In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

In vitro fertilization involves fertilizing an egg with sperm outside of the body and transferring the resulting embryo back into the uterus. In Latin, “in vitro” translates to “in glass,” referring to the laboratory Petri dish in which sperm and the egg are combined to create an embryo. After fertilization in the IVF lab, the resulting embryo is then transferred back into the uterus to implant and create a pregnancy.

What is IVF?

Some couples and individuals will need assistance to have a baby, whether due to issues with infertility or an inability to conceive naturally. IVF allows our fertility specialists to assist in the reproduction process, which works around many conditions that cause infertility in women and men.

Benefits of IVF

Some hopeful parents-to-be—such as those in our LGBTQ+ community, women of advanced age, or single parents by choice—will need a donor egg or sperm to undergo IVF. As part of our commitment to your family, the Fertility Institute can help you find a donor to use for IVF.

IVF with Donor Eggs/Sperm

IVF candidates include women and men who face infertility issues, LGBTQ+ couples and individuals, single parents by choice, and any individual who requires fertility assistance to have a baby. Before starting your fertility treatment with us, you can learn if you’re a good IVF candidate here.

Am I a Candidate for IVF?

The entire IVF process is called a “cycle” because it mirrors a woman’s ovulation cycle. Rather than being one treatment, IVF is a series of procedures that can take 6-8 weeks from start to finish, or sometimes longer depending on your individual circumstances. For most patients, the IVF cycle will include the following steps:

1. New Patient Consultation
2. Fertility Testing
3. Ovarian Stimulation and Monitoring
4. Egg Retrieval
5. Sperm Collection
6. Fertilization
7. Embryo Monitoring and Genetic Testing (PGT)
8. Embryo Transfer

IVF Process

Starting IVF is a big commitment physically, emotionally, and financially. Our FINO providers are dedicated to empowering our patients with the resources and information needed to make whole-body decisions. To help answer your top questions and provide you with a clear understanding of your fertility journey, you can explore our frequently asked questions and answers here.

IVF FAQs