IVF TREATMENTS
The following are possible pre-treatment examinations for women:
- On the 2nd day of menstruation, hormone levels (FSH, LH, PRL, TSH, AMH, estradiol levels)
- Gynaecological ultrasound examination to determine the presence of any pathologies that may prevent pregnancy, such as fibroids, polyps, ovarian cysts (this has to be done before travelling to Turkey.)
- Hysterosalpingography (HSG): This should be provided before treatment starts
- HIV, Anti HCV, HBsAg
Pre-treatment examinations for men:
- Spermiogram
- HIV, Anti HCV, HBsAg
DECIDING ON THE IVF TREATMENT PROTOCOL
The appropriate protocol for the patient is decided according to the patient’s age, weight, obstetric history, the presence of polycyctic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and any previously unsuccessful IVF treatments.
We mostly implement the “Short Protocol”. For this purpose, we start ovarian stimulating hormone therapy on the 2nd or 3rd day of the cycle. We monitor the growth of the eggs with ultrasound every few days.
Deciding on the IVF treatment protocol
OVUM PICK-UP
When the eggs reach a certain size and maturity, they are collected using transvaginal ultrasound under anaesthesia. You should not eat or drink anything during the 8 hours before egg collection. After this procedure, the patient is kept under surveillance at the hospital for 2 hours.
High quality eggs are fertilized by sperms using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) technique in the embriology laboratory. The development of the embryos is constantly monitored with an embryoscope.
Ovum pick-up
EMBRYO TRANSFER
Embryology laboratory
Depending on the women’s age, one or two embryos of up to 5 days of development are transferred if the couple has a large enough number of high quality embryos. If there are any high quality embryos left behind, they can be frozen upon the couple’s request.
Embryo transfer does not require anaesthesics as it is painless. It is important that the woman’s bladder is full during the transfer. Therefore, it is recommended to drink 1 to 1.5 litres of water and not to urinate before the transfer.
During embryo transfer, a thin plastic catheter is inserted vaginally into the uterus under the guidance of abdominal ultrasound. Depending on the woman’s age and fertility history, one or two high quality embryos are transferred through this catheter. After embryo transfer, the patient is kept under observation for an hour in the horizontal position, without getting out of bed.
Embryo transfer
Frozen embryo transfer
When the couple wants to conceive by using their previously frozen embryos, the uterine cavity is prepared with estrogen hormone replacement, or a natural cycle is followed to determine the appropriate time of embryo transfer. For frozen embryo transfer procedures, there is no need for egg stimulation or ovum pick-up.
Embryo transfer