I N V I T R O F E R T I L I Z AT I O N ( I V F )

W H AT I S I V F ?

A fertility treatment
A process in which a

woman's egg and a man's

sperm are joined together
in a laboratory dish
"In vitro" means "in glass"

IVF PROCESS
1. "Super Ovulation"- the woman takes fertility drugs to increase the egg
production

2. Follicular Aspiration Surgery- an egg retrieval surgery take place

3. Insemination/Fertilization- the man's sperm is joined with the best quality
eggs in a dish and then stored in an environmentally controlled chamber;
fertilization usually occurs a few hours after the insemination
4. Embryo Culture- the fertilized egg divides and becomes an embryo; the
embryo will have several actively diving cells within 5 days if it is normal
5. Embryo Transfer- embryos placed in the woman's womb 3-5 days after
the retrieval and fertilization

CAUSES OF
INFERTILITY

Older age: a woman's

chance of getting
pregnant decreases as she
gets older; it is especially
difficult to get pregnant
after the age of 35

CAUSES OF
INFERTILITY

Endometriosis: a disorder

that causes cells from the

lining of the womb (uterus)
to grow in other parts of
the body

CAUSES OF
INFERTILITY

Blocked Fallopian tubes:

egg cannot reach the

uterus and sperm is not
able to reach the egg

INCREASES THE CHANCE OF

PREGNANCY

Woman's chance of getting pregnant in 20s: 20-25%

Woman's chance of getting pregnant in early 30s: 15%
Woman's chance of getting pregnant under age of 35

after IVF: 41-43%

E G G D O N AT I O N
Allows a woman with unsuitable eggs to carry her child
Reasons for egg donation:
Premature ovarian failure
High chance of passing down disease/disorders
Failure of previous IVF procedures

COUNTER: COSTS
& SYMPTOMS
A single IVF cycle can

cost between $12,000$17,000

Infertility treatments are

usually not covered by

insurance

The costs include:

medicine, surgery,
anesthesia, etc.

COUNTER: COSTS
& SYMPTOMS
Symptoms include:
Vomiting
Rapid weight

gain

Bleeding
Infection

P R E I M P L A N TAT I O N G E N E T I C T E S T I N G

Embryo is evaluated to see if there is a chance of

inheritance of a problematic gene

Helpful for people who have concerns about passing

down genetic disorders

Occurs in the middle of the IVF procedure

CONCLUSION

IVF is a very helpful option

for people experiencing

fertility issues
People who go through

IVF will most likely be able

to provide a great life for
their child

REFERENCES
Age and Fertility Analysis and Statistics - SCCRM." Southern California Fertility. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
Gurevich, Rachel. "What You Need to Know About Blocked Fallopian Tubes." About.
N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.
"In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of
Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.
"Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) - American Pregnancy Association."
American Pregnancy Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
"The Pros and Cons of IVF." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/
wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/babies-pros- and-cons/>.
"What Are the Factors That Put a Pregnancy at Risk?" What Are the Factors That Put a
Pregnancy at Risk? NIH, n.d. Web. 16 Nov. 2014.

I N V I T R O F E R T I L I Z AT I O N ( I V F )