Is it painful to do eco eh. IVF - is it painful to undergo a transfer? There are cases when IVF is the only opportunity to get pregnant and give birth to a healthy child.

Assisted reproduction methods involve discomfort, as they involve stimulation of the ovaries with injected hormones, which are administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly. But these sensations are not too painful. IVF procedures can be much more traumatic for a woman’s psyche. You should prepare yourself for this.

IVF practically repeats the natural processes of conception, therefore the stages of the IVF program quite logically follow one after another.

The FIRST stage of the IVF program is stimulation of superovulation. Special preparations stimulate the maturation in the ovaries of not just one, as usual, but many eggs. After all, the more eggs are fertilized, the greater the chance of a new life.

The first stage begins on the second day of the cycle and lasts 12-15 days. Ultrasounds are performed at certain intervals to determine how fast the follicles are growing. If necessary, hormonal studies are also carried out during the growth of follicles. At the same time, at each appointment, the doctor can change the dosage of the drugs, depending on what picture he observes.

Around day 12 of the cycle, the doctor can already estimate how many days later ovulation should occur. This is when the second stage begins.

The SECOND stage of IVF is the extraction of mature eggs from the ovaries. To do this, a puncture of the follicles is performed. Under general short-term anesthesia (3-4 minutes), each mature follicle is pierced in turn with a long needle under ultrasound control and all the liquid is sucked out of them along with the egg. After the puncture, the patient comes to her senses very quickly, spends 1-2 hours in the recovery room, and then goes home.

The most unpleasant sensations accompany the retrieval of eggs for in vitro fertilization, which is done by transvaginal puncture of the ovaries under ultrasound guidance, so this procedure is done using weak sedatives, helping to carry it easier.

The THIRD stage of IVF concerns the process of fertilization itself. Embryologists in their laboratory look through all the fluid taken during puncture and look for all the eggs. They are processed and fertilized with the sperm of the husband or donor (as provided in the program). Each egg is then placed in a separate cell and grown in a special thermostat. Every day, all cells are examined, non-viable embryos are eliminated, and viable ones are cared for.

The FOURTH stage of IVF is the implantation of one, or less often, two embryos into the patient’s uterus. This procedure is performed without anesthesia, as it is painless and takes 1-2 minutes. After the transplant, the woman stays in the ward for an hour and then goes home.

In principle, the IVF program itself ends here. But no less important is the next stage, which can be considered as the FIFTH stage of IVF.

This is the support of the most early stages pregnancy. For two weeks they go very important processes, which do not appear externally: the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus. If this succeeds, then pregnancy occurs.

Finally, 2 weeks after the embryos are transferred into the uterus, a blood test for hCG is performed, which determines whether the pregnancy has occurred.

The entire IVF program in most cases takes 4 weeks: 11-13 days - stimulation of superovulation, 1 day - puncture, 4-5 days - fertilization of eggs and growing embryos, 1 day - transfer of embryos into the uterus, 14 days - pregnancy support.

If you decide to have this procedure, you may only need to find a suitable clinic. You may not even need that much money for IVF, since there are now free programs. I advise you to read the information on the Test Tube forum at the link http://www.probirka.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=139

Technologies reproductive medicine They are moving by leaps and bounds. Thanks to progress in this area, the diagnosis of infertility is no longer so scary. For example, in vitro fertilization can bring happiness to people who are unable to conceive a child on their own. Women are very interested in the question, is it painful to do IVF? Their excitement is understandable; you don’t do such procedures every day.

In order to answer this question we need to bring some clarity. After all, IVF is only common name technologies artificial insemination. The name means that fertilization will occur outside the mother's body.

IVF includes several stages, one of them is quite scary, but painless. It's about about follicle puncture. Using a special needle, oocytes are removed from the ovaries. It sounds scary, but there is no need to worry. This procedure is performed under anesthesia, so only discomfort is possible afterwards.

Follicle puncture is done under intravenous anesthesia, so it is not painful.

Replanting

The next stage does not require anesthesia at all, but is still sometimes used here local anesthesia. This stage is called replanting, another name is transfer. Very rarely, minor complications occur when fertilized eggs are transferred into the uterine cavity. If the specialist’s experience is low, he may slightly damage the cervical canal. This will only be known after the transfer, since minor bleeding may occur due to damage. Blood is flowing no longer than 1-2 days.

How is replanting done?

Let's look at this stage in more detail. The doctor will confirm the date of replantation. Usually this is the second or fifth day after the puncture. If the transfer is scheduled for day 2, then embryos that have reached the blastomere stage in their development will be transferred. On the fifth day, the embryos will already be blastocysts.

