In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): A Video Overview

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the most successful treatment options for infertility. The first step for individuals and couples interested in the procedure is a comprehensive review of their clinical situation with one of the Yale Fertility Center’s reproductive endocrinologists.

“There's not a single cause of infertility, and it shouldn't be treated as a single disease,” says Hugh Taylor, MD, chair of Yale Medicine Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences.

“At Yale, we have specialists in endometriosis, fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome, and in recurrent pregnancy loss and miscarriage.”

IVF is a procedure in which a woman’s eggs and a man’s sperm are retrieved and then combined in a laboratory to create an embryo that is transferred to the woman’s uterus.

Choosing IVF as a treatment may be influenced by personal preferences and beliefs. Once the decision is made to proceed with IVF, prenatal testing will be performed on both partners. The treatment plan is then tailored to the individual's or couple's needs.

The video above provides an overview of the IVF process, with specific information on all the steps involved, including hormonal injections, egg retrieval, embryo development, and embryo transfer.

“Luckily, at Yale, most of our patients have a positive pregnancy test,” says Sandra A. Carson, MD, chief of Yale Medicine Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility (REI).