1. Menstrual Cycle Suppression:
Before beginning the IVF cycle, the patient’s natural menstrual cycle must be suppressed with standard medication.

2. Ovarian Stimulatio:
This stage uses medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce more eggs, or ova. Normally, a woman produces one egg per month. Fertility drugs tell the ovaries to produce several eggs. During this step, the woman will have regular transvaginal ultrasounds to examine the ovaries and blood tests to check hormone levels.

3. Egg Retrieval:
The mature eggs are retrieved transvaginally. Normally, a woman produces one egg per month. Fertility drugs tell the ovaries to produce several eggs. Using ultrasound images as a guide, the health care provider inserts a thin needle through the vagina and into the ovary and sacs (follicles) containing the eggs. The needle is connected to a suction device, which pulls the eggs and fluid out of each follicle, one at a time. The procedure is repeated for the other ovary. There may be some cramping after the procedure, but it will go away within a day.

4. Fertilization:
This is the step that gives the IVF procedure its name. the man’s sperm is placed together with the best quality eggs. The mixing of sperm and egg is called insemination. Eggs and sperm are stored in an environmentally controlled chamber. The sperm most often enters and fertilizes an egg a few hours after insemination. If the doctor thinks the chance of fertilization is low, the sperm maybe directly injected into the egg. This is called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

5. Embryo Culture:
When the fertilized egg divides, it becomes an embryo. Laboratory staff will regularly check the embryo to make sure it is growing properly. Within about 5 days, a normal embryo has several cells that are actively dividing. Couples who have a high risk of passing a genetic (hereditary) disorder to a child may consider pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). The procedure is done about 3 to 4 days after fertilization. Laboratory scientists remove a single cell from each embryo and screen the material for specific genetic disorders. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, PGD can help parents decide which embryos to implant. This decreases the chance of passing a disorder onto a child. The technique is controversial and not offered at all centers.

6. Embryo Transfer:
Embryos are placed into the woman’s womb 3 to 5 days after egg retrieval and fertilization.The fertilized eggs are transferred to the woman’s uterus via an outpatient procedure. The doctor inserts a thin tube (catheter) containing the embryos into the woman’s vagina, through the cervix, and up into the womb. If an embryo sticks to (implants) in the lining of the womb and grows, pregnancy results. More than one embryo may be placed into the womb at the same time, which can lead to twins, triplets, or more. The exact number of embryos transferred is a complex issue that depends on many factors, especially the woman’s age. Unused embryos may be frozen and implanted at a later date. It will be necessary to wait about two weeks after embryo transfer before a pregnancy test or ultrasound is conducted to confirm a successful pregnancy.