...
Try our
Try our
Is our content helpful?
Take our survey &
see how others voted

Fertility preservation & assisted reproduction

Fertility 
preservation

& assisted reproduction

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) /
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

IVF – in vitro fertilisation (literally, fertilising in glass i.e. in a laboratory)
ICSI – intracytoplasmic sperm injection (literally, injecting a sperm directly into the egg cell)

IVF

IVF is a term many of us are familiar with, but it actually covers quite a broad range of procedures. IVF refers to any procedure when an egg is fertilised in a laboratory rather than in the uterus.

This can be done in a few different ways:

Standard IVF
This involves taking ovary-stimulating hormonal medications, to encourage the development of several eggs that can be collected for freezing or fertilisation.
Higher success rates
Higher chance of side effects from treatment
Natural cycle IVF
This means not taking the ovary-stimulating hormonal medications, and collecting the single egg that’s released naturally in your normal cycle. This may be an option if you cannot or do not want to take these medications. However, success rates tend to be lower and not many fertility clinics will offer this.
Lower success rates
Lower chance of side effects from treatment
Mild stimulation IVF
This means taking the ovary-stimulating hormone medications but at either a lower dose or over a shorter time, like a half-way house between standard and natural cycle IVF.
Success rates lower than standard, higher than natural
Side effect risk lower than standard, higher than natural
In vitro maturation (IVM):
This involves collecting eggs before they are fully matured, and allowing them to develop further in the lab. This is a relatively new technique and success rates aren’t yet established. IVM may not be available in all clinics.

What’s the best age for IVF?
Read more about this in our article, Young Eggs vs. Young Uterus: What’s More Important for IVF Success?

ICSI

When you want to use frozen eggs to try for a baby, they will need to be fertilised in the laboratory with an IVF technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.

The sperm used can be from a donor or a male partner. Donor sperm can also used for male-female couples where the male partner has a low sperm count or an issue with sperm quality.

With intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a single sperm is injected straight into the egg cell. This fertilises the egg and prompts it to start dividing and developing into an embryo. ICSI has a high rate of fertilisation, as very little is left to chance, but the chances of a live birth from any given fertilised egg are around the same as for standard IVF.

In ICSI, a single sperm is injected straight into the egg cell. This fertilises the egg and prompts it to start dividing and developing into an embryo. ICSI has a high rate of fertilisation, as very little is left to chance, but the chances of a live birth from any given fertilised egg are around the same as for standard IVF.

ICSI is needed for frozen eggs, as the freezing process can harden the outer shell and make it more difficult for a sperm to get in to fertilise it.
 
Just as with everything related to fertility, there are no guarantees with IVF or ICSI. Doctors recommend that if one cycle doesn’t work, you wait a few months to recover before trying another cycle or exploring another route such as using donor sperm.

When you want to use frozen eggs to try for a baby, they will need to be fertilised in the laboratory with an IVF technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.

The sperm used can be from a donor or a male partner. Donor sperm can also be used for male-female couples where the male partner has a low sperm count or an issue with sperm quality.

In vitro maturation (IVM):
This involves collecting eggs before they are fully matured, and allowing them to develop further in the lab. This is a relatively new technique and success rates aren’t yet established. IVM may not be available in all clinics.

What’s the best age for IVF?
Read more about this in our article, Young Eggs vs. Young Uterus: What’s More Important for IVF Success?
When you want to use frozen eggs to try for a baby, they will need to be fertilised in the laboratory with an IVF technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.

The sperm used can be from a donor or a male partner. Donor sperm can also used for male-female couples where the male partner has a low sperm count or an issue with sperm quality.

With intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a single sperm is injected straight into the egg cell. This fertilises the egg and prompts it to start dividing and developing into an embryo. ICSI has a high rate of fertilisation, as very little is left to chance, but the chances of a live birth from any given fertilised egg are around the same as for standard IVF.

In ICSI, a single sperm is injected straight into the egg cell. This fertilises the egg and prompts it to start dividing and developing into an embryo. ICSI has a high rate of fertilisation, as very little is left to chance, but the chances of a live birth from any given fertilised egg are around the same as for standard IVF.

ICSI is needed for frozen eggs, as the freezing process can harden the outer shell and make it more difficult for a sperm to get in to fertilise it.

