Traditional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) is performed using mature egg follicles, the production of which is stimulated with the use of injectable gonadotropins at the beginning of the woman's menstrual cycle. Recently, techniques for maturing eggs in the laboratory have improved, and it is sometimes possible to use in-vitro maturation (IVM), in which immature egg follicles are collected and matured in the laboratory before IVF is performed. Unlike IVF, IVM does not require the use of injectable gonadotropins.

‍In-Vitro Fertilization

‍During IVF, a woman receives injectable gonadotropins, which stimulate the maturation of a larger number of egg follicles. When more eggs are retrieved, more embryos can be created, which allows the embryologist to select only the best embryos for transfer into the uterus. This technique improves pregnancy rates, and is the best choice in most cases.However, there are some downsides to the use of fertility medications. Injectable gonadotropins are costly to produce and very expensive for patients. In addition, a small percentage of women are very sensitive to gonadotropins, and develop a potentially serious side effect called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).

In-Vitro Maturation

In the early days of IVF, in-vitro maturation was often dreamed of, but success rates were low. That has changed in recent years: thanks to improvements to culture conditions and techniques, it is now much more likely for eggs matured through IVM to result in viable embryos.In most cases, it is viable to perform IVM if more than 15 egg follicles can be seen in each ovary through transvaginal ultrasound. A high level of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH), measured through a blood test, can also correspond to good egg reserves.

‍Who is a Candidate?

‍You may be a good candidate for IVM if you meet one or more of the following criteria:

• You are 35 years old or younger
• You are of a healthy weight, and are not obese
• A large number of egg containing follicles is evident through ultrasound
• You have already gone through a stimulated IVF cycle and produced a large number of eggs
• You have a history of OHSS
• You have a condition, such as hormonally responsive cancer, which makes hormonal stimulation dangerous

Dr. Randy Morris would be happy to meet with you about which fertility treatment is right for you. To schedule your consultation today, please click below and enter your information or call IVF1 at (630) 357-6540.