What Is IVF and How Does the Process Work? A Step-by-Step Guide

Dr. Anshika Lekhi, MBBS, DGO, Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine Infertility Expert | TheFertilife, Gurgaon

IVF is In Vitro Fertilisation. It is one of the most talked-about fertility treatments in the world. It is also one of the most misunderstood. Eggs are retrieved from the ovaries. They are fertilised by sperm in a laboratory. The resulting embryo is transferred to the uterus. That is IVF at its core. Understanding what IVF is, and how each step actually works, usually helps a patient approach it with realistic expectations. Most of the anxiety comes from the unknown.

Who Is IVF For?

IVF is recommended across a wide range of clinical situations. At TheFertilife, we consider it when:

• Fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged

• A previous IUI cycle has not resulted in pregnancy

• Male-factor infertility is significant. Simpler treatment is unlikely to succeed.

• Ovarian reserve is low. Time is a clinical priority.

• Unexplained infertility has not responded to lower-intervention treatment

• Genetic screening of embryos is indicated before transfer. This is PGT-A.

• A female fertility assessment has confirmed a specific diagnosis. The diagnosis points toward IVF.

IVF is not always the first recommendation. Ovulation induction or IUI is the appropriate starting point for many couples. IVF is indicated when the evidence points that way. Starting sooner rather than later protects the options available to you.

What Does an IVF Cycle Actually Involve?

Step 1: Baseline Assessment

Blood tests and an ultrasound are done before stimulation begins. These confirm your hormone levels. They also confirm your antral follicle count. The results indicate how your ovaries are likely to respond. A starting medication dose is set from this. It is specific to you. It is not a default.

Step 2: Ovarian Stimulation

Daily hormone injections follow. These are gonadotrophins. They are given over approximately 10–12 days. The purpose is to develop multiple follicles. A natural cycle matures a single egg. Most patients self-administer these subcutaneous injections. A brief demonstration from our team comes first.

Step 3: Monitoring

You return every 2–3 days. Ultrasound scans and blood tests track follicle growth. Medication doses are adjusted based on your response. Personalised protocols make a real difference here. They affect egg numbers. They also affect cycle safety.

Step 4: Trigger Injection

A trigger injection is given once follicles reach maturity. The timing is precise. hCG is usually used. A GnRH agonist may be used in higher-risk cases. Eggs are prepared for retrieval approximately 36 hours later.

Step 5: Egg Retrieval

Eggs are collected under light sedation. It is a minor outpatient procedure. A fine needle is guided by ultrasound. It passes through the vaginal wall. Each follicle is aspirated. Most patients go home within a few hours.

Step 6: Fertilisation in the Laboratory

Retrieved eggs are fertilised by sperm in the laboratory. Sperm and egg may be placed together. This is conventional IVF. A single sperm may instead be injected directly into each egg. This is ICSI. Fertilisation is confirmed the following morning.

Step 7: Embryo Culture

Fertilised eggs are cultured for three to five days. Embryos that develop well reach the blastocyst stage by day five. Day five is a more advanced developmental point than day three. It is also more predictive.

Step 8: Embryo Transfer

One embryo is transferred to the uterus. Two are transferred occasionally, in specific circumstances. A thin catheter is used. The procedure is brief. It is generally painless. No sedation is required.

Step 9: The Two-Week Wait

Progesterone support continues for approximately 14 days. A blood hCG test then confirms whether the cycle has resulted in pregnancy.

What Does IVF Cost in Gurgaon?

A standard IVF cycle in Gurgaon typically falls between ₹1.5 and ₹3 lakh. Stimulation medication is usually billed separately. This is ₹30,000–₹80,000. The amount depends on your individual response. Add-ons increase the total cost further. ICSI is one. Genetic testing, PGT-A, is another. Our IVF Cost Guide breaks this down in full. The most accurate estimate for your specific situation comes after a baseline assessment. It does not come from a quoted package price. Our Fertility Calculators on the TheFertilife website can also give you a useful starting reference point. That is before your first appointment.