In Vitro Fertilization

Build the family of your dreams.

Making Your Miracle Happen

At INTEGRIS Health, our mission is to support any family or individual with the desire to grow their family. You can always trust that our experienced and compassionate fertility specialists will give you the care and confidence you need to make your dreams of building a family come true. When you decide to start the IVF journey at INTEGRIS Health, rest assured that you’ll receive the most thoughtful care with the latest state-of-the-art techniques and breakthroughs available. Our highly trained physicians and staff are here to guide you through the process, establish a plan for your unique needs and address all of your physical, emotional, and financial concerns.

What Is In Vitro Fertilization?

IVF is a procedure in which a physician removes eggs from the ovaries and fertilizes them. The eggs are fertilized either by placing sperm on the eggs or by injecting a single sperm into each egg using a technique referred to as “intracytoplasmic sperm injection” (ICSI). The resulting embryos are observed and grown in our IVF laboratory, where they are graded for quality and transferred to the recipient's uterus.

• Twins occur in approximately 30 percent of all IVF pregnancies.
• Triplets occur in less than five percent of all IVF pregnancies.
• Pregnancies with 4 or more babies rarely occur.

Who Needs IVF?

While damaged or absent fallopian tubes were the original indication for IVF, most IVF procedures are now performed because of abnormalities in the sperm (male factor infertility). Unexplained infertility is the second most common factor leading to IVF, followed by tubal factor, ovulation problems, endometriosis, and uterine factors. Generally, couples with severe male factor infertility, damaged fallopian tubes, prolonged infertility (more than 3 years), severe endometriosis or scarring (adhesions), or with failure to get pregnant after using other fertility procedures, are suitable candidates for IVF.

The IVF Journey

IVF is a complex process lasting seven weeks. The first five weeks are dedicated to ovarian suppression. In week six, ovarian stimulation with fertility injections takes place. The last week involves surgical retrieval of eggs from the ovary and, three to five days later, transfer of embryos into the uterus. Ovarian stimulation during week six entails daily injections and regular visits for ultrasounds and blood hormone levels.

Egg retrieval is a 30 to 45-minute procedure performed under intravenous sedation in the Bennett Fertility Institute (BFI) operating suite. Under ultrasound guidance, a needle is inserted vaginally into the ovaries, and follicular fluid, which contains eggs, is aspirated. Several hours later, sperm and eggs are combined in the laboratory. Incubation in the laboratory lasts three to five days.

Embryo transfer, a procedure lasting 10 to 15 minutes requiring no anesthesia, is performed then. Two weeks later, a pregnancy test is performed.

Indications:

• Blockage or absence of fallopian tubes, sperm abnormalities, severe endometriosis or pelvic scarring, and unexplained infertility are the most common indications for IVF.

Contraindications, Complications, Adverse Effects:

• Surgical risks such as bleeding, infection, injury to vital organs, or anesthesia complications are very uncommon.
• Multiple births and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome are possible complications of fertility medications.
• Approximately five percent of patients will have some degree of hyperstimulation syndrome, a condition in which the ovaries enlarge and produce excess fluid in the abdomen.
• Nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties, abdominal swelling and weight gain may result. Approximately one percent of patients undergoing IVF will be hospitalized with this condition, usually for several days of observation, IV fluids, and occasionally drainage of excess abdominal fluid.
• During the IVF cycle, common adverse effects are abdominal tenderness, cramps, emotional changes, and discomfort at the injection sites.
• IVF is contraindicated in patients with serious medical illnesses or in patients in whom pregnancy is dangerous.