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The IVF process comprises five steps: ovulation induction, retrieval of the oocytes from the ovary, fertilization of the oocytes with the spermatozoa, embryo culture and embryo transfer.
Ovulation Induction
With the ovulation induction we obtain a control of the ovulation and a recruitment of several follicles (egg sacs), that is, we are going to obtain a major number of eggs that in a menstrual normal cycle, to be able to obtain a suitable number of embryos, increasing this way the possibility of gestation. During this process, that takes between one week and ten days normally, hormones are given to allow the growth of a major number of eggs To control this growth vaginal ultrasound scans are realized and are realized analysis.
Egg Retrieval
When the size of the follicles is the suitable one, one hormone is given, and it is going to produce the controlled ovulation. It is given 36 hours before the egg retrieval. This retrieval is realized in operating room under sedation, by placing a special needle into the ovarian follicle and removing the fluid that contains the egg. In the laboratory is where they will be separated from this fluid and put in the culture media inside an incubador. After one or two hours, the patient can go away.
Fertilization
Once we have the sample of sperm, is processed to inseminate the eggs. In a culture plate are prepared a few microdrops, in which we will put a suitable concentrate of sperm. Later, we place an egg in each of these drops, and this way at a few hours, one of the sperms will penetrate in the egg, producing the fertilization. agencyThis plate with the egg and esparmatozoa is left in an incubator, being thus in similar conditions to the ones that are given in the human body. This is, 37 º C, with a concentration of 6 % of CO2 and high relative humidity ( 95 % ). At 18-20 hours after the insemination, we verify if fertilization has taken place in the egg, observing them under the microscope.
Embryo Culture
The obtained embryos are going to stay one or two more days in the incubator, observing their evolution, to determine their quality and to be able to select this way the embryos of better quality before transfer them.
Embryo transfer
After these days in the incubador the transfer of one, two or three embryos, is carried out, according to medical advice and desire of the patients. The total process is doing in a half an hour. The embryos get in the uterine cavity by means of a very thin cannula, ultrasound guided, to place the embryos in the most suitable place. It expects then the implantation be produced that can give rise to an pregnancy.