In order for you to get pregnant, an egg must be released from your ovary and unite with a sperm. This is called fertilization and usually takes place inside your fallopian tubes. However, if you have problems fertilizing an egg in this manner, it can be done outside your body in a laboratory and this is called in vitro fertilization and is usually performed by an infertility doctor.

The Procedure

Your infertility doctor will remove eggs from your body, your mate will donate sperm, and the two will be joined together in a Petri dish in the laboratory. Once they have united and become one the embryo (s) can be placed back inside your uterus so that they can continue to grow. In vitro fertilization can help you and mate achieve pregnancy if you are problems getting pregnant.

Risks of in vitro

• A potential risks to other organs when the eggs are retrieved
• Pelvic scarring
• Failure to recover an egg because ovulation has occurred before the time of retrieval
• The eggs that have been retrieved may not be normal
• The semen specimen produced may have a low count or poor motility and needs to be reproduced
• Fertilization of the eggs to form embryos may not occur
• Cell division or growth of the embryos may not occur

If you are interested in learning more about fertility procedures you should schedule an appointment with an infertility doctor in your area today.