IVF and ICSI
1: IVF
Abbey Fertility provides IVF treatment in Manchester, Liverpool and London in liaison with NHS clinics.
What is IVF?
IVF is a technique to help couples with fertility problems conceive. IVF is the process by which eggs are collected and fertilised with semen. Following fertilisation, one or two embryos are transferred into the uterus using a thin tube called a catheter. Any remaining good quality embryos can be frozen for future use.
The process explained
IVF involves 5 main stages, which we have explained below:
Stimulation of ovaries
Ovaries are stimulated using daily injections to produce more eggs.
Monitoring progress
Ultrasound scans are carried out during stimulation to monitor the progress of the eggs and the lining of the womb. When eggs reach maturity, a trigger injection is administered 36 hours prior to egg collection.
Egg Collection
Egg collection is carried out under sedation. An ultrasound-guided needle is inserted via the vagina into the ovaries. All of the mature eggs are collected..
Fertilisation
If the sperm quality is normal, eggs are mixed with the sperm to fertilise overnight. The next day, the embryologists check the number of eggs that fertilised.
Embryo transfer
One or two fertilised eggs (embryos) are transferred using a soft catheter that passes through the cervix to the womb. The embryos are then gently deposited into the endometrial cavity (womb).
We routinely use Embryoscope™and Embryo Glue in treatment cycles.
The Embryoscope™is a state of the art incubator, which maintains the optimum conditions for an embryo with respect to light, temperature and gas concentrations, such as carbon dioxide/oxygen. It allows continuous monitoring of the embryos by utilising timelapse technology. Embryologists can observe the condition of an embryo at any one time, without having to take the embryo out of the incubator. The use of EmbryoScopes has enabled the embryos to survive longer in the incubators in better conditions. In turn, this enables the embryologists to select the best quality embryos.
Embryo Glue is a solution, which has the same composition of fluid in your womb and fallopian tubes. It is suggested that the placement of embryos in Embryo Glue prior to transferring them into the womb at the end of IVF treatment improves their chances of implantation and pregnancy.
2: ICSI
Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)
ICSI is a similar technique to standard IVF, with the difference being the method of achieving fertilisation. With ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. It is a form of treatment recommended if:
- There is a very low sperm count
- There are problems with the sperm, such as poor motility
- Fertilisation failed/there was a low fertilisation rate in previous IVF attempts
- The sperm needs to be surgically retrieved
If you would like to find out more about ICSI, please contact our clinic.