IVF Treatment Is Not a Difficult or Long Process<\/p>\n
Contrary to common belief, IVF treatment is not a difficult or lengthy process. However, when a couple decides to proceed with IVF, an initial evaluation phase takes place. During this stage, the couple undergoes detailed assessment through certain tests and examinations<\/a> before starting treatment.<\/p>\n Sometimes this evaluation period may take longer due to the required investigations. For example, if the couple has a history of recurrent miscarriages, genetic testing may be requested, and these tests may take at least three weeks (21 days) to complete. Therefore, the pre-treatment evaluation period varies for each couple. The more thorough the evaluation before IVF, the higher the chances of treatment success.<\/p>\n The first stage, ovarian stimulation, begins on the 2nd or 3rd day of menstruation and lasts approximately 10\u201312 days. During this phase, insulin-like injections administered around the abdominal area stimulate the ovaries. When the follicles (fluid-filled sacs containing eggs) reach an average size of 20 mm, a trigger injection \u2014 also administered around the abdomen \u2014 completes this stage.<\/p>\n During ovarian stimulation, patients typically visit the clinic 3\u20134 times for ultrasound monitoring of follicular growth, and blood estrogen levels are measured to assess the development rate of the follicles.<\/p>\n Approximately 35\u201336 hours after the trigger injection, eggs are collected from the follicles under anesthesia. This painless procedure, known as OPU (Oocyte Pick-Up), takes around 15\u201330 minutes.<\/p>\n On the same day, sperm obtained from the male partner after 2\u20135 days of sexual abstinence is used to fertilize the retrieved mature eggs. This fertilization process is called microinjection (ICSI), where each selected sperm is injected directly into each mature egg. OPU represents the second stage of IVF treatment.<\/p>\n After microinjection on the day of OPU, fertilized eggs become embryos the following day. These embryos are then monitored in a laboratory environment.<\/p>\n They are usually kept in special incubators known as embryoscopes<\/a>, which allow continuous 24-hour monitoring to help select the best-quality embryo. This observation period lasts between 2\u20135 days. On the 5th day after OPU, the best embryo reaching the blastocyst stage is selected and transferred into the uterus using a very thin catheter.<\/p>\nIVF Treatment Consists of Three Stages<\/h2>\n
1. Ovarian Stimulation<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. Egg Retrieval<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. Embryo Transfer<\/strong><\/h3>\n