Help

[Coral86]

Are there all different types of ivf ? Sorry don’t have a clue all new to me waiting for an appt to see fertility consultant

[MissSaoPaulo]

Hi hon,

You must have so many questions!! Basically, IVF stimulates your ovaries to produce as many eggs as possible, these are collected, mixed with sperm and those which fertilize and develop can be put back into your uterus, where it hopefully sticks and develops into a baby, or frozen.

There are different protocols for stimulation. Some involve 'downregulation' starting part way through your menstrual cycle and means the Dr can control your cycle. Others you just start injections on day 1 or 2 of your cycle. You'll have several scans and when things are looking good you'll be given a time for egg collection and a 'trigger shot' to make you ovulate, which you take 36 hrs before your egg collection time.

When your eggs have been collected they'll be mixed together with the sperm sample for them to fertilize. If there are issues with the sperm, the clinic might do ICSI where they inject the sperm into the egg.

Hopefully plenty of eggs fertilize and become embryos. These are left to develop and are monitored. If things are looking good and you're well you will have a 'fresh' transfer shortly after egg collection. This could be 5 days after if embryos are developing well and have become 'blastocysts' or 3 days after if the clinic think it's better to get them back into your uterus and let them develop there. If you have several embryos or blastocysts, the others can be frozen.

Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, a fresh transfer is not possible so all your embryos that have developed well will be frozen - 'freeze all' cycle. Then you can later do a 'FET' - frozen egg transfer. For this, again, you may downregulate so the clinic can control the cycle or you may just take a combination of oestrogen and progesterone to suppress natural ovulation and prepare your uterus lining. At some clinics you can do a 'natural FET' where you don't take any drugs, but they have to monitor you very closely to time transfer with your natural ovulation.

Wow, I've written a whole essay here. Hope it helps and is not too overwhelming!!! Best of luck with your IVF, hope the appointment comes around quickly xxx

[Coral86 in reply to MissSaoPaulo]

Aww thanks so much so sweet of you are you going through the sMe ? Thanks so much for the advice xx

[hannahding]

IVF is a lot more than just simple retrieval and transfer process. Soo much is being done to control the hormones and all. Therefore, it is soo important to know about it. I am glad that you are researching on the topic. The two common ones are IVF and then IVF along with De. After which come the subcategories. Good luck to you. I hope things go well for you.

[Coral86 in reply to hannahding]

Thank you not sure what I’m having yet will know once I see the consultant