In this video, an embryologist explains why it is better to transfer a blastocyst:

Important tip! Under no circumstances should you worry about the transfer. Naturally, a woman is afraid that there will be blood and it will hurt. Believe me, this is not true. The maximum that the patient can feel is slight discomfort. If a woman is nervous, stress will trigger the production of cortisol, which can cause hormonal disorder and the embryo may not take root.

A woman sits in a gynecological chair. The doctor inserts a special flexible catheter into the cervical canal of the cervix. At this moment, the embryos are in a nutrient solution. They are inserted into the uterus when the catheter passes the cervical canal.

This is how embryo transfer occurs. It is done without anesthesia. It's not painful, just unpleasant.

Currently, they are trying to transfer one embryo, but to increase the chances, it happens that two embryos are transferred. In some cases, a woman herself wants to give birth to twins with the help of IVF, you will agree that this is convenient, there were no children and there are two at once.

Transferring more than 3 embryos is dangerous; there is a high risk of multiple pregnancy. This type of pregnancy is dangerous for the mother. Typically, reproductive specialists recommend freezing the remaining embryos. If the first replanting is unsuccessful, they may be needed. In addition, in cryopreserved form they can be stored indefinitely.

Actions of a woman during replanting

The woman should not interfere with the procedure. You need to relax your lower abdomen as much as possible. This way, inserting the catheter will be as safe as possible and will not cause discomfort. If the patient is in pain, they will give her time to get used to it, perhaps giving her local anesthesia. After the catheter is inserted, the doctor will press the plunger of the syringe with embryos and the transfer will occur.

When the embryos are transferred, the patient should lie in the gynecological chair in a relaxed state for at least 30 minutes. After this, the woman goes home. Now she should rest, lie down, relax. Do not do household chores under any circumstances. Even minor physical stress or a nervous condition may prevent embryo implantation. Do you need this? Relax.

What to do after replanting?

Sometimes women who find it difficult to be in calm state at home remain on day hospital, for a few days. Under the supervision of doctors, some feel calmer and more reliable. There is no exact prescription here; it all depends on each patient individually, whether to stay in the hospital or go home.

After the transfer, the woman should not feel pain in the lower abdomen. At this point, it is very important to adhere to a course of hormonal stimulation to support implantation. Adherence to the schedule must be perfect. Typically, the hormones progesterone and human chorionic gonadotropin are used for support.

In that short video A fertility specialist will tell you what to do after the transfer:

In addition to avoiding stress and physical activity You need to measure your weight on a scale every day and monitor your urination (frequency and volume). Also monitor your belly size and pulse. If violations are detected bloody discharge or if pain occurs, immediately report it to your IVF clinic.

Don't go to work, let it wait! To do this, you will be given sick leave for 12 days. All this time you need to stay in good mood and peace. If your doctor deems it necessary extra rest he will extend his sick leave.

Pain during transfer

Statistics indicate that pain after transfer is very rare. If there is pain, the woman may have a large bend of the uterus. No pain after the procedure and wellness signs of a successful transfer.

Cases of damage cervical canal, subsequent pain and discomfort are very rare. If the transfer is unsuccessful, next procedure must be well thought out. You may need a different shaped catheter or dilation of the uterus.

Here is the main tool for embryo transfer - a catheter.

In vitro fertilization has become so firmly established medical practice that even people far from medicine know about the existence of such a method. However, despite this, few expectant mothers and fathers preparing to become eco-parents for the first time can explain exactly how the IVF procedure occurs.

So what exactly is the process of creating a test tube baby?

What is IVF

The abbreviation IVF contains two words: “in vitro” and “fertilization.” The term “extracorporeal” means “happening outside the body (organism)”, that is, the fusion of female and male reproductive cells does not occur in the body of the expectant mother, but in laboratory conditions – “in vitro”.

The totality of all medical appointments and manipulations that are necessary for successful artificial insemination, embryo development and implantation are called the IVF protocol.

Depending on how IVF occurs, protocols can be divided into 2 large groups.

1. IVF in natural cycle, which uses only eggs formed as a result of natural menstrual cycle.
2. IVF with ovarian stimulation, if female reproductive cells are obtained by stimulating multiple ovulation with drugs.

In turn, IVF protocols with ovarian stimulation, depending on the scheme used, are divided into several types:

• super-long protocol, in which future mom at the first stage using special drugs(diferelin, buserin) is introduced into artificial menopause, lasting from 2 to 6 months;
• long, which begins on days 21-25 of the menstrual cycle and involves the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists to control ovarian function;
• short, not involving a regulatory phase and starting on the 3rd day of the cycle directly with ovarian stimulation;
• Japanese protocol (Teramoto protocol), which uses minimal doses of hormonal drugs;
• The cryoprotocol consists of 2 stages: at the first stage, embryos are obtained and cryopreserved, and at the second stage (after careful preparation of the endometrium) the implantation is performed.

