The journey to becoming parents is straightforward for some while some couples and individuals struggle otherwise. For others, it involves navigating complex medical and emotional challenges, especially with infertility.
One of the most effective fertility treatments to navigate through the complications is IVF or in-vitro fertilisation. As one of the most advanced procedures, it is vital to remember that it is not a single procedure but involves multiple steps in one cycle.
If you are thinking about starting your IVF journey, this detailed guide from Jindal IVF, will explore what are the 5 stages of IVF, why they matter and how they contribute to the best chances of success.
Stage 1: Ovarian stimulation – encouraging the ovaries to produce multiple eggs
Once the initial consultation is done with our fertility specialists at Jindal IVF, we prepare for the first step of the treatment, which is ovarian stimulation. In this stage, the focus is on preparing the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs instead of a single egg, which naturally develops every month.
The more the number of eggs, the more are the chances of successful fertilisation and healthy embryos.
How does it work?
The patients are given carefully tailored fertility medications, usually a combination of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), to stimulate the ovaries. It continues for 8-14 days, during which our fertility team closely monitors the follicle growth and hormone levels through blood tests and transvaginal ultrasounds.
When the follicles reach the right size, an injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or a GnRH agonist is administered. This final “trigger” helps the eggs mature fully before retrieval.
With our specialists at Jindal IVF, our protocols are personalized, ensuring reduced risks of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).
Stage 2: Egg retrieval – collecting the eggs at peak maturity
Roughly 34-36 hours after the trigger shot, the eggs are ready for retrieval. It is an extremely precise and time-sensitive procedure.
Here’s what you can expect during the stage:
- The procedure is done under light anaesthesia or sedation to ensure the patient’s comfort. So, that’s the first thing you will experience.
- Following that, a thin needle is guided bypassing the vaginal wall getting into each ovary using ultrasound guide and the follicular fluid containing the eggs is gently aspirated and then retrieved.
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What happens next?
The eggs are examined under a microscope to identify mature, viable oocytes. These are then placed in a controlled culture medium until fertilisation. The reason why it is time-sensitive is because the mature eggs need to be retrieved before the body naturally releases them via ovulation.
Our precision timing at Jindal IVF, the best IVF centre in Chandigarh, ensures eggs are collected at their peak viability, maximising the likelihood of successful fertilisation.
Stage 3: Fertilisation
This is probably one of the most important stages in the IVF cycle and it is done after the egg retrieval process happens.
Depending on the underlying complications of infertility, there are two methods of fertilisation including:
- The conventional method where the eggs and prepared sperm is put in a culture dish, letting the fertilisation process happen naturally.
- Another method is through Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) where an isolated and processed sperm is injected into an egg to encourage fertilisation and embryo formation.
Over the next 16-20 hours, the embryologists will monitor whether fertilisation has occurred by looking for two pronuclei. You need to keep into consideration that not every egg with fertilise and not every fertilised egg will develop into an embryo.
This explains why an advanced laboratory setup, much like ours at Jindal IVF, mimics natural conditions as closely as possible, supporting optimal embryo development.
Stage 4: Embryo Culture
Up next in the IVF cycle is the embryo culture, which is more about “nurturing early life.” Once the fertilisation successfully happens, the embryos enter a carefully monitored culture environment.
Here, they undergo several rounds of cell division:
- Day 1: Fertilised egg (zygote)
- Day 2–3: Cleavage stage (4–8 cells)
- Day 5–6: Blastocyst stage
Usually, growing the embryos to a blastocyst stage allows for the selection of the strongest and most viable embryos for transfer, ensuring higher success rates.
Stage 5: Embryo transfer – the final step towards pregnancy
This accounts for the final stage of IVF before you take a pregnancy test to determine whether or not the entire IVF cycle was a success.
For most patients, the embryo transfer is the stage that most patients look forward to, yet it is also the most delicate. It marks the transition from laboratory care to the body’s natural environment.
Here’s the process of embryo transfer and what you can expect:
- The embryo transfer is usually done 2-5 days after fertilisation, depending on the embryo quality.
- For the transfer, a thin catheter is guided into the uterus via the cervix under ultrasound guidance where one or two embryos are carefully placed into the uterine cavity.
Most fertility specialists will tell you that the placement accuracy can influence implantation success. Also, the transfer of too many embryos often increases the risk of multiple pregnancies, which might carry health risks for both mother and babies.
After transfer, patients take prescribed progesterone to support the uterine lining. About 12–14 days later, a blood test confirms whether implantation and pregnancy have occurred.
Also Read: Does IVF Have A 100% Success Rate, What Is the Success Rate of IVF On the First Try
How Jindal IVF Simplifies Your IVF Cycle?
Many people start IVF with only a vague idea of what lies ahead. At Jindal IVF, with accurate information and proper guidance, our aim is to simplify the IVF experience for you.
Understanding the process:
- Reduces anxiety by removing uncertainty.
- Build trust in your medical team.
- Helps you prepare emotionally and physically for each stage.
Since transparency is part of our philosophy, our fertility specialists explain every step in detail, involve you in key decisions and ensure you feel supported throughout the process. With our personalized IVF approach, we don’t just aim for a successful pregnancy but also for happy and healthy families.
A Journey Worth Taking with Jindal IVF!
The IVF process is a monumental undertaking, both physically and emotionally. It demands patience, resilience, and a tremendous amount of hope. If you have been curious about IVF cost in India and the stages involved in the IVF cycle, we have highlighted all the details.
IVF can feel daunting, but with the right team, it becomes a structured, guided journey towards your dream of parenthood and our fertility specialists at Jindal IVF are here to support you.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and explore how we can tailor an IVF plan to your needs.
