In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

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About In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

It is a medical procedure used to assist individuals or couples who are facing fertility challenges in achieving pregnancy.
IVF is the most common and effective type of assisted reproductive technology (ART).
Process:
- IVF is a complex process that involves retrieving eggs from ovaries and manually combining them with sperm in a lab for fertilization.
- Several days after fertilization, the fertilized egg (now called an embryo) is placed inside a uterus.
- Pregnancy occurs when this embryo implants itself into the uterine wall.
The procedure can be done using a couple’s own eggs and sperm. Or IVF may involve eggs, sperm or embryos from a known or anonymous donor.
The success rate of IVF depends on a number of factors including reproductive history, maternal age, the cause of infertility, and lifestyle factors.
IVF can be used to treat infertility in the following patients:
- Blocked or damaged fallopian tubes;
- Male factor infertility including decreased sperm count or sperm motility;
- Women with ovulation disorders, premature ovarian failure, uterine fibroids;
- Women who have had their fallopian tubes removed;
- Individuals with a genetic disorder;
- Unexplained infertility;

Q1) What is an embryo?

An embryo is the earliest stage of development of a multicellular organism after fertilization. In the context of human biology, an embryo specifically refers to the early stage of development of a fertilized egg (zygote) until about eight weeks of gestation. During this period, the embryo undergoes rapid cell division and differentiation, eventually forming the basis for the development of the fetus.

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