Getting ready for in-vitro fertilization or IVF can be a really stressful experience for any couple. First of all, the act of admitting that there might be a problem can be a really hard thing to do. Making the decision to see a fertility specialist can also be a big deal, and just getting to the point of beginning IVF treatment can be a huge deal. You probably have a ton of questions about what an IVF cycle is like, so read on for a little more insight. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here
The first part of your IVF cycle journey will be inducing your ovulation. You will be given hormone injections in order to trick your body into producing more than the one egg that it usually produces. Your doctor will monitor your progress via bloodwork and ultrasound until your eggs are ready to be retrieved.
The next step in your IVF journey will be retrieving your eggs once they are mature. Your doctor will do this by placing a special needle into your ovarian follicle and removing the fluid that your egg is inside. Your doctor will use a vaginal ultrasound to make sure that the right follicles are being removed. Your doctor will probably use an IV sedation method to keep you sedated during this process, though it should only last a few minutes.
Once your doctor has retrieved your eggs, the next step is to fertilize them. This will be done in a lab setting, usually on the same day that your eggs are removed. Your partner will have to provide the semen sample on the day of the procedure as well. After that, the sample will be observed in the lab for a few days.
After the eggs have been fertilized and are observed in the lab for a few days, it is time for the embryo transfer. Using a small, soft catheter, your doctor will insert the embryo into your uterine cavity. There is usually no anesthesia required for this procedure, and it only takes a few minutes.
This is usually the hardest part of an IVF cycle! The two weeks between when your embryos are transferred and when you can take a pregnancy test can be the hardest thing of all! This two weeks requires patience and positive thinking! Try to do things to take your mind off of your IVF journey during the two week wait!
After your two week wait is over, you will return to your doctor for a pregnancy test! You can also take one (or seven!) at home, but you will have one done at your doctor’s office just to make sure. If you are not pregnant, you will start over. If you are pregnant, your fertility doctor will monitor you for the first four weeks or so of your pregnancy, and then you will go back to a regular OBGYN for the remainder of your pregnancy.
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