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AFCC's Guide to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)

Become our next IVF success story. Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago has set itself apart as a leading fertility clinic, with success rates above the national average for over 20 years.

What is IVF?

IVF stands for in vitro fertilization. In the simplest terms, IVF involves retrieving mature eggs and fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory to create embryos, then transferring an embryo into the recipient’s uterus.

Depending on your individual circumstances, you may undergo IVF with your own eggs and your partner’s sperm, or with donor eggs, sperm, or embryos. You may also consider using a gestational carrier (surrogate), who will carry the pregnancy if you are unable to do so.

Who is a Good Candidate for IVF?

Generally, we’ll use IVF for couples who have failed to conceive after at least one year of trying, and who also fall into one or more of the following categories.

For women:

  • Blocked fallopian tubes
  • Pelvic adhesions with distorted pelvic anatomy
  • 2-4 failed cycles of ovarian stimulation with intrauterine insemination (IUI)
  • Advanced female age (over about 38 years of age)
  • Severe endometriosis

For men:

  • Men who are considering vasectomy reversal surgery
  • Men with male factor infertility

The IVF Process

While the IVF process can seem overwhelming at the outset, the doctors and nurses at AFCC have guided thousands of patients through this journey, one step at a time, and we’re ready to do the same for you. Keep in mind that no two patients are alike, and no two IVF treatment plans are exactly the same, but here’s what most patients can expect.

  1. Testing: Basic screening tests are performed on the aspiring parents. Some of the required testing may already have been performed if you've undergone previous infertility testing and procedures.

  2. Follicle Stimulation:Medications are used to stimulate the ovaries and produce multiple follicles and eggs so that multiple mature eggs can be retrieved in a single cycle. In a natural menstrual cycle, only one egg reaches maturation. However, IVF is more likely to yield a higher success rate when multiple eggs are produced and retrieved.

  3. Egg Retrieval: During the follicle stimulation phase, ultrasounds are used to monitor follicular development. When the eggs have developed to the desired level, they're retrieved from the ovaries using an aspirating needle guided by ultrasound. This procedure is typically done under anesthesia.

  4. Egg Fertilization: Next, the mature eggs are fertilized in a state-of-the-art laboratory by combining the egg and sperm in a Petri dish. In some cases, fertilization is accomplished through a technique known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), in which sperm are injected directly into the eggs.

  5. Embryo Transfer: This is the final procedure in the IVF process. The embryo is placed in a catheter, which is inserted into the uterus. The embryo is delicately transferred to the proper location near the middle of the endometrial cavity so that implantation can occur. In general, this procedure is painless, and no sedation or other drugs are required.

Additional IVF Procedures 

  • ICSI is an acronym for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Whereas IVF involves the placement of sperm and eggs in a Petri dish, allowing them to fertilize on their own, ICSI injects sperm directly into the egg.

    ICSI is a very effective fertilization method. Traditionally, its main use has been for significant male infertility cases, or when previous IVF resulted in no or low rates of fertilization.

    However, our thinking about ICSI has changed over time, and we’re now doing more ICSI (as a percentage of total cases) than we were 10-12 years ago. As we learn more about methods to help couples conceive, our thinking will continue to evolve.

  • Using donor sperm is an option for individuals or couples when a male partner isn’t present, or where male factor infertility is an issue. At AFCC, we partner with fully licensed, highly accredited sperm banks, whose screening steps meet well-established standards. Sperm donors are heavily screened for medical conditions and other physical, emotional and psychological risk factors.

  • As embryos develop, they have a protective shell, which they break out of as they grow. Sometimes, we choose to “assist” the hatching process by weakening the shell in the laboratory. The goal is to help the embryo continue to grow and expand. We might consider assisted hatching when:

    • The female aspiring parent is older than 37
    • Egg quantity or quality is low
    • Embryo quality is poor
    • Embryos have a thick outer shell, called the zona factor
    • Previous IVF attempts have failed

  • A fresh embryo transfer refers to an embryo transfer that is performed during the same IVF cycle that fertilization occurs. With a three-day embryo transfer, an embryo is transferred three days after fertilization; with a five-day embryo transfer, an embryo is transferred five days after fertilization. Often, additional embryos are frozen and preserved for future transfers.

  • As opposed to a fresh embryo transfer – when an embryo is transferred several days after the egg retrieval – a frozen embryo transfer involves freezing an embryo after it’s fertilized, then thawing and transferring it in a later cycle.

    There may be medical or personal reasons to freeze all embryos and perform a transfer in a subsequent cycle, versus performing a fresh transfer. Or we may perform a fresh transfer and freeze all remaining embryos for future transfers. Embryos can be preserved indefinitely.

  • Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) refers to any testing performed on an embryo prior to it being transferred to the uterus. This involves removing a small sample of cells from an embryo created through IVF. There are three types:

    • Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A): testing for overall chromosomal normalcy in embryos, specifically screening for a normal number of chromosomes
    • Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M): testing for specific inherited diseases
    • Preimplantation genetic testing for structural chromosome rearrangements (PGT-SR): testing for abnormal structural arrangements of chromosomes

    We may recommend preimplantation genetic testing for IVF patients who:

    • Are 38 or older
    • Have had multiple failed IVF attempts
    • Have had recurrent miscarriages
    • Have a reason/desire to screen for inherited genetic diseases
    • Are carriers of chromosomal translocations

Choose AFCC for Your IVF Journey in Chicago

Are you ready to explore IVF as your path to parenthood? Learn more about our approach to IVF, including our IVF success rates as well as advanced options such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), frozen embryo transfer (FET), embryo freezing, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Contact Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago today for more information about IVF or to schedule a consultation at one of our fertility clinics in Chicago, Downers Grove, Arlington Heights or Gurnee, IL.

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