In Vitro Fertilization
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most commonly used method of Assisted
Reproductive Technology. The process starts with a woman taking fertility
drugs to stimulate her ovaries to produce more eggs than usual. Within the
ovary are follicles. These are fluid-filled sacs in which the eggs mature.
When the eggs are mature, they are removed or retrieved from the ovary.
A transvaginal ultrasound allows the physician to guide a needle through
the vagina to the ovary. The follicle fluid, which contains the eggs,
is removed and placed in a dish. The eggs are identified under a microscope.
After incubation in the laboratory, washed sperm are added to the mixture.
Fertilization and early embryo development occur in a dish during further
incubation. Two or three days after retrieval, the embryos (the fertilized
eggs) are transferred to the uterus. This is done using a soft, flexible
catheter that is threaded through the cervix and into the uterus.
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Infertility 
