IN VITRO FERTILISATION

Your journey starts by speaking to one of our fertility specialists. We’ll discuss your health, medical history, and options for IVF treatment. If you’re ready, we’ll book you in for your first consultation.

We’ll also book you in for your fertility tests, if you need them. This will help us personalise your treatment plan.

Our goal is to gather as much information as possible to create a tailored treatment plan that gives you the best chance of success. 

Before starting IVF you’ll most likely need some fertility and health tests, these tests help us to get a full picture of your health and reproductive health – this gives us the very best chance at creating a treatment plan that works for you.   

The fertility tests will determine your ovarian reserve and analyse sperm health and viability. You will also have some basic health checks such as your Body Mass Index (BMI) and blood pressure.   

If you have experienced recurrent miscarriage, or you’ve had unsuccessful IVF treatment before, then you might need more in-depth tests. Our fertility specialists will guide you based on your medical history and concerns and ensure that you get the right tests.   

When your test results have come back, you will have a consultation with one of our fertility doctors. They will go through your results with you, and let you know the best treatment route. Your treatment plan will be personalised to you, to give you the very best chance at success. Remember, this is also your opportunity to ask any questions you may have – it's completely normal to have questions!  

After your consultation, we’ll share with your treatment plan and a cost estimation with you via our treatment companion app, Salve, so that you can make an informed decision on what to do next.  

Our patient services team will be in touch to answer any questions and provide any additional information you might need – so don’t worry if you didn’t ask everything at your consultation. We’re here to ensure you feel prepared and confident as you begin your IVF journey.  

When you’re ready to begin treatment, you’ll take a course of fertility drugs to stimulate your ovaries and produce mature eggs. Your drug regime will be specifically tailored for you.  

Ovarian stimulation is a crucial phase in the IVF process. The goal of ovarian stimulation is to encourage your ovaries to produce multiple eggs, which increases the chances of successful fertilisation. We use a range of fertility drugs, carefully selected and dosed based on your individual needs.  

You will be closely monitored during this stage, with regular ultrasounds and in treatment blood tests if required to track your response to the medication. This allows us to adjust dosages if necessary and ensure your body is responding well. Our nursing team is always available to provide guidance, answer questions, and offer support throughout this process.  

Monitoring during ovarian stimulation is essential to determine the best time for egg collection. The process typically involves several ultrasound scans and blood tests in treatment if required over a period of 3-7 days. These tests help us assess the growth and development of the follicles, which contain the eggs.  

Once your follicles have reached the appropriate size, you’ll be ready to take a trigger injection. This injection is carefully timed to induce the final maturation of the eggs and prepare them for retrieval. The timing of this injection is really important, as it directly impacts the success of the egg collection procedure.  

Once ovulation is triggered, your eggs will be retrieved at our clinic. If you are using partner sperm in your IVF treatment, a sperm sample will be collected at the same time. 

Egg collection 

This straightforward procedure takes about 30 minutes and is performed with sedation and pain relief.   

Using ultrasound guidance, a needle is inserted through the vaginal wall to reach the ovaries and collect the eggs from the follicles. Most patients find this procedure to be comfortable and relatively quick.  

After the egg collection, you’ll be advised to rest for a short period before going home. It’s normal to experience some cramping or spotting, but these symptoms usually subside within a day or two.  

Sperm collection 

We usually ask for the sperm sample to be given at the time of egg collection. Semen is generally at its optimum quality after 2-3 days of abstinence, so we recommend ejaculation 2-3 days before the egg collection day and then abstaining until the sample is provided.  

In certain conditions, sperm may not be present in the ejaculate due to a blockage or absence of the tube carrying the sperm from the testes. In such cases, Surgical sperm retrieval can be performed to obtain sperm directly from the reproductive tract. These sperm can then be used for fertilisation, often with Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), where the sperm is injected directly into the egg.   

Once the eggs are retrieved, they are placed in a special culture medium and kept in an incubator to create the perfect environment for fertilisation. The prepared sperm sample is then added to the eggs, and we monitor them closely for signs of fertilisation.  

