The primary focus of the IVF process is to get your ovaries to mature several eggs instead their usual one at a time. In order to accomplish this, your ovaries must be prevented from ovulating (releasing eggs) too early. Therefore, we take control of your menstrual cycle using several medications. We use several different protocols to accomplish these goals. Each has its indication and your doctor will prescribe yours.
Ultimately, you will take an injection that will mature the eggs and 36 hours later, you will undergo an egg retrieval. Following this, the eggs will be cared for in our lab where they will be combined with sperm on the day that they were obtained.
Over the next several days, the eggs and resultant embryos will be monitored for their development. Depending on your circumstance, the embryos will be transferred to your uterus either 2, 3 or 5 days after the eggs were retrieved.
Following the embryo transfer, you will take a progesterone supplement until your pregnancy test. You should come in for a pregnancy test even if you suspect that you are having a period because it is not unusual to have bleeding early on in a pregnancy.
