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.
Source: In a first in India, Goa to give free IVF treatment in govt hospital In a first in India, Goa to give free IVF treatment in govt hospital
Last updated on January, 2026
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