In vitro fertilization can help make your dream of parenthood come true
In vitro fertilization, or IVF, helps patients facing many causes of male and female infertility bring home a baby. Our Louisiana fertility centers offer IVF to treat infertility when less aggressive methods like intrauterine insemination and ovarian stimulation are unsuccessful.
IVF effectively treats many causes of male and female infertility.
We find that IVF can be an excellent option for many patients who have problems getting pregnant with other fertility treatments. Candidates may include:
- Women with tubal issues.
- Women with endometriosis or polycystic ovarian syndrome, PCOS.
- Women with unexplained infertility or recurrent miscarriages.
- Women of advanced maternal age.
- Men with low sperm counts.
- Couples with inherited genetic disease in their families.
- Couples who wish to avoid having twins or other multiple pregnancies.
Before selecting IVF as a treatment for infertility, we want patients to understand how the procedure works.
Step 1 – Ovulation stimulation. We use medications to stimulate the growth of multiple eggs in your ovaries. During this stimulation period, we monitor your hormone levels and egg development.
Step 2 – Egg retrieval. During this outpatient procedure, your physician will use ultrasound to locate the eggs in your ovaries. We then remove them using a small needle.
Step 3 – Fertilization. After your egg retrieval, the eggs will be combined with your partner’s sperm or donor sperm in the lab. An embryologist checks for signs of fertilization and monitors the growing embryos over the next 5 to 6 days. At this stage, we can also genetically test your embryos. These tests find chromosomal abnormalities and genetic illness in the embryos.
Step 4 – Embryo transfer. During your embryo transfer, the embryo from the lab will be transferred back into your uterus with a long flexible catheter. Implantation of the embryo into the uterine lining usually occurs over the next 5 to 7 days.
Step 5 – Cryopreservation. Oftentimes patients will produce more viable embryos than they need in one IVF cycle. We freeze, or cryopreserve, additional embryos to use later in a frozen embryo transfer, or FET.
Step 6 – Pregnancy test. About 2 weeks after transfer, you will return to our office for a pregnancy test.
Genetic testing and IVF may be used to reveal potential family illness.
Patients undergoing IVF can also benefit from embryo genetic testing. Options include preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) or preimplantation genetic testing for monogenetic disease (PGT-M).
PGT-A is the process of testing an embryo for chromosomal abnormalities. Most chromosomally abnormal embryos will result in IVF failure or miscarriage. Fertility specialists can use PGT to determine which embryos are abnormal and will not grow to be a viable pregnancy.
Using PGT-M during the IVF process identifies known genetic illnesses in embryos. We can now screen embryos for illnesses like sickle cell, cystic fibrosis and Tay Sachs so parents can make informed decisions about the health of their future children.
If you would like more information about IVF or any other assisted reproductive technology, please contact Fertility Answers today.
