Vitro fertilization procedure involves a complicated series of events that work together to create a baby with the help of a fertility clinic. Though this may sound very weird that fertilization of the sperm and the egg is happening outside her, yet the first baby conceived by the vitro fertilization procedure was way back in 1978. She, Louise Brown the first test tube baby to the world later conceived by a natural process (without IVF) and became a mother herself. The basic process of IVF includes fertilization of the sperm and the egg at laboratory conditions and then transferring of the fertilized egg or the embryo into her ovary to initiate a successful pregnancy. Many medical aspects are related to this complicated vitro fertilization procedure.

When vitro fertilization procedure

Vitro fertilization procedure should be adopted only when the couple is longing for a child for a long time and all other fertilization procedures have failed to initiate a pregnancy. Owing to the complicacies involved, the vitro fertilization procedure is an expensive one and also involves a lot of emotional involvement, so, the couple must have a good understanding for each other and a strong desire to have a baby of their own. In vitro fertilization procedure is also very useful for women who have passed menopause but still want to experience motherhood. However, in such cases she has to accept the egg from an egg donor in order to have her baby. After the egg is fertilized, it is placed in her womb so that she can go through the entire emotional experience of pregnancy. Although she would not have a genetic link to her child, yet she will be able to experience pregnancy. Same sex parents (especially lesbian parents), unmarried parents and single parents are also nowadays choosing to have babies through the vitro fertilization procedure.

Different steps of vitro fertilization procedure

Vitro fertilization procedure steps include collection and preparation of the sperm and the egg from the parents. The preparation stage of vitro fertilization procedure may involve stages like oocyte selection and sperm washing that raises the chances of fertilization and creation of an embryo. If a sperm donor, as is with lesbian couples, has provided the sperm, then the sperm has been already prepared and thawed for future use. The collection of sperm is not the most difficult part, although it may be emotionally challenging for the male partner. However, the collection of eggs from the woman involves certain steps like giving a hormonal injection to boost egg creation and the actual process of collecting the eggs from the ovary, through an ultrasound guided needle. This process is known as transvaginal oocyte retrieval and is performed under conscious sedation or general anesthesia. Once the reproductive cells have fertilized under laboratory conditions, the processes that follow include embryo culture, embryo selection and embryo transfer. This, in brief, is a brief summary of the vitro fertilization procedure.

Risks and ethical issues regarding vitro fertilization procedure

Vitro fertilization procedure may not always be successful, although the success rate is generally quite high. The different risks associated with vitro fertilization procedure include multiple births and development of birth defects. However, these are not common and when done at a good fertility clinic, the IVF can definitely be a good news for expecting parents. Ethical issues have been raised by certain doctors organizations and the Catholic Church against the use of vitro fertilization procedure.