To complete an Invitro fertilization cycle, it takes around four to six weeks. And for some women, it takes multiple cycles to get pregnant.  To start with IVF (invitro fertilization procedure), doctors perform laparoscopic surgery on the woman which is part of in vitro diagnostics.

Each IVF treatment cycle has five steps.

Ovarian Stimulation: This is the very first step of the " target="_self" In Vitro Fertilization process where the woman is given fertility or ovulation drugs. These drugs are the hormones which stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs per menstrual cycle in place of one egg. It is essential to have multiple eggs for the successful IVF. For this doctors use in vitro diagnostics technique such as ultrasound and blood testing.</p>

Egg retrieval: After the egg is ready for retrieval, doctors perform a small surgical procedure to locate the mature follicles and remove the eggs with suction. It needs administering the small amount of anesthesia.  In case, doctors can not locate follicle with help of ultrasound, they perform laparoscopic surgery, which involves making small incision in the abdomen. They use tiny fiber-optic lens to locate the ovaries. This procedure needs stronger anesthesia.

Insemination: Once the eggs are retrieved, it is time to make an examination. Doctor examine the retrieve eggs fro their potential. Only few eggs have the potential to hold the successful pregnancy. The most efficient eggs are placed into the IVF culture medium till all the essential elements for the insemination get ready. On the other side of the procedure, father’s sperm from his semen are separated. The most mobile and active sperms are released into the incubator to be with eggs.

Fertilization and Embryo Culture: A sperm penetrates an egg within hours and fertilization takes place. Next day, if doctors can see two pronuclei, then there will be a successful formation of an embryo. Within 2 days, doctors expect to see a 2 to 4 cell embryo.

Embryo transfer :  In the last stage of the in-vitro fertilization, these embryos are placed into the woman’s uterus as early as possible after two days of observation. If the embryo gets attached to the uterus wall, it results in positive pregnancy test.