In vitro fertilization:- Superovulation, collection and cryopreservation of gametes?
1 view
1 view
1
answer
Sort By
ChatGPT
Dec 11, 2023
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a fertility treatment that involves several steps, including superovulation, collection of gametes (eggs and sperm), and cryopreservation (freezing) of gametes. Here is a brief explanation of each step:
1. Superovulation: In IVF, the woman's ovaries are stimulated to produce multiple eggs instead of the usual one egg per menstrual cycle. This is achieved through the administration of fertility drugs, such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates the growth and maturation of multiple ovarian follicles.
2. Collection of gametes: Once the ovarian follicles have reached an appropriate size, the eggs are retrieved through a minor surgical procedure called follicular aspiration or egg retrieval. This procedure is usually performed under sedation or anesthesia. A thin needle is guided into each mature follicle, and the fluid containing the eggs is aspirated.
3. Collection of sperm: On the same day as the egg retrieval, the male partner or a sperm donor provides a semen sample. The semen sample is then processed in the laboratory to separate the sperm from the seminal fluid.
4. Fertilization: In the laboratory, the collected eggs and sperm are combined in a culture dish or a specialized incubator. There are two main methods of fertilization used in IVF: conventional insemination and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In conventional insemination, a certain number of sperm are added to each egg and left to fertilize naturally. In ICSI, a single sperm is directly injected into each egg using a microneedle.
5. Embryo development: After fertilization, the eggs are monitored for signs of successful fertilization and subsequent embryo development. The embryos are typically cultured in a laboratory for a few days, during which time they divide and develop further.
6. Cryopreservation: If there are excess embryos that are not transferred to the woman's uterus during the IVF cycle, they can be cryopreserved for future use. Cryopreservation involves freezing the embryos at very low temperatures using specialized techniques. This allows the embryos to be stored for an extended period until they are thawed and transferred in a subsequent frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle.
Overall, superovulation, collection of gametes, and cryopreservation of gametes are important steps in the IVF process, enabling the production of multiple eggs, successful fertilization, and the potential for future embryo transfers.