Embryo creation is a vital stage of IVF where advanced science meets personalized care.
1. Ovarian Stimulation and Egg Collection
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Hormonal stimulation
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The woman is given fertility medications to stimulate the ovaries.
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These medicines help produce multiple mature eggs rather than just one.
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Monitoring
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Ultrasounds and blood tests track the development of the egg.
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Egg retrieval
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Mature eggs are collected through a minor procedure under anesthesia.
2. Sperm Collection and Preparation
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Sperm collection
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A semen sample is collected from the male partner or donor.
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Sperm processing
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Healthy, motile sperm are selected in the laboratory.
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Poor-quality or abnormal sperm are removed.
3. Fertilization of Egg and Sperm
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Conventional IVF
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Eggs and sperm are placed together in a culture dish.
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Fertilization occurs naturally under lab conditions.
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ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)
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A single healthy sperm is injected directly into an egg.
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Recommended in cases of low sperm count or poor sperm quality.
4. Formation of Embryos
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Initial cell division
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Once fertilized, the egg becomes a zygote.
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The zygote starts dividing into multiple cells.
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Embryo development
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Day 2–3: Embryo divides into 4–8 cells.
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Day 5: Embryo reaches the blastocyst stage, which has higher implantation potential.
5. Embryo Quality Assessment
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Grading of embryos
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Embryos are evaluated based on cell division and structure.
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Selection of the best embryo
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The healthiest embryo is selected for transfer.
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Genetic testing (if required)
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Embryos may be screened for genetic abnormalities in certain cases.
6. Embryo Transfer or Freezing
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Fresh embryo transfer
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The selected embryo is transferred into the uterus.
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Embryo freezing
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Extra healthy embryos are frozen for future use.
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Frozen embryos maintain high survival and success rates.