How long is the IVF cycle

Modern medicine's technology in the field of fertility is becoming more and more advanced. People who were previously unable to conceive due to some physical reasons now have a certain chance of conceiving with the help of modern medicine, and this method of fertility is in vitro fertilization. In vitro fertilization mainly uses medical intervention to combine sperm and egg into a fertilized egg, which is then transplanted into the female body. So how long should the IVF cycle be?

How long does the IVF process take?

IVF treatment requires going to the hospital every day for about 20 days. The process of IVF:

1. After excluding contraindications and confirming indications, prepare three certificates (ID cards of both parties, marriage certificate, and birth permit) and submit them to the nurse in the registration office for inspection.

2. Improve the preliminary examination for in vitro fertilization.

3. Monitor follicles: Use vaginal B-ultrasound to monitor the size of follicles, and cooperate with blood hormone tests to adjust the dosage of medication. When the diameter of one or more follicles is greater than 1.8 cm, and the number of follicles greater than 1.4 cm is equivalent to the E2 value, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) can be injected to promote the maturation of the follicles. Egg retrieval is done 34-36 hours after HCG injection.

4. Egg retrieval: Egg retrieval is generally carried out under the guidance of vaginal B-ultrasound under the injection of analgesics or intravenous anesthesia. The egg retrieval needle is passed through the vaginal vault and directly reaches the ovary to absorb the eggs. The eggs are immediately transferred to a culture dish containing embryo culture medium under a microscope and cultured in an incubator at 37°C.

5. Sperm retrieval: The time of sperm retrieval is the same day as the day of egg retrieval. Wash your hands before collecting semen and use masturbation to collect semen. The small cup given is sterile. Do not touch the rim or inside of the cup when taking the liquid. The semen was extracted and processed by swim-up method or Percoll density gradient centrifugation.

6. In vitro fertilization: 4 to 5 hours after egg retrieval, place the processed sperm and eggs in the same culture dish. After culturing them together for 18 hours, the fertilization can be observed under a microscope. If the sperm quality is too poor to allow natural fertilization, forced fertilization must be achieved by microinjection (see intracytoplasmic sperm insemination).

7. Embryo transplantation: The fertilized egg can develop into an 8- to 16-cell stage embryo after 48-72 hours of in vitro culture. At this time, the number of embryos to be transplanted is determined based on the patient's age, whether she has been pregnant before, and the quality of the embryos. Excess embryos can be frozen and stored. Embryo transfer does not require anesthesia. Currently, embryos are usually transplanted 2 to 3 days after fertilization.

8. Hormone supplementation after embryo transfer: Currently, progesterone is given by injection to support the corpus luteum.

9. On the 14th day after embryo transfer, test morning urine and blood HCG to determine whether pregnancy is present. 28 days after pregnancy, B-ultrasound is used to check the number of fetuses and the site of embryo implantation.

What should you pay attention to after IVF? 1. Diet: You can eat anything you want, especially more vegetables and protein-rich foods. It is recommended to eat a grapefruit every day; things that are not recommended: alcohol, cigarettes, coffee, tea, sesame oil, bananas, papayas, crabs, corn, and coix seeds, which are not good for the embryo.

2. Rest: Lie down as much as possible and try to lie flat for 48 hours after the transplant. Do not turn over or get up forcefully in bed. When getting up, turn sideways and support your body with your hands before getting up. After 48 hours, you can lean on the bed (angle less than 45 degrees). Watch less TV or no TV and use the Internet less. You can read some books to kill time, but be careful not to read books that arouse emotional excitement. Try to get more rest in the future. After 3 days, you can do a small amount of small activities indoors within 5 days. After 5 days, you can do small activities outdoors. Especially at work, you should not overwork. It is best not to go to work until pregnancy is detected. Maintain a regular schedule, don’t stay up late, and get enough sleep. It is best to have someone come to your home to give you the injection within the first 5 days.

3. Exercise: Avoid strenuous exercise after transplantation: do not stretch hard, do not tiptoe, do not raise your hands high, do not squat, do not lift heavy objects, do not walk fast, do not jog, do not ride a bicycle, but you can walk slowly.

4. Bathing: Do not bathe for 48 hours after transplantation. You can bathe and wash your hair every other day or at longer intervals, but water is a must.

5. Stay healthy: Don’t get sick, pay attention to weather changes, and add or remove clothes appropriately.

6. Mood: Keep a happy mood. If you can't do this, at least keep calm and relaxed. Don't think too much about the results and worry about gains and losses.

7. Socializing: Try not to participate in social activities and avoid environments with concentrated crowds and severe air pollution. Avoid being startled by other people or traffic.

8. Bowel movement: Avoid diarrhea or constipation. Especially if you have constipation, you must keep your bowels open. If you have constipation, do not force a bowel movement. Wait until you feel the urge to defecate. In general, eating more vegetables can keep your bowel movements smooth.