Dr. Pinto, Dr. Orkun Tan and our dedicated team of professionals know that no two patients are the same, which is why we take the time to understand your unique needs before recommending the best course of treatment for you. IVF may not be the only option for you; there are many other treatments that can be used to result in a healthy pregnancy and a beautiful baby of your own. Our goal is to help make your dreams of having or expanding your family a reality, and give you a pleasant and positive experience along the way.

In Vitro Fertilization is commonly referred to as IVF. IVF is the process of fertilization by manually combining an egg and sperm. When the IVF procedure is successful, the process is combined with a procedure known as embryo transfer, which involves physically placing the embryo in the uterus.

There are five basic steps in the IVF and embryo transfer process which include the following:

IVF Step 1: Fertility medications are prescribed to control the timing of the egg ripening and to increase the chance of collecting multiple eggs during one of the woman’s cycles. This is often referred to as ovulation induction. Multiple eggs are desired because some eggs will not develop or fertilize after retrieval. Egg development is monitored using ultrasound to examine the ovaries, and urine or blood test samples are taken to check hormone levels.

IVF Step 2: Eggs are retrieved through a minor procedure that uses ultrasound imaging to guide a hollow needle through the pelvic cavity. The eggs are removed from the ovaries using a hollow needle, a procedure called follicular aspiration. Some women may experience cramping on the day of retrieval, which usually subsides the following day.

IVF Step 3: Sperm, usually obtained by ejaculation is prepared for combining with the eggs.

IVF Step 4: In a process called insemination, the sperm and eggs are placed in incubators located at our State of the Art Fertility lab. The incubators enable fertilization to occur. In some cases where there is a lower probability of fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) may be used. Through this procedure, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg in an attempt to achieve fertilization. The eggs are monitored to confirm that fertilization and cell division is taking place. Once this occurs, the fertilized eggs are considered embryos.

IVF Step 5: The embryos are usually transferred into the woman’s uterus from one to six days later, but in most cases the transfer occurs between two to three days following egg retrieval. At this stage, the fertilized egg has developed into a two-to-four cell embryo.

If you and your partner are ready to start a family but are experiencing some difficulty conceiving, we invite you to learn more about ReproMed Fertility Center, serving the Dallas, Grapvine, McKinney, and Rockwall Texas areas. At our state-of-the-art center, patients receive leading reproductive health care in a warm, welcoming and compassionate environment. Dr. Anil Pinto is a board-certified reproductive and infertility specialist with over a decade of experience performing IVF. Dr. OrKun Tan is an experienced, board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist. He is also a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) specialist.