Getting started with IVF? Learn what happens to your sperms and eggs

Fertility treatments can feel like stepping into a completely unfamiliar world! There is so much stigma associated with it that most people aren’t even sure how to get started or who to talk to for advice. If you’re also at the beginning of your journey towards seeking fertility treatment, you’re not alone—many others feel the same confusion, worry, and even curiosity about what really happens along the way. We’re here to answer those questions for you, and you’ll see that it’s a lot less mysterious than it seems!

In this article, Dr. Sai, the Chief Embryologist at Malpani Infertility Clinic, covers the most commonly asked questions related to IVF, reproductive biology, and various fertility treatment options available to you. Whether you’re curious, nervous, or just exploring your options, this guide will help you feel more confident about the next steps in your fertility journey.

A: Great question! An embryologist is someone who works with eggs and sperm in the IVF lab to create embryos. It’s a role that’s mostly behind the scenes, so you rarely see us face-to-face. But at Malpani Infertility Clinic, I make it a point to show our patients their embryos whenever possible. It makes such a difference when you can actually see what’s happening and understand the process. My goal is always to help you feel more connected to this part of the journey. I’ll be there every step of the way, ensuring that your embryos are in the best possible environment to thrive.

A: Knowing the basics can really help make sense of the whole process. In simple terms, sperm and eggs are the reproductive cells, or gametes, that we work with in the lab. Here’s a quick overview:

• Sperm: These are the male reproductive cells. They have a tail that helps them swim toward the egg for fertilization. Millions of sperm are produced, but only one needs to fertilize the egg for pregnancy to occur.
• Eggs: These are the female reproductive cells. It’s actually the largest cell in the human body! Typically, only one egg is released during ovulation each month. The egg travels down the fallopian tube and waits for sperm to fertilize it. If the egg isn’t fertilized within 24 hours, it naturally dissolves.

A: This is an important question. Sperm quality has a big impact on fertility and IVF success. We look at three main things when evaluating sperm quality:

• Count: The number of sperm in the semen sample. For optimal fertilization, we aim for at least 20 million sperm per milliliter.
• Motility: This refers to how well the sperm can swim. For successful fertilization, at least 50% of the sperm should be motile.
• Shape (Morphology): Healthy sperm should have a normal, oval-shaped head and a long tail. Abnormal sperm shapes may have trouble fertilizing the egg.

It’s natural to feel concerned if there are issues with sperm quality, but there are plenty of options available. For example, if sperm count is low, we can still move forward with IVF using techniques like ICSI (where we inject a single sperm directly into an egg).

A: Ovulation is the moment when a mature egg is released from the ovary. In a natural cycle, only one egg is released, but for IVF, we stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs to improve the chances of fertilization. It’s a controlled process, and I know it can feel strange to think about, but we’re simply giving your body a little nudge to boost its natural process. This way, we have more eggs to work with in the lab, which helps us create more embryos and increases the chances of success.

A: ART is just a fancy term for a set of techniques used to help people conceive when natural methods don’t work. The two main types of ART we use are:

• IVF (In-Vitro Fertilization): We place the eggs and sperm together in a lab, and the sperm are given the chance to fertilize the eggs naturally.
• ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection): Here, we inject a single sperm directly into an egg. This approach is useful when sperm count or quality is low.

In both methods, we’re simply recreating the natural process in a controlled setting, making sure that the best possible conditions are in place for fertilization and early development.

A: It all comes down to how we achieve fertilization:

• IVF: We place the sperm and egg together in a culture dish and allow the sperm to fertilize the egg naturally. This method works best when there are a good number of healthy, motile sperm available.
• ICSI: In cases where sperm quality is an issue, we inject a single sperm directly into each egg. This is often the best option when there’s low sperm count or motility.

Both methods are effective. Choosing between them depends on your individual needs. With either method, our goal is the same: to help create the best possible embryos for you.

A: After fertilization, the embryo begins dividing, a truly magical process. Here’s a quick breakdown:

• First Division: The fertilized egg divides into two cells.
• Subsequent Divisions: It continues to divide, forming a compact embryo.
• Blastocyst Stage: After around 5 days, the embryo reaches this stage, making it ready for transfer to the uterus.

Good embryo development is critical to the IVF journey. Watching these cells grow and develop is always amazing to see! It’s a delicate and critical journey, but each step brings us closer to a successful implantation.

A: Yes, IVF does require a significant number of healthy sperm. If there aren’t enough, we might use ICSI, where only a single sperm is needed. Rest assured, we have methods to work with different situations, and our job is to create the best conditions possible for success.

A: One of the best things you can do is to learn as much as possible about the process. Knowing what’s going on at each step can really help ease worries and make it feel less overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and make sure you understand what’s happening. We’re here to support you, and we want you to feel empowered and confident throughout this journey.