IVF (In Vitro Fertilization)

IVF is a procedure where eggs are mixed with sperm to form an embryo outside of the body.

The embryo is then transferred to the womb to improve your chance of pregnancy. It is used to treat a wide range of fertility problems.

Reasons for infertility
There are a number of possible reasons for infertility which mean you may need IVF.

In order to achieve a pregnancy a sperm and an egg need to meet in the tube, the sperm needs to enter the egg and fertilise it and an embryo needs to be created.

The embryo needs to then move to the womb and implant there. If there are problems with your sperm numbers or quality, with your egg numbers and quality, with the womb or the tubes then getting pregnant may be difficult. Sometimes we don’t find any problems with sperm, egg or the womb but still a pregnancy is not happening, and you may need treatment to help you get pregnant.

Around a third of infertility is due to egg, womb or tube problems, around a third to problems with the sperm, a sixth to problems in both the woman and the man and in a sixth of couples we don’t find a reason.

IVF science has advanced very rapidly in recent years and CARE’s clinicians and scientists have been at the forefront of these developments, helping to pioneer ever more effective treatments and widening the range of people who can be helped.

In fact we can often succeed with patients who may have tried and failed elsewhere. If you are one of them, please don’t despair because we may be able to help you achieve your dream.

IVF is one of the most effective fertility treatments with over 5 million babies born since it was developed in the ’70s.