IVF: a life-changing artificial insemination alternative

It is important to consider that patients with fertility problems and decide to undergo one of these treatments, commonly, should change several aspects of their daily life.

Dra.. Edith Cervantes Guerrero

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a highly complex procedure that consists of obtaining ovaries from the ovaries, which were stimulated hormonally in a previous way. The objective is to extract the eggs to fertilize them with spermatozoa of the couple. To undergo this treatment it is essential to go to an assisted reproduction specialist .

Once the patient has been stimulated, she undergoes a very light anesthetic process called sedation. For this, we always have monitors where the follicles are monitored and how the follicular fluid is extracted, which is where the eggs are contained.

Subsequently, biologists retrieve those eggs from the follicular fluid in a tube. Once they obtain these eggs are kept in incubators where they are sought to stabilize them to conditions equivalent to those of the body. This is carried out for 4 hours, and during those 4 hours the spermatozoa are prepared for the moment of putting them in contact with the ovule and to obtain that only one of them fecunde of natural way.

If this does not happen, use the artificial method known as ICSI , (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection). In the ICSI technique, a spermatozoon is taken and injected directly into the egg in order to ensure conventional in vitro insemination .

The incubated cells should be stored in about 3 to 5 days so that when there are quality embryos, which are evaluated every day inside the laboratory, one or two of them. Subsequently, the embryos are returned to the uterus in order to be implanted and the patient becomes pregnant. Two weeks later a pregnancy test is performed.

Who is eligible for this treatment?

On the female side, the patients who have this type of treatment are those who have obstructed fallopian tubes, either for previous surgical procedures or other conditions, for severe endometriosis or because they voluntarily decided in the past that they did not want to have more family and with the time is with a new couple with whom he decides to be a mom.

On the male side, there are patients who have very low sperm emission, or are slow at the time of natural fertilization, or, previously, patients underwent testicular traumatic surgeries with a history of testicular cancer; or who were vasectomized and then decide to have a family again.

It is important to consider that patients with fertility problems and decide to undergo one of these treatments, should change the dynamics of having sex, as they are prescribed specific times. It also modifies the routine in the work environment since it is necessary to ask for permission from 3 to 7 times a month in order to make the assessments. In addition, during an assisted fertilization procedure the perception of patients as a person changes, they feel less women or less manly, so it is worth considering a psychological support that provides emotional support throughout the process.