IVF is a team effort that can help make the dream of parenthood come true
Pursuing an IVF cycle can seem overwhelming at first, but you aren’t alone at Fertility Specialists of Texas. Our Dallas-Fort Worth fertility doctors provide highly effective fertility treatments and compassionate support. As you pursue in vitro fertilization, or IVF, your doctor will be by your side to guide you on your path to parenthood.
How does in vitro fertilization work?
In vitro fertilization is an advanced fertility treatment, so it involves multiple steps. Most of these steps involve the female partner. However, we encourage male partners to provide support by attending appointments and assisting with medication injections. After all, this treatment is an exciting commitment that couples make to each other as they work together to fulfill their dream of having a baby.
During your IVF cycle, you can expect to experience the following steps.
Ovarian stimulation comes first. This step requires the woman who will be providing her eggs to take daily injections of fertility medication. These injections will encourage her ovaries to produce multiple eggs. The woman will attend frequent monitoring appointments during this time, which will involve ultrasounds and bloodwork.
The next step is egg retrieval. After taking the so-called trigger shot to induce ovulation, the woman will have an outpatient egg retrieval procedure. This is a short procedure that allows the doctor to collect the mature eggs.
Fertilization occurs next in the laboratory. During this step, embryologists combine the eggs with sperm from the male partner or a sperm donor. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) can occur a few days after fertilization to determine the sex and chromosomal health of the resulting embryos.
Embryo transfer is the final step of in vitro fertilization. One of our Dallas-Fort Worth fertility doctors will transfer a single embryo to the uterus of the woman who will carry the pregnancy. This could be the female partner or a gestational carrier.
Who can benefit from IVF?
There are many different causes of infertility, and sometimes in vitro fertilization is the best option to overcome them. The following are some examples of patients who can benefit from this treatment.
- Women over 35 or with a low ovarian reserve (egg supply)
- Women with tubal infertility (blockage in or damage to the fallopian tubes)
- Men with a very low sperm count
- Patients who have unexplained infertility
- Patients who have had multiple miscarriages or failed IUI cycles
- Gay couples and single men who want to conceive using donor eggs
As you explore your treatment options, you and your partner will work with your doctor to determine whether this fertility treatment is right for you. As part of this process, all patients and their partners must first complete a thorough infertility evaluation. Depending on your unique needs, your evaluation may include one or more of the following tests.
- Hysterosalpingogram (HSG) to rule out a hydrosalpinx (a type of tubal blockage)
- Semen analysis to assess a man’s sperm health
- Bloodwork to measure certain reproductive hormone levels
- Transvaginal ultrasound to view the uterus and ovaries
- Saline infusion sonohysterogram (SHG, or SIS) to identify uterine abnormalities and measure the depth of the uterine cavity
Your test results and medical history will help your doctor determine whether IVF is right for you. If you’re ready to explore fertility treatments with our Dallas-Fort Worth fertility doctors, contact us to schedule an appointment. We look forward to helping you begin your journey to parenthood.