
In vitro fertilisation is a treatment in which the eggs are fertilised outside the mother’s body – in vitro – and then after cultivating the embryos 2, 3, 5 or 6 days 1 or 2 embryos are transferred directly into the mother’s uterus. IVF is used in couples for whom other treatments have failed, such as artificial insemination, women with no fallopian tubes or injured ones, or with severe endometriosis and situations in which the egg or sperm count is limited.
In order for IVF to be successful, three conditions are needed: healthy eggs, healthy sperm which can fertilise the eggs, and a uterus which can develop a pregnancy. Whenever one of the first two requirements cannot be met, the couple may choose IVF with donated eggs or semen.