Just as with everything related to fertility, there are no guarantees with IVF or ICSI. Doctors recommend that if one cycle doesn’t work, you wait a few months to recover before trying another cycle or exploring another route such as using donor sperm.

When you want to use frozen eggs to try for a baby, they will need to be fertilised in the laboratory with an IVF technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.

The sperm used can be from a donor or a male partner. Donor sperm can also be used for male-female couples where the male partner has a low sperm count or an issue with sperm quality.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF)
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

IVF – in vitro fertilisation (literally, fertilising in glass i.e. in a laboratory)
ICSI – intracytoplasmic sperm injection (literally, injecting a sperm directly into the egg cell)

IVF

IVF is a term many of us are familiar with, but it actually covers quite a broad range of procedures. IVF refers to any procedure when an egg is fertilised in a laboratory rather than in the uterus.

This can be done in a few different ways:
Standard IVF
This involves taking ovary-stimulating hormonal medications, to encourage the development of several eggs that can be collected for freezing or fertilisation.
Higher success rates
Higher chance of side effects from treatment
Natural cycle IVF
This means not taking the ovary-stimulating hormonal medications, and collecting the single egg that’s released naturally in your normal cycle. This may be an option if you cannot or do not want to take these medications. However, success rates tend to be lower and not many fertility clinics will offer this.
Lower success rates
Lower chance of side effects from treatment
Mild stimulation IVF
This means taking the ovary-stimulating hormone medications but at either a lower dose or over a shorter time, like a half-way house between standard and natural cycle IVF.
Success rates lower than standard, higher than natural
Side effect risk lower than standard, higher than natural
In vitro maturation (IVM):
This involves collecting eggs before they are fully matured, and allowing them to develop further in the lab. This is a relatively new technique and success rates aren’t yet established. IVM may not be available in all clinics.

What’s the best age for IVF?
Read more about this in our article, Young Eggs vs. Young Uterus: What’s More Important for IVF Success?
When you want to use frozen eggs to try for a baby, they will need to be fertilised in the laboratory with an IVF technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.

The sperm used can be from a donor or a male partner. Donor sperm can also used for male-female couples where the male partner has a low sperm count or an issue with sperm quality.

With intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a single sperm is injected straight into the egg cell. This fertilises the egg and prompts it to start dividing and developing into an embryo. ICSI has a high rate of fertilisation, as very little is left to chance, but the chances of a live birth from any given fertilised egg are around the same as for standard IVF.

In ICSI, a single sperm is injected straight into the egg cell. This fertilises the egg and prompts it to start dividing and developing into an embryo. ICSI has a high rate of fertilisation, as very little is left to chance, but the chances of a live birth from any given fertilised egg are around the same as for standard IVF.

ICSI is needed for frozen eggs, as the freezing process can harden the outer shell and make it more difficult for a sperm to get in to fertilise it.
 
Just as with everything related to fertility, there are no guarantees with IVF or ICSI. Doctors recommend that if one cycle doesn’t work, you wait a few months to recover before trying another cycle or exploring another route such as using donor sperm.

When you want to use frozen eggs to try for a baby, they will need to be fertilised in the laboratory with an IVF technique called intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI.

The sperm used can be from a donor or a male partner. Donor sperm can also be used for male-female couples where the male partner has a low sperm count or an issue with sperm quality.

Fertility Age

Calculator

How does age affect your fertility?
Has this content
been helpful?
Take our survey & 
see how others voted

Your experience matters.
Has this content been helpful?

Share your answer to see how others responded.
Your answers will help us to ensure our content is useful for people who want to learn more about fertility and reproductive choices.
Do you feel more informed about fertility?
Yes
69%
No
31%
Before discovering our content, what did you believe was the primary cause of fertility issues?
Poor diet
54%
Excessive consumption of alcohol
41%
Smoking
0%
Age
5%
Other
0%
Since learning more, what do you now believe is the main cause of fertility issues?
Poor diet
37%
Excessive consumption of alcohol
30%
Smoking
7%
Age
27%
Since learning more, what will you do now?
Use knowledge for informed decisions
52%
Consider altering future plans
26%
Consider talking with a fertility specialist
13%
Book an appointment with a fertility specialist
9%
How old are you?
<25 years
29%
26-30 years
52%
31-35 years
5%
36-40 years
14%
>40 years
0%

References

Seraphinite AcceleratorOptimized by Seraphinite Accelerator
Turns on site high speed to be attractive for people and search engines.