Procedures in IVF Treatment

Embryo Transfer – IVF (Invitro Fertilisation) refers to a procedure where women’s egg are removed and fertilized with man’s sperm outside the body in the laboratory. The embryos thus formed are then put back into the uterus to achieve pregnancy. It is an outpatient procedure and requires 6-8 visits to the hospital.

1st visit – D2/D3 of cycle

• Blood for Hormonal Assay
• Complete haemogram and serology screening of both partners (if not done priorly)

2nd visit – Between D18-D21 (Third week of menses)

• Cervical Culture (swab taken from the mouth of uterus to check for any infection)
• Mock transfer A mock embryo transfer using the same transfer catheter is performed to check if it can be passed easily through the cervix so as to ensure easy transfer of embryos.
• Transvaginal ultrasound (baseline scan of uterus and ovaries to rule out any problem)
• Starting suppression injection (taken in 2 ways)
  • Daily subcutaneous injections, same time every day
  • Single intramuscular /subcutaneous injection
• Consent taken for IVF treatment

3rd visit – D2/D3 of next menses

• Blood test (Report to hospital by 11 AM to carry out any pending blood tests if needed)
• Transvaginal ultrasound
• Stimulation drugs started (if blood test results and TVS within normal limits)
  • Stimulation drugs consist of injections which has to be started after 2 PM (1st dose preferrably to be taken in the hospital) at the same time daily,
  • Next visit after 7 or 8 days.

Male Partner

Antibiotics x 5 days

4th visit

• Hormonal Assay (Takes 1½ – 2 hrs for result
• Transvaginal ultrasound
• ECG and pre-anaesthetic check up
• Consultation (with TVS and hormonal assay) It takes on an average 10-12 days for the follicles to achieve adequate growth. Subsequent visits will be individualized accordingly.

Male partner

Semen sample for freezing (reserve sample)

Next visit

• Individualised Once follicles are adequate size, trigger injection has to be taken at the specified time
• Consent taken for Ovum Pick Up (OPU)

Ovum Pick Up

• Patient has to come empty stomach from 10 PM previous night
• Report at the clinic at specified time
• Procedure performed under GA
• Discharged after 4-5 hrs.
• Antibiotics for 5 days and progesterone tablets vaginally till day of embryo transfer and they need to continue other tablets which were already advised.

Male Partner

Fresh semen sample to be given for IVF/ICSI

Embryo transfer

Patient will be explained regarding the number of oozytes retrieved and number of embryos obtained. Consent will be taken for Embryo Transfer and freezing excess embryos if available. This procedure is performed generally without anaesthesia under trans-abdominal ultrasound guidance with full bladder. You will be observed 2-3 hours post embryo transfer and discharged after explaining the medicines required to be continued. Pregnancy is confirmed after 14 days of embryo transfer using a blood serum Beta HCG.