The path to parenthood looks different for everyone. For those struggling to conceive naturally or on their own, IVF near Farmington, Connecticut, may be beneficial.
The experienced fertility specialists at The Center offer comprehensive IVF services. As you grow your family, your health needs are important to us, and we’ll be here to provide support every step of the way.
What is the IVF Process?
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a method of assisted reproduction where eggs are fertilized with sperm outside of the body in our state-of-the-art IVF lab and then transferred back into the uterus. The process itself requires several steps to complete one cycle, and it can take up to two months or longer to complete one cycle. Sometimes, multiple cycles may be necessary before achieving a positive pregnancy.
Because the IVF process requires a significant commitment from patients, we work to help you understand what each phase of the process entails:
Fertility Consultation
Before starting IVF with us, you’ll need to schedule an initial fertility consultation. Our fertility specialists will meet with you to review the process in depth as well as your detailed medical history and future family-building goals.
Fertility Testing
At your next visit, we’ll perform diagnostic testing to determine any causes of infertility and create a personalized IVF plan specific to your health needs.
Ovarian Stimulation
During natural ovulation, a single egg is typically released from the ovaries. For patients undergoing IVF, ovarian stimulation is performed to produce multiple follicles or eggs. This is achieved through daily hormone injections and medications, which are self-administered to develop ovarian follicles. The ovarian stimulation step of an IVF cycle generally takes 10-14 days, depending on how quickly or slowly your follicles mature. We’ll closely monitor your and your body’s response to the medications using ultrasounds and hormone blood tests.
Egg Retrieval
Once your follicles are mature, you will be instructed to take a trigger shot to induce ovulation. After ovulation has been induced, our specialists will perform a short surgical procedure to retrieve the eggs. During this procedure, a vaginal ultrasound probe and needle are used to aspirate the eggs from the follicles via the vaginal wall. This procedure is performed in our surgery center in our Farmington office and under anesthesia for your comfort. Recovery time following this procedure is minimal; you can expect to return to work and daily activities within 48 hours.
Fertilization
After the mature eggs have been retrieved, our highly skilled embryologists begin the fertilization process by combining them with your partner’s sperm or donor sperm in our state-of-the-art IVF lab. If a low sperm count is contributing to infertility, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be used to insert a single sperm directly into an egg, increasing the chances of successful fertilization.
Embryo Transfer
After an egg has been successfully fertilized, it will be cultured in the lab for five days before being transferred back into the uterus for potential implantation. We use day-5 embryos to enhance the chances of pregnancy. Our specialists will work with you to ensure this process is as smooth and successful as possible.
Cryopreservation
As part of our comprehensive fertility services, we offer cryopreservation of eggs or embryos at sub-zero temperatures for later use. This effective form of fertility preservation allows our patients to successfully have a baby later in life or to return for a second or third child via IVF.
Ask Us About IVF Treatment near Farmington CT
If you’re considering IVF near Farmington, CT, The Center is here to assist you through every stage. Our fertility specialists have decades of experience and will happily address any questions or concerns you might have.
Schedule an appointment to learn more about your IVF journey with us!
