In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a complex series of procedures used to help with fertility or prevent genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child. IVF is a complex process that involves retrieving eggs from ovaries and manually combining them with sperm in a lab for fertilization. The most widely used process is ART (assisted reproductive technologies) in vitro fertilisation. IVF is carried out under restrictive lab conditions by fusing ova from the woman donor and sperm from the male donor outside the body. Several days after fertilization, the fertilized egg (now called an embryo) is placed inside a uterus. Pregnancy occurs when this embryo implants itself into the uterine wall. One full cycle of IVF takes about three weeks. Sometimes these steps are split into different parts and the process can take longer.
