IVF

What is IVF?

IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is a series of procedures that increase your chance of becoming pregnant if you and your partner struggle with infertility. 

The specialists at Rocky Mountain Fertility Center collect eggs, fertilize them with sperm in an onsite lab, and transfer fertilized embryos into your uterus. IVF is an effective form of assisted reproductive technology (ART) that uses:

• Your eggs and sperm from your partner
• Donor eggs
• Donor sperm
• A gestational carrier

A gestational carrier, or surrogate, is a woman who carries another woman’s baby after implantation of a fertilized embryo in her uterus. Transferring more than one embryo into the uterus may result in multiples (twins or triplets).

Should I try IVF?

You may be a candidate for IVF if you’ve been trying to conceive for more than a year without success. You or your partner may suffer from:

• Ovulation problems
• Unexplained infertility
• Uterine fibroids
• Endometriosis
• Low sperm count
• Previous tubal ligation
• Sterilization
• Fallopian tube damage or blockage
• A genetic disorder

Before trying IVF, your provider might recommend fertility drugs to increase egg production or less complex intrauterine insemination.

What should I expect during IVF treatment?

IVF is a multiple-step process that usually takes 6-14 weeks and includes:

Increased egg production

To increase your chances of a healthy pregnancy with IVF, your doctor uses medications or injections to increase the number of eggs available for fertilization.

Egg retrieval

Your doctor uses ultrasound to determine if your eggs are mature. During egg retrieval, they obtain eggs from follicles using a suctioning tool while you’re under sedation. If you previously had eggs frozen, your specialist uses them at this stage.

Sperm retrieval and fertilization

The specialists at Rocky Mountain Fertility Center collect sperm from your partner or a donor. They use the sperm to fertilize your eggs in a lab and may utilize intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). ICSI is a technique in which your doctor injects sperm directly into the cytoplasm of an egg.

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)

After fertilizing your eggs, your specialist might recommend preimplantation genetic testing to identify genetic defects or chromosomal abnormalities in embryos prior to implantation into your uterus. This way, you can significantly boost your odds of having a healthy baby and pregnancy.

Embryo transfer

Once the fertilized eggs develop into embryos, your fertility specialist transfers them into your uterus while you’re under sedation. They may use assisted hatching, a technique in which your doctor thins the outer part of a fertilized egg prior to transfer to make implantation easier.

The procedure is often painless, but you might experience some mild cramping. After about 6-10 days, an embryo can implant in the lining of your uterus.

What happens after IVF?

After embryo transfer, your doctor might recommend you avoid vigorous activity, but you can resume normal everyday activities. You might experience mild bloating, cramping, constipation, breast tenderness, or passing clear or bloody fluid right after the procedure.

Within 12-14 days of IVF embryo transfer, your doctor takes a sample of your blood to determine if you’re pregnant. IVF success rates at Rocky Mountain Fertility Center are about 75% in women under age 35.

Is IVF right for me?

Infertility specialists at Rocky Mountain Fertility Center let you know if IVF is right for you after reviewing your medical history, completing a pelvic exam, and using blood, imaging, or other diagnostic tests to determine the cause of infertility. If IVF isn’t the treatment for you, they discuss other options.

Call Rocky Mountain Fertility Center to learn more about IVF and find out if you’re a good candidate for it, or use the online booking tool today.

 

Worried about cost?  Consider INVOcell a low cost option.  The only program in Colorado offereing INVOcell is Rocky Mountain Fertility Center