Over the next few days, the fertilised eggs, now embryos, are carefully observed as they develop. The embryos are grown in a controlled environment, with regular assessments to ensure they are developing normally. Our embryologists are highly skilled and use the latest technology to monitor and support embryo development.  

When the embryos are ready, you’ll come into the clinic for the transfer. This simple procedure takes about 15 minutes and usually doesn’t require sedation.  

Embryo transfer is a straightforward process. Using a speculum to gently open the cervix, a fine, soft catheter is used to transfer the selected embryo into the uterus. The procedure is quick and typically painless, though some patients may experience mild cramping.  

After the transfer, you’ll be advised to rest briefly before going home. You can resume normal activities, but we recommend avoiding strenuous exercise or heavy lifting. It’s important to take care of yourself and follow any specific instructions provided by your specialist.  

After embryo transfer, you’ll wait around 12-14 days to find out if your IVF treatment was successful.   

During the two-week wait, it’s important to take progesterone, a hormone that helps prepare the uterine lining for implantation. This period can be emotionally challenging, as you await the outcome of your treatment. Remember, we’re here to support you.   

Take an at-home pregnancy test around two weeks after embryo transfer. If the test is positive, you’ll come to the clinic for an ultrasound scan to check for a heartbeat. We support you every step of the way.  

If your pregnancy test is negative or if the scan does not show an ongoing pregnancy, we understand that this can be very upsetting. Support is always available to you. Speaking with a specialist fertility counsellor can help you process your emotions and decide on your next steps. When you’re ready, we’ll book a follow-up appointment with your consultant to plan your next steps. 

We will review your medical history, along with any treatment or tests you’ve already had, and discuss your personal treatment plan. You can expect to have a scan and some blood tests, and an analysis of a semen sample if a male partner is involved. 

Your next appointment will be with one of our dedicated donation team who will outline key treatment steps, including choosing your donor. When it comes to matching with your ideal donor, we offer a personalised and supportive matching service. We know how important this is. We will introduce you to our online egg bank and give you all the help you need to choose your donor. 

When you’ve selected your donor, you will meet with one of our specialists to discuss your personal treatment plan. You will also meet with one of our nurses to complete your screening tests and consents so that you can start treatment. 

During your treatment you can also meet with one of our counsellors. 

You will take hormone tablets for about 10 days before transfer to prepare your womb for embryo implantation. Our specialists will monitor you closely with ultrasound and blood tests. 

Donor eggs are fertilised in the lab with sperm from your male partner or sperm donor. Fertilised eggs are usually cultured as embryos for five to six days until they reach the blastocyst stage. 

Creating embryos from fresh eggs 
When your donor starts stimulation injections to stimulate her ovaries, you will start medication to prepare your womb lining in preparation for embryo transfer. 

We expect that 75- 80% of the eggs we collect in a fresh egg donation cycle will be suitable for fertilisation and on the day of your egg collection, the sperm provider attends the clinic and their sperm sample is prepared and used to fertilise the eggs. 

Creating embryos from frozen eggs 

If you are using frozen eggs then we can arrange to thaw and fertilise the eggs of your chosen donor in sync with your own cycle and at a time that’s convenient for you. The first step in creating your embryos is warming the eggs under carefully controlled conditions. Following the freeze thaw process, we see varied survival of donor eggs. However, on average 85% of eggs survive and are suitable for insemination. 

We then go on to fertilise the eggs by ICSI, using either your partner’s sperm provided fresh on the day of thawing, or frozen partner or donor sperm that was provided in advance. Around 70% of the thawed eggs successfully fertilise to create an embryo. The embryos are then cultured in the laboratory for up to 6 days. 

Your treatment plan is designed to give you the best chance of having a good quality embryo to transfer. 

When your embryos are created, you will prepare for embryo transfer which may include taking medications and having ultrasound monitoring to check that the lining of your womb (or endometrium) is developing in preparation for your transfer. Your embryologist will keep you updated on the progress of your embryos and schedule your embryo transfer. 

Embryo transfer is a straightforward procedure and almost always performed without the need for sedation. We will select your best embryo and the embryologist will load your embryo into a fine, soft catheter. Using ultrasound guidance, your fertility specialist will transfer your embryo into your uterus. The process should take approximately fifteen minutes. 

