For those who are interested in learning more about how in vitro fertilization in Poland works, here is a little bit of a breakdown as to what is done.
Before the Procedure
About 2 weeks before your IVF procedure, you will begin what is called hormone therapy. You will be given fertility drugs which you will have to take in order to stimulate egg production in your ovaries. You will also be going through blood tests as well as ultra sounds to determine when the best time to get the eggs will be. To have a successful IVF procedure, the eggs are going to have to be retrieved before ovulation occurs. There are quite a few IVF Centres in Poland to choose from, so do your research before starting your IVF.
Retrieving the Eggs
In the olden days, the eggs were retrieved using a surgical procedure. Nowadays, technology has advanced and made it possible to use a thin needle to retrieve the eggs. This is an outpatient procedure ad you will be in and out the same day. This needle is going to be inserted into the vagina and that is how the eggs are retrieved. This procedure can be uncomfortable for some women and can be described as the discomfort that comes with a Pap smear. While you will not have to be under general anesthesia, some clinics will give some local anesthesia to help with the discomfort. After your procedure, you should rest and then you are going to be able to resume normal activities.
Egg Fertilization
The fluid taken from the woman is examined to ensure eggs are in it. There should be anywhere from 2-4 eggs that were extracted, and in the mean time, sperm is going to be separated from semen. Once the eggs are ready for the fertilization process, the sperm and eggs are joined in a petri dish in the lab. This is the process referred to as in vitro fertilization as the sperm and egg are combined and is referred to as assisted.
Formation of Embryos
Typically in a time frame of 18 hours past the fertilization point, doctors have the ability to determine if the egg is fertilized successfully or if it has failed. If pre-embryos are present, they are then placed into a fluid that is almost like what is found inside a woman’s fallopian tubes. The incubation period takes place for about 3 days to ensure embryos are formed.
Implantation Occurs
Once the embryos are formed, you will return to your doctor for the implantation. A tube known as a catheter is used and implants the embryos into the uterus. This is a painless procedure and there typically are 3 or more fertilized eggs that are implanted. The more eggs that are implanted the better your chances are of getting pregnant.
Pregnancy
For the following few weeks you are going to be given hormones to help with the process and with luck, your eggs, at least one, will turn into a successful pregnancy. You will be called back to the office or clinic in a few weeks to take a pregnancy test to see if the fertilized eggs were successful.