IVF

What is IVF?

IVF stands for in vitro fertilisation. It’s a way to help people have a baby when it’s been hard to get pregnant naturally.

How Does IVF Work?

Here’s what happens in simple steps:

1. Getting the Eggs Ready: You take some medicine to help your ovaries make lots of eggs instead of just one.

2. Collecting the Eggs: A doctor gently takes the eggs out from your ovaries.

3. Mixing Eggs and Sperm: The eggs are put together with sperm in a lab to make babies start growing. Sometimes, a single sperm is put right into an egg to help it along.

4. Watching the Babies Grow: The tiny baby beginnings, called embryos, grow in the lab for a few days.

5. Putting the Embryo Back: The doctor puts one or two embryos into your womb, hoping one will stick and grow into a baby.

Who Can IVF Help?

IVF can help if:

• Your tubes are blocked or not working.

• You don’t ovulate regularly.

• The sperm has problems.

• You’ve tried for a baby but it’s not happened.

• You want to avoid passing on certain illnesses.

• You’re a single person or a same-sex couple wanting a baby.

What to Know About IVF

• It can take time and might feel tough sometimes.

• It doesn’t always work the first time.

• Sometimes, more than one baby can grow if more than one embryo is put back.