email - info@fertilityconnect.com

Text Size - Normal - Large

IVF - Fertility Information - Treatment - IVF

IVF

IVF Stage 5-Embryo Replacement

It is at the embryo transfer that the discussion of the number and quality of embryos to be replaced will take place. The embryo replacement normally takes place with no sedation. It is similar to a smear test in that a speculum is passed into the vagina. The vagina is then cleaned whilst the embryologist loads the catheter containing the embryos. A fine caterer containing the embryo/ embryos is passed through the cervix and into the uterus. The embryo's are deposited in the uterus. This is performed under ultra sound guidance. A pregnancy test should be performed 14 days after Embryo transfer.

Progesterone

Progesterone helps to maintain the thickness of the lining of the uterus to aid implantation. The lining will have been increasing as a result of the FSH injections. Progesterone will be taken in the form of intra- muscular injection or suppository prior to or commenced on the day of the embryo transfer and continued until the pregnancy test.

Cryopreservation of Embryos

Following an IVF or ICSI cycle couples may have spare embryos that are of a good quality. The unit may then offer to cryopreserve the embryos for a frozen embryo replacement cycle.

The embryos have to be of a certain quality otherwise they will not survive the freezing or thawing process. Therefore not all couples will be offered freezing at the embryo replacement cycle. Some of the criteria the embryologists will be looking for are:

• Number of cells present in the embryo
• The number of cells correlating to the development stage of the embryo
• Degree of fragmentation in the embryo
• Number of embryos available for freezing-There may be a minimum number of embryo’s that a unit will freeze

Once the embryos have been preserved then they can be stored by the unit until a couple are ready to proceed with another treatment cycle.

<Previous | Next >| Pages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Useful links

return to top of ivf page

copyright © 2005-2006 www.fertilityconnect.com