How long does it take to stay in the hospital for IVF

In fact, compared with normal pregnancy, the IVF method of making women pregnant has a more complicated surgical and pregnancy process. Therefore, whether before or after IVF, female friends should pay special attention to their physical condition and diet. So some women who choose to have IVF have questions: Do women need to be hospitalized after having IVF?

Does IVF require hospitalization?

The time required for the IVF process is closely related to the patient's specific condition, medication regimen and the doctor's skills. The time varies and there is no uniform standard. Generally speaking, the entire IVF process takes about 1-3 months. The specific time distribution should be determined based on factors such as the patient's own condition. as follows:

1. Preliminary inspection stage: usually takes 1-2 months. The man needs to have his semen tested, and the woman also needs to complete some basic examinations, such as gynecological examination, curettage, fallopian tube permeability test, antisperm antibodies, liver function and hepatitis B two-to-a-half test, routine blood analysis and coagulation time and basic endocrine hormone measurement (3rd day of menstruation), etc.

2. Ovulation induction and follicle monitoring stage: about 1 month. Generally, medication is started in the mid-luteal phase, which is on the 21st day of menstruation, to keep the gonadotropin level in the body low. Menstruation occurs about 8 days after medication. On the 3rd to 7th day of menstruation, intramuscular injection of drugs that promote follicle development is started. After 3 days, B-ultrasound is used to monitor the development of follicles and adjust the dosage.

3. Egg retrieval, sperm retrieval, embryo in vitro culture and transplantation: After about 10 days of application of follicle-stimulating drugs, the follicles mature and the eggs can be removed through vaginal vault puncture under the guidance of B-ultrasound. In vitro fertilization is performed and after 3 days of culture, the fertilized eggs develop into embryos and are placed in the uterine cavity. Rest in bed for 2-4 hours after transplantation.

4. After embryo transfer: Test morning urine on the 14th day after embryo transfer to determine whether pregnancy is present; if pregnancy is present, check the number of fetuses and the site of embryo implantation 14 days after pregnancy.

What is the IVF process like?

In vitro fertilization requires a total of six steps, from the initial ovulation induction to the final pregnancy confirmation.

1. Ovulation induction therapy

When a couple who is planning to have a baby plans to have in vitro fertilization, the woman needs to undergo ovulation induction treatment first. This is because not every egg can be fertilized, and not every fertilized egg can develop into a viable embryo. Therefore, multiple eggs must be obtained from the female body to ensure that there are embryos that can be transplanted, which requires ovulation induction treatment for women.

The specific approach is that on the second day of the menstrual cycle, or when the results of reproductive hormones and uterine and ovarian ultrasound examinations meet the requirements, the woman starts taking ovulation-inducing drugs. The doctor judges the growth of follicles based on the results of ultrasound monitoring and serum hormone measurements and decides whether the dosage of ovulation-inducing drugs needs to be adjusted. When the follicles are mature, hCG injection is given to promote the final maturation of the egg. Egg retrieval is usually done 36-38 hours after hCG injection.

2. Egg retrieval

Under the guidance of B-ultrasound, the doctor uses a special egg retrieval needle to puncture the mature follicles through the vagina and suck out the eggs. Egg retrieval is usually performed under intravenous anesthesia, so the woman does not feel any pain from the puncture.

3. In vitro fertilization

Sperm retrieval: While the female retrieves the eggs, the male retrieves the sperm. After the semen has gone through a special washing process, the sperm and egg are placed in a special culture medium in the hope of natural combination. This is called conventional fertilization.

4. Embryo transfer

A few days after fertilization, a very thin embryo transfer tube is used to transfer the best embryo into the mother's uterus through the cervix. The number of embryos to be transferred is determined based on age, embryo quality and previous IVF outcomes. Usually 2-3 embryos are transferred. In recent years, in order to reduce the multiple pregnancy rate, some centers have chosen to transfer a single embryo, or a maximum of 2 embryos. Because the embryo transfer tube is very thin and the doctor's movements are gentle, the patient usually does not feel any pain.