Who is IVF for?

In vitro fertilization is one of the extreme methods of overcoming infertility. Therefore, the indication for it is the inability of a married couple to conceive a baby naturally when other methods of treating male and female infertility have been unsuccessful.

Since the in vitro fertilization protocol uses medications, which place a serious burden on the entire body of the expectant mother, and also impose strict requirements on the quality of the eggs and sperm obtained, then great attention focuses on the presence of contraindications to IVF on the part of future parents.

If the father or mother has diseases or conditions that prevent the procedure, married couple this method may be refused and an alternative solution, for example, surrogacy, may be offered.

The legally established list of contraindications for IVF does not contain a clause on permissible age future parents, so mothers are often concerned about the age at which IVF is done. The achievements of modern medicine allow women to experience the joy of motherhood even at the age of 50.

It all depends on the initial state women's health and the body's reactions to injected drugs. However, it should be borne in mind that after 40 years the chances of successfully completing the protocol drop sharply.

How does in vitro fertilization occur?

The stages of the IVF procedure can be divided into 2 large blocks.

1. Additional, which vary depending on the type of protocol.
2. Basic ones, implying direct artificial insemination.

Additional procedures

IVF in a natural cycle
For IVF in a natural cycle, drugs that stimulate superovulation are not used. The reproductive specialist receives exactly as many eggs as nature intended in a particular cycle.

IVF with stimulation

Depending on the protocol type, the following procedures may be additional steps.

Artificial menopause in a super-long protocol

This is a condition in which, using special drugs– gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists – suppresses the work of both the pituitary gland and the ovaries. In this case, dominant follicles do not grow in the ovary. The duration of the stage is from 2 to 6 months, depending on the health status of the expectant mother.

The main indication for prescribing a super-long protocol and, accordingly, artificial menopause is endometriosis.

Control of ovarian function in a long protocol

This stage is included in the classic (long) IVF protocol and consists of suppressing the function of the ovaries and pituitary gland in order to further stimulate superovulation. The long protocol is usually started on days 21-25 of the menstrual cycle.

Stimulation of superovulation

The main goal of the IVF stimulation protocol is to obtain as much more mature eggs. Since nature has endowed a woman with the ability to mature 1 (maximum 2-3) eggs, the role of a stimulant is assumed by hormonal drugs, which are administered to the expectant mother from 3-5 days of the cycle. As a result, it matures up to 25 dominant follicles. Simultaneously with the eggs, the endometrium also undergoes maturation, which will receive the future baby.

Main stages of IVF

These steps remain the same for any IVF protocol. They include medical procedures following each other in strict sequence:

1. An injection of a trigger (provoking) dose of the hCG drug.
2. Puncture of mature follicles.
3. Direct fusion of egg and sperm through “natural” in vitro fertilization or ICSI.
4. Growing the resulting embryos.
5. PGD ​​– preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
6. Transfer of the embryo into the uterus.
7. Prescription of hormonal support.
8. Implantation.
9. Pregnancy test at 14 DPP (day after transfer).

The most important thing in the IVF procedure is obtaining mature eggs. It is necessary that all dominant follicles, developed in the natural cycle or during stimulation, mature at the same time, and female germ cells are at the same stage of development.

The introduction of a trigger dose of the hCG hormone exactly 36 hours before the intended puncture helps streamline this process. The criterion for the onset the right moment is the diameter of the dominant follicles, it should be 20-23 mm.

Puncture of mature follicles

34-36 hours after the administration of the trigger dose of hCG, the expectant mother undergoes follicular puncture. It's small surgical intervention, during which all mature follicles are punctured through a puncture in the vaginal wall with a special hollow needle placed on the head of an ultrasound probe and connected to a pump and follicular fluid containing eggs is collected.

At the same moment, the husband (partner) donates sperm to the clinic, and when using donor sperm, they are defrosted.

Artificial insemination

If the quantity and quality of sperm are good, then during the IVF procedure they, together with the resulting eggs, are placed in a test tube with a special nutrient medium, and then transferred to a thermostat (a device that maintains a strictly specified temperature and humidity), where the process takes place within 24-48 hours fertilization.

If the sperm does not meet the criteria for quality or quantity, then ICSI technology is used to fertilize the egg - intracytoplasmic injection, in other words, the artificial introduction of one sperm inside the egg.

