IVF usually follows one of three general plans or ‘protocols’ to optimise follicular development. They are referred to as Long, Short or Flare cycles. The three protocols vary mainly in the timing and types of medications used in the preparation and initial stages of your IVF cycle.
Each plan is tailored to a couple’s individual circumstance and may vary in many aspects. Your doctor and nurse will guide you through your plan explaining why different approaches are taken.
Medication is provided to prepare your own cycle. This helps ensure that ovarian stimulation occurs as planned. The type and timing of medications used in this stage varies with each case.
Once your cycle is prepared, you begin a series of daily injections to stimulate your ovarian follicles to produce eggs. During a normal cycle one egg is produced, for IVF it is desirable to have more follicles available for egg recruitment. This does not ‘use up’ your eggs any faster than a normal cycle and does not cause early menopause.
Blood tests and ultrasound monitor your progress and determine when to proceed to egg collection.
You now stop using all your other cycle medication. A single injection is given to facilitate the final maturation of the follicle and egg.
36 to 38 hours later the eggs are retrieved using an ultrasound guided procedure, this will involve an anaesthetic. A fresh sperm sample is collected at this time.
The 'strongest' sperm are specially prepared and added to eggs several hours after retrieval. In some cases the sperm is put directly into the egg (See ICSI). The fertilised eggs are called embryos.
2 to 6 days after fertilisation the embryo is transferred to the uterus. Suitable embryos not transferred may be frozen for a future treatment cycle if couples wish.
Following the transfer, implantation of the embryo is supported by medications specific to your needs.
A pregnancy test is taken approximately 15 days after egg collection or ovulation. The results indicate whether or not an embryo has implanted in the womb
Note : Your program may vary from the pathway outlined here.