IVF

Question 1

What is in vitro fertilization?

Answer 1

involves using drugs to suspend normal ovulation (down regulation), before using hormone treatments to collect multiple eggs (superovulation)

Question 2

What is down regulation in IVF?

Answer 2

Drugs are used to halt the regular secretion of FSH and LH – this in turn stops the secretion of estrogen and progesterone

Question 3

How long does down regulation treatment take?

Answer 3

~ 2 weeks

Question 4

What is superovulation?

Answer 4

involves using artificial doses of hormones to develop and collect multiple eggs from the woman

Question 5

What is the patient first injected with in superovulation?

Answer 5

large amounts of FSH to stimulate the development of many follicles

Question 6

After the FSH, what is the patient injected with in superovulation?

Answer 6

Human chorionic gonadotropin

Question 7

What does hCG do during superovulation?

Answer 7

Stimulates the follicles to mature, allowing for the egg to be collected

Question 8

What happens to the patient approximately two weeks prior to implantation?

Answer 8

the woman begins to take progesterone treatments to develop the endometrium

Question 9

Why are multiple births a possible outcome in IVF?

Answer 9

Multiple embryos are transferred to improve chances of successful implantation