For the majority of couples, in vitro fertilization (IVF) represents the final hope for pregnancy after the countless times of failing to conceive. The IVF process is demanding, occurs in an unfamiliar environment, cost about thousand of dollars, and has no guarantee of a successful outcome. However, these couples choose this option in hope of having a baby. Most couples find a way to cope with the stresses of the IVF procedure, and all couples are aware of the pressures which it places upon them. Most women who are unable to conceive naturally resort to IVF as a last option despite the multiple medications, high cost, and significant odds needed to make pregnancy even remotely possible.

IVF is a fertility treatment that helps couples who need assistance in conceiving naturally. This process is vital to infertile couples because it gives them another chance of conceiving a child. Couples who do qualify for IVF usually tried other methods before they looked into IVF process. IVF has six major steps for the process of fertilization: monitoring the ripening of the eggs in the woman’s ovaries, collecting the eggs, collecting sperm, incubation of the egg and sperm in the laboratory, transferring the embryo to the uterus, and waiting for either a positive pregnancy result or menstruation. More than tens of thousands healthy children are born through IVF. The number one aim for IVF has been to mimic nature as best as possible using artificial insemination. It’s really important for anyone considering IVF to understand to process along with any limitations.

Women who want to start the IVF route need to start a daily injection dose of hormonal medication know as Gonadotropins to promote maturation of ovarian follicles containing the eggs. Women are taught how to administer the injections at home on the first day they are prescribed the medication injection. Later on their blood is tested to measure hormone levels. The main goal is to stimulate the production of multiple follicles but these numbers can vary widely. Some women can produce 20 or more pre cycle while others could possibly only produce two or three. When the follicles have matured the women then administers an injection of human chorionic gonadotrophin, hCG. This is an important medication that has to be taken at the time the women is instructed to do so or the procedure will not successfully take place. After the administration of Hcg, the egg is then retrieved 34-36 hours later. This is where the doctor inserts a long needle through the vagina to remove fluids that contain the mature eggs. This part takes about 20-30 minutes, usually performed as an outpatient procedure and does not require any general anesthesia. Once the eggs has been examined and fertilized by the sperm it is observed for five days before it is then transferred as an embryo to the uterus. After the embryo has been transferred the women is now given the hormone progesterone. This can be given as an injection or through a vaginal suppository. This drug is given to the woman for two weeks and if the implantation is successful a pregnancy test will result in a positive.

IVF in the United States can cost for one cycle approximately $10,000 to $15,000. Since many insurance policies don’t cover any type of fertility therapies it is best that couples wanting to do this procedure to check with their insurance companies on what is covered. Currently there are 14 states that require insurers to cover diagnose and some treatments, but even then some policies vary with in the state. If the insurance policy doesn’t cover the treatment the couples alternatively end up paying 100% of the cost up