IVF Treatment

How Does IVF Work?

During an IVF procedure, sperm fertilises the eggs in a laboratory. 'In vitro’ means ‘in glass’, as fertilisation happens in a glass/ plastic dish, rather than in the fallopian tubes.
The female eggs are taken from the body and are fertilised with sperm in the laboratory. The resulting embryo(s) are then placed back into the woman’s body for conception.

The IVF & ICSI Process Explained

The IVF Process Step by Step

The active phase of an IVF treatment takes place in the first two weeks of a cycle and involves a number of steps. Here we explain what happens in a typical IVF cycle:

Step 1: Medication

You will start your IVF treatment cycle with some medication to stimulate hormones, including injections of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). This helps your ovaries produce more eggs than usual.

 Step 2: Monitoring

Throughout your cycle, regular blood tests measure your hormone levels. We also use ultrasounds to measure the size and number of your ovarian follicles so we can work out the best time to collect the eggs.

 Step 3: Egg Collection Day

First you will have a trigger injection of human Chorionic Gonatrophin (hCG) to trigger ovulation. Between 36 to 38 hours later, the eggs are collected during day surgery by your fertility specialist and our scientific director through the use of ultrasound to guide them through this process. On the same morning, your partner will provide a fresh semen (sperm) sample so we can immediately fertilise your eggs

 Step 4: Fertilisation

This takes place in our ISO-certified clean room laboratory. Your treatment involves IMSI, an individual sperm is selected under high magnification by a highly experienced embryologist, and under very delicate microscopic control, each egg is injected with a single sperm.

 Step 5: Embryo Development

The egg and sperm are then placed into individual incubators at 37 degree celsius, to mimic the natural human body temperature.

Step 6: Embryo Transfer

Between two to five days after egg collection, up to two embryos are transferred into the uterus using a very fine catheter (it feels similar to a pap smear). Any additional embryo(s) created can be frozen and stored for later use if you wish.

 Step 7: Pregnancy Test

About two weeks after the embryo transfer, you will have a blood test during an appointment with our nurse and you will have the results one the same day. If the result is positive, we will organise an ultrasound scan for you for about three weeks later.

At Virtus Fertility Centre Singapore, we understand that this process can be an emotionally difficult one especially if you have spent many years trying for a baby.

Our caring and experienced team will do everything possible to make it simple and supportive because our commitment is to you, and helping you achieve your dream of having a family.

Blastocyst Transfer

Virtus Fertility Centre Singapore routinely recommends blastocyst culture of all embryos, where they are allowed to grow for five days in-vitro before being transferred into the woman’s uterus.

This is because our clinical evidence, and that of international fertility clinics, show that the chances of pregnancy following blastocyst embryo transfer is significantly higher than that following cleavage stage transfer, where the embryo is grown in vitro for two or three days.

Freeze-All Approach

To optimise the chances of successful pregnancy after embryo transfer, Virtus Fertility Centre Singapore has an elective 'freeze all' approach which involves freezing all embryos to be used later in a natural cycle, or in a cycle with hormonal replacement to prime the endometrium. Our 'freeze-all' approach to treatment has shown good pregnancy outcomes in all age groups. This option is offered to all patients, However, in certain situations guided by the quality of the embryo development, a fresh transfer may be recommended.

The 'freeze-all' approach increases the chances of successful pregnancy because of a number of contributing factors, including the fact that it is performed when the intrauterine environment is more favourable to implantation and patients are typically more emotionally stable and less anxious, which has a positive impact on a successful IVF outcome. Our clean-room laboratory facilities and cryopreservation techniques also ensure that frozen-thawed embryo transfers can be carried out safely and effectively.

Emotional Support During IVF Treatment

Virtus Fertility Centre Singapore's counselling service is unique in Singapore, and it includes support for all IVF patients as well as specialist counselling, for our donor programmes and genetic testing. All our IVF patients are offered private counselling sessions prior to commencing hormone stimulation and just before embryo transfer. We find this places couples in the best possible emotional state for their treatment. Research shows that emotional and mental stability can have a positive impact on the procedure. Find out more about Virtus' certified fertility coach »