What is the short program of IVF
The IVF Short Program is an assisted reproductive technology designed to help couples who are unable to conceive naturally due to physiological reasons achieve their reproductive aspirations. Its core concept is to fertilize sperm and egg in vitro, and then implant the fertilized egg into the female uterus to achieve the purpose of pregnancy and delivery. The short program of IVF is also called in vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET), which is a breakthrough in modern medicine.
The IVF short program generally includes the following steps:
Ovarian stimulation and monitoring
In the short term IVF program, it is first necessary to stimulate the female ovary by using ovulation promoters to increase the number of eggs. At the same time, doctors will conduct regular internal ultrasound and blood tests to monitor the growth of follicles and changes in hormone levels. Generally speaking, the ovarian stimulation cycle lasts about 10-12 days.
In the process of ovarian stimulation, women may experience some side effects, such as slight abdominal distension, breast pain, etc. But these side effects are usually temporary and will not cause long-term effects on the body.
Egg collection
When the follicle reaches the proper maturity, the doctor will use the fine needle guided by ultrasound to collect the egg from the ovary. This process is generally carried out in the operating room and completed under anesthesia to ensure the comfort and safety of patients.
Egg collection usually takes only a few minutes, but women may feel some abdominal pain and discomfort after surgery. This discomfort can usually be relieved by rest and the use of appropriate painkillers.
Sperm processing and fertilization
The collected eggs will be combined with the sperm provided by their partners in the laboratory to promote fertilization. Doctors will choose the most energetic and healthy sperm to combine with the egg, or in some special cases, they can use the intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) technology to directly inject a single sperm into the egg.
The fertilized eggs will be cultured in the laboratory for a period of time, usually 2-5 days. During this period, the doctor will monitor the development of the fertilized egg and evaluate its quality and suitability to select the most suitable embryo for transplantation.
Embryo transfer and pregnancy
After culture and evaluation, the most suitable embryo will be selected and transferred to the uterus of a woman through a simple surgical process. This process generally does not require anesthesia, and patients can directly complete it under the guidance of doctors. After transplantation, women need a period of rest to improve the probability of embryo implantation.
Generally speaking, within two weeks after transplantation, women will have blood or urine hCG tests to determine whether they are pregnant. If the result is positive, it means that the IVF short program is successful and prenatal care and monitoring can be started.
Summary
The IVF short program is a way to help infertile couples realize their reproductive dreams with the help of modern medical technology. It includes ovarian stimulation and monitoring, egg collection, sperm processing and fertilization, embryo transfer and pregnancy and other steps. Although each step may have certain risks and discomfort, the IVF short program has successfully helped many couples usher in their own babies.
