Diagnostic Procedures to Determine IVF Protocol

For people who have been trying to conceive or are frustrated by early failed attempts, IVF is the next best way to have a child. In this article, we will discuss some diagnostic procedures to determine your IVF protocol. The drugs and medication for IVF used to superovulate the women’s ovaries are given in different combinations that are called PVF protocols.

For a successful IVF treatment, it is important to understand the root cause of your infertility. Hence a series of diagnostic tests are performed to make a personalized IVF treatment plan using different IVF protocols. This article will describe the diagnostic procedure to determine IVF protocol.

IVF Process Step by Step

IVF is a time-consuming process as it involves various steps. After the initial consultation (testing and diagnosis) with the consent of the patient, the following steps are taken:

  • Ovarian stimulation
  • Trigger injection
  • Egg retrieval and semen collection
  • Egg fertilization and embryo development
  • Embryo transfer
  • Luteal phase support
  • Pregnancy test

Diagnostic Procedures to Determine IVF Protocol:

#4. Test to Determine Ovarian Reserve  

The most common method used to test Ovarian Reserve is transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS USG) of the pelvis. This determines the number of eggs available for stimulation. Another test is Serum AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormones) value which indirectly determines the number and quality of eggs.

#3. Semen Analysis:

Semen analysis is done to find out issues with the size, shape, and mobility of the sperm. This test is often performed again before initiating the IVF cycle.

#2. Uterine Exam:

Uterus of the woman is examined to make sure the organ is in a condition to bear the child. Typical procedures for this test are sonohysterography and hysteroscopy.

#1. Screening for Infectious Disease:

Before starting IVF, it is important to screen both the partners for infectious diseases such as:

  1. Syphilis
  2. Hepatitis B
  3. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
  4. Hepatitis C

Determining The Protocol: 

On basis of the test results, the specialist chalks out a personalized IVF protocol. The following are different IVF protocols used by infertility specialists:

Different IVF protocols used by specialists on basis of the test results:

  • Antagonist Protocol or Short Protocol
  • Lupron Down-Regulation, or Long Lupron Protocol
  • The Flare Protocol or Microdose Lupron Co-Flare Protocol
  • Estrogen Priming Protocol
  • Mini-IVF or Micro-IVF Protocol

Fertility Treatment Steps

There are two types of fertility treatments, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In IUI, the healthy sperm is retrieved from the male partner, then it is put into the woman’s uterus during the high ovulation period.

On the other hand, IVF involves egg retrieval from the woman’s ovaries then these eggs are fertilized in a medical laboratory to develop them into embryos. The best embryo is then put into the woman’s uterus.

Assisted Reproductive Treatment 

There are two types of fertility treatments, Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). In IUI, the healthy sperm is retrieved from the male partner, then it is put high into the woman’s uterus during the ovulation period.  

On the other hand, IVF involves egg retrieval from the woman’s ovaries then these eggs are fertilized in a medical laboratory to develop them into embryos. The best embryo is then put into the woman’s uterus.

Fertility Tests for Females:

Various types of tests are done to examine women’s fertility. The following are different fertility tests for females:

A. Laparoscopy
B. Hysteroscopy
C. Transvaginal ultrasound

The doctor also performs various blood tests to check your ovarian reserve, general hormonal status and receptivity of the uterus.

Baseline Scan for Frozen Embryo Transfer:

Every stage of IVF is monitored to ensure that the treatment is going as planned. The monitoring starts before ovarian stimulation which is the first step of IVF. The monitoring is done by performing a baseline ultrasound usually on Day 2 of periods, to examine the health and state of the ovaries.

According to some controlled trials, the implantation and pregnancy rates are improved significantly with the ultrasound-guided embryo transfer even with frozen embryos.

IVF Success Rate:

IVF is the most effective solution to conceive a baby in couples with fertility issues. The success rate of the treatment is not as high as many people think. Young couples have only around 20% chance of conceiving naturally in a month. Whereas in IVF,  typical success rate for most women is 20-35% per cycle which decreases with each successive round. However, different factors influence the success rate of IVF treatment.

These factors can be age, previous pregnancy outcomes, egg embryo quality, lifestyle factors, quality of sperm, etc. Overall health of the infertile couple plays a major role in making IVF treatment successful.

Conclusion:

IVF protocols are important to provide the right drug combination to the patient during their IVF treatment. There are different diagnostic procedures to determine IVF protocols, this article has covered many of them. Couples that are not able to conceive due to various reasons can now make their dreams come true with the advanced techniques of IVF treatment. We hope that this article has increased your knowledge about IVF & its different protocols.