What is IVF? IVF or In Vitro Fertilization is a procedure where female egg is fertilized with male’s sperm outside the body under culture condition, which is almost similar to that of woman’s tube. When is IVF required? This is a technique to provide a child to infertile couple. It is required in the following instances: # Presence of irreparably damaged fallopian tubes and absent tubes # Oligospermia that fails to respond to any other therapy # Idiopathic infertility # Presence of sperm antibodies # Abnormal cervical factor # Tuberculosis in which tubal reconstruction is contraindicated # Endometriosis # Peritonial factor How is IVF done? IVF does not involve any surgical procedure requiring a cut or stitch. The ovaries are stimulated on day 2 of a menstrual cycle with the help of drugs. These follicles take 12-14 days to develop fully. It is at this stage that eggs are aspirated out from the ovaries. The egg collection is done under sedation or short general anaesthesia in which a needle is inserted through the vagina, and under ultrasound guidance the eggs are collected from both the ovaries. One tries to get multiple eggs but each woman responds differently. This procedure takes 15-30 minutes. In normal circumstances hospitalisation is not required. Soon after the eggs are obtained, at the same time the partner is asked to collect a semen sample by masturbation. How does conception occur in IVF? Normally conception occurs by the fusion of sperm (male sex cell) and egg (female sex cell), inside the woman's womb. In IVF, the sperms and eggs are fused (fertilized) outside the womb. This is done in special tubes and petridishes in the IVF laboratory. Special incubators are used to keep these sperms and eggs together in an environment similar to the mother's womb. Once there is successful fertilisation, these embryos (earliest form of the baby) are put in to the mother's uterus. This procedure is known as Embryo Transfer or ET. What is the duration of IVF treatment? IVF is unde