IVF

Step 2: Ovarian Stimulation

After choosing your provider, The first step of IVF treatment is ovarian stimulation. During this phase, most protocols utilize medication that encourages the ovaries to develop multiple follicles, each of which may contain an egg.

Typically, more follicles lead to more eggs which lead to more embryos, which leads to a higher possibility of success. Many cycles will result in a handful of embryos that can be frozen and stored for future use.

After an initial consultation, the doctors will recommend a personalized protocol to get you the best results possible. Ovarian stimulation typically begins around day 3 of a cycle. Stimulation usually involves taking daily injectable medications for around ten days and will be followed closely with monitoring appointments. When follicles reach the appropriate size, a final “trigger” medication will be used to induce ovulation and promote final maturation of the eggs.

Step 3: Egg Retrieval

Egg Retrieval is a minor outpatient procedure done to collect the eggs from the ovaries so that they can be fertilized in our state-state-of-the-art laboratory.

It is performed 35-36 hours after the “trigger”, by one of our world class doctors.

The number of eggs retrieved depends on your age, history, diagnoses, ovarian reserve cycle plan and response to medications.

Step 4: Sperm Collection

When sperm is being provided by the partner, it is most often collected through ejaculation into a sterile cup the morning of the egg retrieval. Sperm can also be frozen, and then thawed the morning of the retrieval – this is particularly useful if the male partner will not be able to present at the office the day of the procedure.

The andrology team will process the sperm from the larger sample of semen. Once this process is complete, the sperm sample will be transferred to the embryology lab where fertilization will take place.