Treatment - In vitro Fertilisation
IVF is a more intensive treatment program than ovulation induction or intrauterine insemination. Essentially, it involves shutting down the natural menstrual cycle, using daily hormone injections to stimulate the ovary directly, collecting the eggs under anaesthetic and fertilising the eggs in the lab using the husband's sperm. Fertilisation can be performed either simply by mixing some sperm with each egg, or injecting each egg with a single sperm (see Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection, or ICSI).
The aim is to bring between 5 and a dozen eggs to maturity at the time of ovulation. The FSH injections usually start on a specific day of the week, as indicated by the nurse coordinator. A week later, a vaginal scan is done to assess the response. Blood tests are also performed to check the oestrogen hormone levels.
The cycle is monitored closely thereafter, until such time as the follicles in the ovary reach around 20mm in average diameter (usually after 12 days of injections). At that stage, another subcutaneous injection is given to trigger ovulation, at a specific time of day. 36 hours later the eggs are collected under general anaesthetic, in the operating theatre of the Kawana Private Day Hospital.
Follicular fluid aspirated during vaginal egg pickup is collected in test tubes and then examined for eggs. The eggs are then fertilised either by placing the sperm and eggs together in a plastic dish, or by micro-injection of a single sperm into an egg.
A fertilization check is carried out the next day by the IVF Scientist. Two or three days after the eggs are collected, one or two fertilized embryos are placed into the uterus cavity, with a small tube through the cervix. Any excess embryos are frozen, for possible future use. A pregnancy test is done two weeks later.
Left: Embyro transfer procedure Above: Doctor Moir performing egg retrieval
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