
Test Tube Baby Technique (IVF / ICSI)
WHICH COUPLES REQUIRE IVF-ET?
Blocked fallopian tubes
Severe abnormalities in sperm counts and motility
Unexplained infertility
Repeated failed IUIs
Women with advanced age and declining ovarian reserves( may need donor eggs)
Genetic problems in husband or wife, causing repeated pregnancy losses

WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN AN IVF CYCLE?
Basically we want to collect good number of eggs from the wife’s ovaries( normally only one egg is released in one menstrual cycle),this is done by taking control over the menstrual cycle by giving drugs to suppress the natural responses(GnRH analoges) and stimulating the ovaries by hormonal injections (GONADOTROPINS) till a desired response is achieved, this response is monitored by hormonal tests and sonography.
The eggs collected are allowed to fertilise/fusion by sperms under special laboratory conditions( recreation of inside body like environment) .At this step, in case of ICSI(Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) each egg is fertilised by single motile sperm by direct injection into ovum under special microscope. After fusion of egg and sperm, the zygote is allowed to grow further till embryos( 4cell, 8 cell, Blastoysts) are formed.
This a straightforward procedure not requiring anesthesia, done between 2nd to 5th day of egg pickup.The embryos are gently placed inside uterine cavity using a fine cannula introduced through vagina and cervix.