Egg Production
The woman is prescribed fertility drugs to encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs than usual in a normal monthly cycle. This is usually a daily injection that the woman is required to take. The woman will be monitored carefully by our clinical team through regular ultrasound scans. Once the follicles around the eggs have grown to a required size a final injection is administered to help the ripening of the egg.
Egg Collection
The eggs are collected under mild sedation and involves a fine hollow needle being passed by ultrasound guidance via the vagina. Eggs are placed into an incubator.
Sperm Sample
On the same day the male partner is asked to produce a sample of sperm. This will be performed in our sperm production room. The most motile sperm are selected.
Insemination of Sperm and Eggs
An individual sperm is injected directly into an egg. They are kept in an incubator, in a special medium, and examined the following day to see if they have fertilised.
Embryo Transfer
If embryos (fertilised eggs) have developed they can then be transferred into your uterus. This procedure does not require sedation. The embryos can then begin growing as a normal pregnancy.
Pregnancy Test
The final stage is then to take a pregnancy test approximately two weeks later.