs, which we call the night injection, and the eggs are retrieved 36 hours later.
Important thing to say three times: the night shot is very important, very important, very important!!!
The night shot determines the final maturation of the eggs and the best time for egg retrieval. The shot must be given at the time specified by the doctor, not more than half an hour apart at most.
Time: usually around the 14th day of menstruation, around 21:00 on the same night
Egg retrieval (Day 0, morning)
The day of egg retrieval is called Day 0, which means the beginning of embryo development, but the egg and sperm are not yet united on this day and cannot be called embryo yet, so it is Day 0.
Egg retrieval process: Under the guidance of ultrasound, a long thin needle is punctured vaginally into the ovary, the follicle is punctured and the eggs from the follicle are sucked into the test tube and sent to the laboratory. This procedure is the only invasive part of the IVF procedure and general anesthesia is optional to reduce pain.
Time: Around 8:00 am on the day 36 hours after the night injection, the whole egg retrieval process takes 5-15 minutes.
Sperm retrieval (Day 0, morning)
At the same time of egg retrieval, arrange for the husband to retrieve sperm in a special sperm retrieval room.
Sperm retrieval method: The most common method is sperm retrieval by masturbation by the husband, which is not harmful to sperm vitality and not easily contaminated.
In vitro fertilization (Day 0, afternoon)
In the morning of the day of egg collection, the embryologist in the laboratory optimizes the husband’s semen and in the afternoon selects the appropriate amount of high quality sperm to incubate with the eggs to complete the in vitro fertilization process.
Time: afternoon of the day of egg collection
Embryo culture (Day 1-6)
Day 1 (the second day after egg collection, i.e. the first day of embryo development, and so on), the fertilization of eggs was observed and recorded. Subsequently, the embryos were observed daily for division and development, and scores were recorded.
At Day 3 (8-cell stage embryos) or Day 5-6 (blastocyst stage embryos), suitable embryos are selected for transfer or cryopreservation.
Time: 1-6 days after egg retrieval
Embryo transfer
Embryos with good developmental potential are selected and transferred back to the uterus through a tube under ultrasound guidance. This operation is non-invasive and painless and the whole procedure takes only a few minutes.
Time: the day the embryo culture is finished
Embryo freezing
If the woman’s condition is not suitable for embryo transfer (e.g. overstimulation, or thin endometrium), or if there are still embryos left after the transfer, they can be cryopreserved, sleeping peacefully in a liquid nitrogen tank at minus 196 degrees, waiting for the right time to recover for transfer.
Time: The day the embryo culture is finished
This is the general process of IVF. During the whole process, the male partner is relatively simple, he only needs to cooperate with the examination (blood sampling, semen routine, etc.) and complete the sperm retrieval on the day of egg retrieval, and only needs to go to the hospital about 3 times in total; the female partner needs to pay a lot, in addition to the above mentioned examination, she also needs to take injections and medication every day during the super ovulation process, and often go to the hospital for follow-up ultrasound and other monitoring of follicle development, egg retrieval is also an invasive surgery, and there will be different degrees of discomfort.
After the embryo transfer, she will need to continue to receive injections to maintain the pregnancy until the pregnancy is confirmed and the embryo is well developed before she can stop the medication. The whole process requires the woman to go to the hospital for more than 10 follow-up visits, which has a great impact on her work and life.
There is a wife who is willing to do IVF, male compatriots should cherish it!