IVF / ICSI

Procedure for IVF treatment:

Conversation – here we make sure that you know the process of your IVF treatment.
Examination of you / both of you for the causes of infertility.
Hormonal stimulation – the woman receives hormonal stimulation that regulates the development and maturation of the egg cells.
Ultrasound examination of the oocytes – here we can determine the right time for the oocyte retrieval.
Egg retrieval (aspiration) – the eggs are removed from the ovaries through the wall of the vagina with a thin needle.
Sperm sample – the man provides a sperm sample on the day of egg retrieval. If donor semen or frozen semen is used, it will be thawed.
Fertilization of the egg cell (fertilization) – the removed egg cells are fertilized with sperm in the laboratory.
Transfer of the egg (transfer) – the fertilized egg or eggs are placed back into the woman’s uterus for normal development.
Post-treatment – the lining of the uterus is stimulated so that it is ready to receive the egg.
Pregnancy test – performed 14 days after the transfer.

Who is offered IVF:

Women who have previously tried 3-6 inseminations
Women with closed fallopian tubes
Women with a partner who has reduced sperm quality
Women over 37, as they can benefit from direct IVF – the chance of pregnancy decreases with age
Young women with low AMH < 10 pmol

ICSI treatment

ICSI stands for “intracytoplasmic sperm injection” and is also called microinsemination. A single selected sperm cell is injected directly into a retrieved egg cell.

ICSI follows the same principles as IVF treatment.

Unlike IVF treatment, with ICSI a single sperm cell is selected and placed directly into the woman’s egg cell under a special microscope.

Microinsemination differs from regular IVF in the fertilization process itself.

Microinsemination only takes place if the man has very low sperm quality and therefore only has very few sperm that are suitable for fertilizing the egg cell.

Who is offered ICSI:

Couples with previous IVF with low fertilization rate < 50%
Women with partners with very low sperm quality
Women with sterilized partners; here the sperm must be removed from the testicles through a minor procedure called TESA (testicular sperm aspiration).

IVF / ICSI protocol

At the beginning of IVF or ICSI fertility treatment, the woman is treated with hormones that stimulate the ovaries.

In this way, several mature oocytes develop instead of the one or, less commonly, two that are normally developed in one cycle.

The clinic offers a short, mild stimulation or a long treatment. The doctor chooses the best protocol based on previous history, hormone levels, age, and other factors that come into play.

Most women are treated according to a short protocol.

Short protocol:
You start treatment on day 2-3 of your cycle (usually with injections) and usually take the stimulation for up to 2 weeks.

Natural / Mild Stimulation:
Here you get a low stimulation dose, because with a high dose of the hormone no more egg cells are to be expected.

Eligible for:

Women > 42 years
Women with low AMH < 5 pmol or AFC < 4
Women with previous normal IVF x 3-4
Women who want low-hormone stimulation

Long protocol:
The woman’s own hormone production is regulated down with medication (either with the help of a nasal spray or injections for 2 weeks before the start of the stimulation), after which the stimulation of follicle formation is started for about 10 days with the hormone FSH (with injections).

Eligible for:

Women who have not had a positive result with brief/light stimulation
Women with endometriosis or other autoimmune diseases

Egg retrieval

When the follicles are ready, the ovulation shot is injected. The eggs are collected around 36 hours later and we recommend that you arrive in Copenhagen the evening before. The egg cell retrieval takes place under local anesthesia, which is given vaginally. A type of morphine that acts quickly and leaves the body quickly can be given, allowing you to leave the clinic with a clear head.

Under ultrasound control, the doctor removes the egg cells with a needle. The procedure lasts a few minutes and most women don’t notice much, but of course it’s a bit uncomfortable. You will stay at the clinic for up to an hour after the procedure to make sure you are comfortable. You can then go home or back to the hotel. Expect some pain and bleeding on the first day, but this should subside quickly. We’ll give you painkillers to take home with you.

Complications can occur in the form of bleeding or infection, but the risk of this is very low, less than 0.5%.

Submission of a sperm sample

On the day of egg retrieval, the man submits a sperm sample to the clinic. With IVF, approximately 100,000 sperm cells are added to each egg cell removed, with ICSI, a sperm cell is injected directly into the egg cell.

The day after the egg cell retrieval, we will inform you about the course of the fertilization. The eggs are kept in an incubator, which is an advanced “brooder” system. There are many different characteristics of embryos that determine whether they will be further cultivated and when they will be used. The doctor will agree with you when the insertion will take place, either on the 2nd, 3rd or 5th day after the egg retrieval, depending on your age, egg reserve and the results of day 2.

Deployment / Transfer

The egg is placed using a small, thin catheter. It lasts a few minutes and is usually not painful at all. The pregnancy test can be taken 12-14 days after the transfer, and of course we hope for you that it will be positive.

Your chance of conceiving is usually twice as high compared to insemination and is 45 to 50% for women under 35 years of age. Unfortunately, the chance decreases with age.

For both ICSI and IVF, there must always be a one-month break between attempts, unless the eggs are frozen.

Procedure for IVF treatment:

Who is offered IVF:

ICSI treatment

Egg retrieval

Submission of a sperm sample

Deployment / Transfer

Why choose Sellmer Clinic for your treatment?

High success rate

Easy transport

Transparent prices

No waiting time

Anette Sellmer

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