What is In Vitro Fertilization?

My STEAM project topic researches the process of in vitro fertilization. In vitro fertilization provides an increased opportunity for pregnancy for individuals who struggle to conceive on their own. Infertility is defined as “failure to achieve pregnancy after 1 year or more of unprotected sexual intercourse” (Dakre et al, 2024). The process of IVF begins with hormone medication taken to time ovulation, as well as hormone pills taken to increase the number of mature eggs produced at the time of ovulation. Leading up to ovulation, the patient’s follicle size within the ovaries will be monitored for mature eggs, and a trigger shot, which is a hormonal injection, will be administered exactly 36 hours before mature egg extraction (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). During the egg retrieval process, the health care professional will use an ultrasound probe to safely guide a thin needle into the ovaries entering through the vagina. The needle is connected to a suction device to pull the eggs from each follicle. Once the removal is done, the eggs are placed in a solution within a petri dish and then placed into an incubator. Next, the embryologist will attempt to fertilize the extracted mature eggs through intracytoplasmic sperm injection, essentially injecting the cytoplasm of the egg with sperm cells using a fine needle under a microscope (Ma et al, 2024). If immature eggs were extracted, they would be placed in a separate dish to finish the maturation process. After the eggs are fertilized, they will be left for five to six days to develop to the blastocyst stage. Typically, only 50% of eggs progress to this stage of development. Once the embryos have reached this stage, they are ready to be transplanted back into the uterus or frozen for future use. Embryo transplant is able to be performed in two separate ways: through a fresh embryo transplant and a frozen embryo transplant. A fresh embryo transplant is completed three to seven days after the embryo has been retrieved and fertilized. A frozen embryo transplant is when embryos from a previous IVF cycle are thawed before being transplanted. For both of these transplants, the first step is to take an oral, injectable, or transdermal hormone to prepare the uterus to accept the embryo. This process can take around of month of medications and injections, and monitoring of your uterus and hormone levels. Once the hormone levels and the uterine environment are ready, the embryos are transplanted back. The process is completed using a syringe attached to a catheter that is placed into the uterus through the cervix, where one or more embryos are injected. After the embryo is placed in the uterus, the egg implants itself onto the lining of the uterus. Fourteen days after this procedure is completed, the healthcare provider will perform a blood test to determine if pregnancy has occurred. After this final step has finished and pregnancy has occurred, the patient will continue as normal with the pregnancy.  

I have chosen to represent my topic with a demonstrative drawing/comic. The images that I have created are meant to show the process of IVF that leads to pregnancy. The course objective that my project was created around was “Describe how ovulation, menses, pregnancy, and spermatogenesis are hormonally regulated”. My project mainly focuses on the pregnancy topic within that objective, since the main goal of IVF is to create a pregnancy using hormones and human assistance. The images represent the different steps and stages of the IVF process that are necessary for the best results. I have based my drawings on the different steps found throughout the research needed for this STEAM project essay from the Cleveland Clinic, as well as other peer-reviewed journals. 

References

Dakre, S., Shrivastava, J., Anjankar, N., Shrivastava, D., more, A., & Ulhe, S. (2024). Enhancing IVF Success in Challenging Infertility Cases: The Role of PRGF, GH, and Endometrial Optimization. Journal of Pharmacy & BioAllied Sciences, 16(Suppl 4). https://research.ebsco.com/c/u4if57/viewer/html/kx5de4okkb

Ma, J., Xie, Q., Zhang, Y., Xiao, Q., Liu, X., Qiao, C., & Tian, Y. (2024). Advances in microfluidic technology for sperm screening and in vitro fertilization. Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry, 416(16), 3717–3735. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-023-05120-9 

IVF (In Vitro Fertilization): Procedure & How It Works. (2022, March 2). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved April 16, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22457-ivf