How long does IVF take?
With the progress of modern science and technology, IVF technology has become a choice for many infertile couples to realize their reproductive dreams. However, many couples still have some doubts about the whole process of IVF, especially about how long the whole process will take. This article will elaborate on this from many aspects.
Hospital selection and first consultation
First, the time of IVF depends on the hospital selected by the couple. Different hospitals have their own waiting time and work efficiency. Generally speaking, some well-known fertility hospitals have rich experience and efficient teams in the process of IVF, and can provide services for couples in a relatively short time.
Couples need to have their first consultation after choosing a hospital. This process usually takes half a day to one day. First of all, the doctor will ask the couple about their personal conditions, living habits, reasons for infertility, etc., and develop personalized treatment plans based on these information. Then, the doctor will carry out some necessary examinations, such as blood examination, endocrine examination, ultrasonic examination, etc. These checks usually take 3-4 hours. Finally, doctors will explain and guide the whole process of IVF.
In addition to the first consultation, the couple also need to do some preparatory work. This includes the female's ovarian ovulation guide and the male's semen examination. This stage usually takes several weeks, and the specific time depends on individual conditions.
Egg retrieval and sperm treatment of test tube babies
In the IVF procedure, the woman needs to conduct an ovulation guide and an egg retrieval operation. Usually, ovulation lasts 10-12 days. During this period, the doctor will adjust the drug dose according to the woman's physical condition and ultrasonic examination results, and conduct regular blood tests. Ovulation is generally performed within 36 hours after ovulation, and the operation time is usually about 30-60 minutes.
At the same time, the man needs to provide semen samples. Men can choose to collect samples in the hospital or send them to the hospital after collecting at home. The acquisition process generally does not exceed half an hour. Doctors will process semen samples to separate high-quality sperm for the fertilization process.
Fertilization and embryo culture
After the eggs are taken and the sperm is processed, the doctor will fertilize the woman's eggs and the man's sperm in the laboratory. This process usually takes one night. If fertilization is successful, the embryo will be cultured in the next few days. The time of embryo culture is generally 3-5 days, during which the doctor will conduct embryo evaluation regularly.
Embryo transfer and pregnancy testing
After the embryo culture is completed, the doctor will select the embryo with the most development potential for transplantation. Embryo transfer is a simple surgical procedure, which usually takes only a few minutes. After transplantation, couples need to wait for days to weeks for pregnancy testing. During this period, couples need to follow the doctor's advice and maintain good living habits.
To sum up, the whole process of IVF covers hospital selection and the first consultation, egg retrieval and sperm processing, fertilization and embryo culture, as well as embryo transfer and pregnancy testing. According to different individual conditions and hospital efficiency, the whole IVF process usually takes several months to one year.
