IVF treatment options
It is worth exploring the various in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment options to ensure that you understand what is available:
Natural cycle IVF
Natural cycle IVF involves collecting and fertilising the one egg that you release during your normal monthly cycle. No fertility drugs are used in this treatment.
Mild stimulation IVF
With mild stimulation IVF, the woman is either given a lower dose of fertility drugs or is given them over a shorter period than with conventional IVF.
In vitro maturation (IVM)
In the IVM process, eggs are removed from the ovaries and are collected when they are still immature. They are then matured in the laboratory before being fertilised.
Embryo transfer
Embryo transfer takes place after eggs have been collected and fertilised in the laboratory. Depending on your situation between one and three of the best quality embryos are selected and then transferred to the woman’s womb.
Blastocyst transfer
With blastocyst transfer, embryos are cultured in the laboratory incubator to the blastocyst stage before they are transferred to the womb.
Assisted hatching
It has been suggested that making a hole in or thinning this outer layer may help embryos to ‘hatch’, increasing the chances of the woman becoming pregnant in some cases.
...more about in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
Page last updated: 28 August 2009
Find the support you need.
The idea of going to a fertility clinic can be daunting; find out what you might expect on your first visit.