In vitro fertlilisation (IVF)

• • Process that can be used to help couples who are having difficulty having children
• 1. FSH and LH are given to the women to stimulate the maturation of multiple eggs
  2. Eggs are then collected from the women's ovaries
  3. The eggs are fertilised in a lab using the mans sperm
  4. The fertilised eggs then grow into embryos in a laboratory incubator
  5. Once the embryos have formed, one or two of them are transferred to the women's uterus. Transferring more than one improves the chance of pregnancy
• Pros of IVF:

  • Can give an infertile couple a child
• Cons of IVF:

  • Multiple births can happen if more than one embryo grows into a baby - risky for the mother and babies
  • Success rate of IVF is low - average success rate in UK is about 26 %. This makes the procedure stressful and upsetting
  • Emotionally stressful and physically stressful for the women. Some women have a strong reaction to the hormones