Stimulated cycles
The ovaries are stimulated to produce eggs with the use of injectable hormones called Gonadotrophins
Patient preparation with stimulation
The ovaries are stimulated to produce eggs with the use of injectable hormones called Gonadotrophins (FSH and LH). Specific treatment protocols individualised for each patient include the’ Long’ protocol (follicular and luteal varieties), the ’Short’ protocol and the ’Ultrashort’ protocol, all based on how a special medication, GnRH agonist is used. Newer protocols use the recently produced GnRH antagonists.
Patient monitoring
Patients usually take medication for 10-12 days (ovarian stimulation) so that the ovaries prepare eggs. During ovarian stimulation follicular growth and egg production are carefully monitored with the aid of ultrasound scanning and blood hormone levels (estradiol, progesterone, LH).
The doctor is able to determine the appropriate dose of medication from the results of Ultrasound and hormone levels in the blood.
Ovum Pick-Up (OPU)
When the eggs are mature, they are collected trans-vaginally with the aid of the Ultrasound Scanner. The woman is given a very brief anaesthesia, therefore she feels no pain during the procedure which lasts only a few minutes. At this time the husband is asked to produce a semen sample.
The eggs are removed from the follicular fluid and transferred to the IVF culture medium until insemination which is done a few hours after OPU. The semen is processed through a sperm washing procedure in order to be prepared for the insemination.
Insemination
Τhere are basically two methods of In-Vitro Fertilization; classical IVF and ICSI.
Fertilization
Fertilization either with Classical IVF or ICSI method of insemination is determined 24 hours after OPU by the presence of two pronuclei, one from the sperm (paternal) and the other from the egg itself (maternal).
Culture and Embryo Transfer
The fertilized eggs are kept in culture medium for 2, 3 or 5 days before transferring them to the woman’s uterus (womb).
