Standart IVF protocol

Standard IVF program

In vitro fertilization (IVF), also known as “artificial insemination,” is one of the primary and most effective methods for treating infertility in individuals who do not respond to medical (conservative) treatment. This procedure is utilized for both women and men facing fertility challenges.

The IVF procedure enables an infertile couple to fulfill their primary goal — becoming parents. Through IVF, it becomes possible to select high-quality eggs from a woman, choose “ideal” spermatozoa based on morphological characteristics, and, most importantly, identify any abnormalities and diseases in the embryo in advance. This capability increases the chances of achieving the birth of healthy children.

Indications of IVF for women:

• Absence or obstruction of the fallopian tubes;
• Anovulation – absence of ovulation (eggs do not mature);
• Endometriosis;
• Polycystic ovary syndrome;
• Hormonal disorders;
• Infertility that does not respond to conservative treatment;
• Absence of a uterus (IVF program with a surrogate mother is used);
• Delayed motherhood (eggs are frozen for future use);
• Preparation and undergoing chemotherapy in the near future.

Indications of IVF for men:

• Severe asthenozoospermia (low sperm motility, not treatable);
• Obstructive azoospermia (obstruction of the seminal canal);
• Teratozoospermia (abnormal sperm morphology, with irregular shapes);
• Vasectomy;
• Infertility that does not respond to conservative treatment;
• Preparation and undergoing chemotherapy in the near future.

With the male factor of infertility, methods such as IVF + ICSI, IVF + IMSI, IVF + PICSI are used.

General overview of how IVF works:

IVF can be divided into several stages:

1. Examinations to identify the causes of infertility are conducted by reproductive doctors. Blood tests for hormones, tests for sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDs and STIs), ultrasound, hysteroscopy, colposcopy, spermogram, and other tests are prescribed for an accurate diagnosis of the causes of infertility.
2. After identifying the causes of infertility in the patient, a unique treatment plan is drawn up. The woman’s body is stimulated with or without drugs (as in IVF in a natural cycle) to obtain the necessary number of mature follicles (eggs).
3. Additionally, necessary medications may be prepared and administered for male factor infertility to enhance the mobility and activity of sperm in men.
4. Puncture or egg collection. This procedure is performed under the supervision of a reproductologist and ultrasound control using anesthesia. The puncture does not require hospitalization of the patient.
5. Sperm donation by a partner (husband) or the use of donor sperm with the possibility of choosing the “best” sperm through ICSI, IMSI, PICSI.
6. Fertilization of an egg occurs in a special laboratory dish with the assistance of prepared sperm cells. The resulting embryo undergoes preimplantation genetic diagnosis/screening (PGD/PGS) to identify and exclude genetic abnormalities and diseases before transplantation.
7. On the 3rd–4th day of the embryo’s development in the incubator, it is transferred into the uterine cavity for further development, fostering the possibility of pregnancy.
8. After the embryo transfer, ultrasound and an HCG test are scheduled for 14 and 21 days to confirm the patient’s pregnancy.
9. The patient is then directed to the registry for pregnancy management until childbirth, overseen by experienced obstetricians and gynecologists, ultimately leading to the birth of a healthy child.

What is the long and short IVF protocol?

The term “short” does not imply a reduction in the duration of ovarian stimulation but rather the absence of a preliminary preparation stage for a woman before the procedure. The short stimulation scheme aligns with the natural monthly cycle, commencing approximately 2-3 days from the onset of menstruation and lasting an average of 12-15 days. The complete protocol spans about 25-32 days.

The “long” protocol earns its name due to the additional stage involving certain medications, starting from the preceding cycle, resulting in a total length of about 40 days. Various other protocols, such as super-long, ultra-short, and others, also exist.