Growing the resulting embryos

If fertilization is successful, then the resulting embryos are grown in a nutrient medium in an incubator until 3-5 days of age, this is necessary so that the embryologist can assess the ability to divide, the viability and quality of the resulting embryos.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis

A procedure, the cost of which is not included in the total cost of the IVF protocol and is paid separately by future parents. It is mandatory if the mother, father, both parents or immediate relatives suffer from any hereditary diseases. And also when the family already has sick children with genetic abnormalities, with frequent frozen pregnancies, miscarriages early stages, numerous unsuccessful attempts IVF (3 or more).

PGD ​​allows you to select only the healthiest embryos for transfer.

Embryo transfer to the uterus

In accordance with modern legislation in the field of reproductive technologies, women under 40 years of age are implanted with no more than 2 embryos into the uterus. This allows you to avoid multiple pregnancies and the associated problems of IVF.

If the expectant mother is 40 years old or older, then 3 embryos are transferred, since the chances of implantation of all embryos are much lower.

Many women are concerned about the question of whether it is painful to do IVF, and in particular, the embryo transfer procedure. This is a painless procedure active phase which lasts no more than 5 minutes. The embryo is placed into the uterine cavity using a thin catheter, which easily penetrates through the cervical canal into the organ.

After the transfer, it is advisable to lie down for about 30 minutes, and then avoid stress and physical activity for the first 48 hours.

Prescribing hormonal support

After the embryo is implanted in the uterus, the expectant mother is prescribed maintenance therapy with the hormone progesterone. It improves the quality of the endometrium, accelerates implantation, and protects the uterus from tone.

Progesterone is prescribed in the form of vaginal capsules, vaginal gel, and injections.

Implantation

Implantation is the attachment of an embryo to the wall of the uterus. Unlike natural conception, IVF is characterized by late implantation, that is, the embryo can implant only at 9-10 DPP, and not on the 6th day from the moment of fertilization, as in a normal pregnancy.

Pregnancy test

As a rule, at 14 DPP, the expectant mother takes a blood test to check the hCG level. A level of more than 80 units indicates pregnancy. At positive result blood is donated over time to track the development of the embryo.

Here short description how IVF is done in any human reproduction clinic. Of course, each patient is unique, and the doctor may make some changes to the scheme for introducing the in vitro fertilization protocol. However, knowledge of the main stages of IVF will help future parents better prepare for the procedure and make it easier to endure.

Demchenko Alina Gennadievna

Reading time: 2 minutes

Many women who decide to undergo IVF are worried about whether embryo transfer is painful. Doctors are often asked what it will feel like, whether there may be blood during or after the procedure. To dispel all fears and doubts, let’s look at the issue in detail.

The date of the transplantation is determined by the doctor. Usually you need to count on the 2nd – 5th days after the collection procedure. Embryo transfer can be carried out at the blastomere stage or later at the blastocyte stage.

Don’t be nervous and prepare yourself for the possibility that there will be pain, blood and other unpleasant sensations during or after the transplantation. This is absolutely painless procedure, and the most unpleasant thing you can feel when transferring embryos into the uterus is mild discomfort. This is why anesthesia is not practiced during transplantation. The patient, who is on the gynecological chair, is injected gynecological speculum, then a flexible catheter is inserted into the cervical canal. This is the path followed by embryos in a drop of nutrient medium, which can be seen on the monitor of an ultrasound machine. Usually no more than 2-3 embryos are transferred, since multiple pregnancies can be life-threatening for the expectant mother. If there are still embryos left, they undergo a freezing procedure and the patient can count on them later, in the event of an unsuccessful replanting procedure.

What should the patient do during the transfer?

The main task will be simply not to strain, relaxing the body as much as possible. The lower abdomen should also be relaxed to make it easier for the doctor to insert the catheter. After the embryo transfer is completed, the woman should lie down for about 20-30 minutes without getting up from her chair. After completion, some remain in the hospital for a day, while others go home to rest. It is advisable that the woman be accompanied. At home, you should distract yourself, think about good things and not worry every minute about the result of embryo transfer. Mothers who are too nervous may be left in the hospital for several days upon request. It all depends on the psychological barrier and nervous system: Some people feel more comfortable being at home with their family, while others are less nervous under constant medical supervision.

The main thing is to take care of yourself for the first week, not letting yourself worry and be nervous. You must try to surround your life with exclusively positive emotions. You should definitely measure your body weight every day, control the number and volume of urination, the size of your abdomen, and your own pulse rate. If something deviates from the norm, pain of an unknown nature or blood suddenly appears, you should immediately contact the IVF center.

