How much time is required for IVF? Explanation by Dr Rama Sofat

IVF PROCESS

The human body is magnificent but unpredictable. Even with the most sophisticated imaging technology in the world, it is not easy to see what is happening on the inside. When a woman struggles to conceive, IVF is often the most effective ways to help, whether or not we know what is causing her infertility as explained by Dr Rama Sofat.

An average IVF cycle takes about 6 to 8 weeks from consultation to transfer, but depending on the specific circumstances of each the path is similar for every patient. What varies is how your body responds at each stage.

Week 1: Visits and Consultations

CONSULTATION FROM DOCTOR

Seeking fertility treatment is a courageous step, and it usually comes with questions. This first stage is your opportunity to start finding some real answers.

Initial consultation: In this first meeting, the clinic will obtain an extensive medical history from you and your partner, and try to answer any questions or concerns you might have at this stage.
Clinical coordinator consultation: At this appointment, we will review your diagnosis and the details of your desired treatment plan.

Week 2-4: Preparation Begins

ULTRASOUND PROCESS

This is where everything really starts.

Pretreatment preparation for IVF: Comprehensive lab tests give a clearer picture of your fertility, so that your fertility experts can offer you an individualized IVF protocol. Common pre-IVF testing includes:

A blood panel
Ultrasounds
Infectious disease screening

Week 5: Medication and Monitoring

Once you come off of the birth control pill, you will begin a process known as Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation (COH). At the clinic you will have an ultrasound to evaluate the uterus and ovaries, and once you get the all clear you can start.

Take fertility medications (for about two weeks): Oral fertility medications like Clomid and/or injectable follicle stimulation hormones (Follistim and Gonal-F) are used to stimulate the follicles in your ovaries to mature more eggs than they typically would in a normal cycle.
Monitoring visits (during the fertility medication phase): Ultrasounds and blood tests are used during this time to keep a close eye on the development of your follicles and eggs.

Week 7: Triggering, Egg retrieval, and fertilization

EGG RETRIEVAL

After about 10-12 days of fertility medication, once monitoring shows that your follicles have grown to an appropriate size, it is time to trigger the final maturation of the eggs with hCG and schedule the ultrasound egg retrieval 36 hours later as explained by Dr Rama Sofat.

Egg retrieval: This is a day procedure performed in the clinic under sedation. There is minimal risk, but you will want to take the day off work and arrange for someone to pick you up.

Egg and sperm are combined in the lab: If all goes well, fertilization occurs and embryos are created. There are several options that can be used at this stage to try to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy as explained by Dr Rama Sofat.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a good option when male infertility is a factor. In this procedure a single healthy sperm is injected directly into an egg

Embryo or blastocyst transfer: Approximately 3 days after fertilization, embryos are ready for transfer, but some patients prefer to wait a few days until they have reached the blastocyst stage (generally 5 days after fertilization).