After embryo transfer, you’ll wait around 12-14 days to find out if your IVF treatment was successful.   

During the two-week wait, it’s important to take progesterone, a hormone that helps prepare the uterine lining for implantation. This period can be emotionally challenging, as you await the outcome of your treatment. Remember, we’re here to support you.   

Take an at-home pregnancy test around two weeks after embryo transfer. If the test is positive, you’ll come to the clinic for an ultrasound scan to check for a heartbeat. We support you every step of the way.  

If your pregnancy test is negative or if the scan does not show an ongoing pregnancy, we understand that this can be very upsetting. Support is always available to you. Speaking with a specialist fertility counsellor can help you process your emotions and decide on your next steps. When you’re ready, we’ll book a follow-up appointment with your consultant to plan your next steps. 

Our embryo transfer can be done with your natural cycle, or at a time that suits you. Because we have already collected and frozen the eggs, you or your surrogate won’t have to synchronise with your donor’s cycle. 

The fresh donor program is a highly successful program that will remain appropriate for some patients. However, the frozen model reduced stress and anxiety as we will provide a treatment cycle designed around you and not your donor, along with the assurances that the eggs are already collected and waiting for you. 

Not only does the frozen egg model reduce your stress but it is also competitively priced, meaning we can offer this pathway at a lower cost than a fresh program. 

Sometimes synchronised (fresh) cycles sadly have to be cancelled at the last minute if a donor’s stimulation does not go to plan. In a frozen egg cycle, the eggs have already been successfully collected and carefully frozen in our lab, ready to be thawed for treatment at your convenience. 

There can be a shorter time between choosing your donor and having treatment as you will be choosing from a bank of already collected eggs, although waiting times for a match will depend on the availability. 

We do everything we can to give you your best chance of success – success rates at Care Fertility are comparable whether you use fresh or frozen donor eggs. 

The first step in starting IVF with a sperm donor is to register with your local Care Fertility clinic or contact us. During this consultation, we’ll identify whether IVF with donor sperm is the best option for you and answer any queries you might have. 

We have two different treatment options if you are using donor sperm: IUI – also known as donor insemination – and IVF. Your consultation will enable us to determine which is the right course of treatment for you. 

Donor insemination vs IVF with donor sperm 

IUI
Donor insemination – also known as IUI – is a fairly quick procedure which involves inserting your chosen donor sperm through your vagina into your uterus at the time you ovulate. 

IVF with donor sperm
IVF using donor sperm involves using fertility drugs to stimulate your ovaries. Your eggs are then inseminated with your chosen donor sperm, cultured in our laboratory and then transferred into your uterus. 

If you or your partner are dealing with any female fertility problems, we’ll suggest IVF with donor sperm; otherwise, we should be able to treat you with IUI. 

Because starting IVF using donor sperm is an important decision, we ask everyone planning to have treatment to meet with one of our specialists before you decide to go ahead. 

The Sperm, egg and embryo donation (SEED) and PET are also available to help give advice and support on donation to donors, intended parents and surrogates. 

The next step is to find your perfect donor.  You may choose a donor from a partner sperm bank or use Care Fertility's own sperm bank. The choice is yours, and we can help you with this. 

We can arrange the shipment of your donor from a sperm bank to any Care Fertility clinic for treatment. We ensure all donors have been very carefully selected, and that each is fully screened and registered with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). 

All sperm donors are assessed on their health and medical history to help identify and screen out donors whose sperm could pose a health risk to you or your future child. We check that all donors: 

• Have good sperm counts 
• Are aged between 18 to 45 years 
• Are in good health 
• Have no personal or family history of genetically inherited conditions 
• Have no sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 

Donors are asked to provide a personal description which can be helpful when selecting your donor. You’ll be able to read their pen portrait, a goodwill message, and other non-identifying information they’ve provided.  

Once you’ve told us what you’re looking for, we’ll match you with someone who fits your profile as closely as possible. 

After we’ve determined the best course of treatment and you’ve chosen your sperm donor, you can begin your treatment plan, once your frozen donor sperm arrives at your chosen Care Fertility clinic.