IVF by Dr. Papanikolaou

IVF procedure

Testing completed prior to treatment to assess your fertility health. Hormonal status and ultrasound to estimate the ovarian reserve.

Ovarian stimulation (during usually 12-14 days): Daily hormone injections that the patient may administer by herself and monitoring appointments to evaluate your response to medications and check hormone levels. Once the follicles have reached an adequate number and size, a size of the hCG hormone will be administered to induce oocyte maturation. 36 – 40 hours later oocyte retrieval will be schedule at our IVF clinic.

Egg retrieval: Once follicles reach desired size, you are prepared for egg retrieval; a short outpatient procedure which is done under mild anesthesia. This results in a high concentration of growth factors that your doctor injects into your ovaries. The egg retrieval procedure takes approximately 10-15 minutes

Fertilization (In Vitro Fertilization): the collected eggs are combined with partner’s or donor sperm in a dish (conventional insemination), or the sperm is directly injected into the ova (ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection).

Embryotransfer: The fertilized eggs, i.e. the embryos, remain in incubators that mimic conditions in the womb. Some of the embryos that develop well are chosen to be transferred back to the uterus.
Embryo transfer usually takes place on the day 2 to 3 stage or on the day 5 stage (blastocyst).
The couple is informed by the embryologists or the treating physician of the quantity of embryos and the number that will be transferred to the uterus.
It is a painless procedure that is performed without anesthesia.
The embryo(s) to be transferred are aspirated with a thin, flexible catheter and then placed in the uterine cavity under ultrasound guidance.

Embryo Cryopreservation: At the same time, the rest of the good-quality embryos not used for the transfer undergo the process of vitrification (cryopreservation), so that they can be employed in a later cycle without the need for further ovarian stimulation.

Schedule of the program
First visit in Athens: the couple together with Dr. Papanikolaou are planning the stimulation protocol. The same day the sperm can be collected from the male partner (in case he cannot come again).