After the procedure, the IVF center gives the woman sick leave for a period of about 10 days so that she can spend the days before implantation in complete peace. Further sick leave, if necessary, will be extended by a gynecologist from antenatal clinic at the place of residence.

Presence of pain during embryo transfer

Research shows that cases of pain during and after embryo transfer are extremely rare and can only occur in women who have a large pregnancy. If there were no painful sensations during the transplantation, and your health remained normal, then the chances of successful IVF are quite high.

In isolated cases of pain and the appearance of blood during catheter insertion or failure after replantation, the next transfer should be carefully considered by the doctor. It may be necessary to dilate the uterus and use a different catheter. If pain does occur during insertion of the catheter, you should calm it down after penetration and give time to get used to the foreign object.

Thanks to assisted reproductive technologies, which are rapidly developing in modern medicine, many infertile couples have the opportunity to experience the happiness of parenthood. One of the most popular and popular methods is the in vitro fertilization procedure. Expectant mothers often wonder if IVF is painful and how they can reduce the discomfort during the procedure.

To give the correct answer, it is necessary to understand how exactly the resulting embryos are transferred. Doctors convince patients that the procedure is painless and does not take much time, so anesthesia, in most cases, is not used. Anesthesia for IVF is necessary in special cases, which we will talk about in detail below.

It is not surprising that many expectant mothers are interested in whether it hurts to do IVF. Reviews from those who have undergone this procedure from experienced doctors assure that embryo transfer causes only minor discomfort. To carry out the manipulation, the patient is asked to sit comfortably on a gynecological chair, after which the doctor inserts a flexible catheter into the canal.

Actually, the embryos will move along the artificially recreated path into the woman’s uterine cavity. According to standard protocols, two or three embryos that have the best viability are transferred. The remaining cells are cryopreserved so that if the first attempt fails, another in vitro fertilization can be performed.

Transfer of embryos into the uterine cavity through a catheter

If it hurts during IVF, this means that the woman is poorly relaxed, her muscles are tense and resist. Therefore, doctors do everything necessary to ensure that the expectant mother feels comfortable and at ease during the procedure. In situations where the muscles of the lower abdomen are too tense, severe pain will be felt when the catheter is inserted.

Upon completion of the entire procedure, the woman must remain in her original position on the chair for approximately 30 minutes. Depending on the general condition the doctor will tell you whether the expectant mother can go home after this time, or whether she will have to stay at the clinic for another day.

Feelings after the transfer

Answering the question regarding the IVF procedure, whether it hurts or not, doctors assure that in vitro fertilization is painless. It is also worth understanding if the manipulation was performed experienced specialist, That discomfort there should not be any after the embryo transfer itself, when the catheter is removed from the canal.

If the protocol was successful, and the desired pregnancy nevertheless occurred, which can be confirmed by a blood test for CHF and ultrasound diagnostics, then pain may be felt in the lower abdomen and lower back during the first 12 weeks. The first 7-14 days of discomfort is due to the implantation process ovum to the uterus and endometrium.

Next, the chorion or future placenta is formed. This process takes three to four weeks. During 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, blood flow to the uterus increases, and the pelvic vessels are completely filled with this fluid. Only starting from the seventh week does the body begin to produce the hormone relaxin, which helps reduce any discomfort or pain.

Also, during the first 9-12 weeks, the uterus and its ligamentous apparatus actively grow, which leads to minor contractions and painful sensations. After the embryo transfer procedure itself, doctors prescribe maintenance therapy, which includes the use of medications such as Progesterone and Human Chorionic Gonadotropin.

Causes of pain

When women repeatedly undergo an in vitro fertilization protocol that does not result in pregnancy and is accompanied by unpleasant sensations, they have thoughts about whether embryo transfer can be done under anesthetic.

Doctors always make the first attempt without using any anesthesia, since, according to studies, this procedure is not accompanied by pain and lasts a short period of time. Yes, there are cases where expectant mothers complained about severe pain during transfer, but this only happens in those patients who have an anatomically strong bending of the uterus.

This is why anesthesia during IVF, reviews from women confirm this, are almost never used. If the girl was in pain and bleeding was noted, then most likely the protocol will not be successful. This means that next time the doctor will have to use a different catheter with the ability to adjust.

However, the question of whether IVF is done under anesthesia or not remains open. IN Lately doctors began to practice pain relief of this type in patients who, due to psychological factor cannot relax, which makes it impossible to gently insert a medical catheter. If the expectant mother is calm and relaxed, and there is no strong bending of the uterus, then it is better not to use anesthesia.