What is Egg Retrieval?What are Egg Follicles?

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IVF egg retrieval is the process of removing eggs from the ovaries. Prior to the egg retireval, the IVF patient will have taken fertility drugs to stimulate the development of multiple eggs.Since the IVF egg retrieval is typically performed under anesthesia, the woman must avoid having anything to eat or drink starting the night before the procedure. The morning of the IVF egg retrieval the woman must continue to fast. The woman will be given a time to arrive at the Surgical Center. Her partner must be there also (if we are using his fresh sperm). She will be given an intravenous (IV) saline drip. It is through this IV that she will receive the medications to allow her to “sleep” through the egg retrieval.The retrieval is performed by passing a hollow needle through the wall of the vagina into the ovary. The needle is guided into the ovary with the use of a vaginal ultrasound probe. The needle can be guided into the follicle where the egg resides. The egg itself is not visible with the ultrasound. The fluid is aspirated from the follicle and deposited into a test tube.The fluid aspirate from the test tube is then inspected under the microscope to find the egg. During an average IVF stimulation, a woman will produce some follicles that have grown to a large size and others of medium or small size. Attempt will be made to aspirate all of the follicles - large and small. Although every follicle contains an one egg, it is not always possible to remove the egg. Older patients, those with poor ovarian reserve and those with smaller follicles, may see a lower percentage of eggs recovered. While the woman is having her eggs retrieved, the male will be taken to a private collection room to produce a semen specimen.A good egg retrieval may obtain between 10 and 20 eggs. An egg retrieval typically takes 15-20 minutes. Afterwards, the woman is taken to the recovery area while she “wakes up” from the medication. Usually, she can leave within an hour after completing the retrieval. The couple will be told how many eggs were retrieved before leaving the surgery center.The day of the egg retrieval, the woman should plan on taking it easy. She will often be drowsy due to the residual effects of the anesthesia medication. Some nausea is possible but otherwise, she can eat whenever (and whatever) she wants. By the next day, she should be able to resume normal activities.
What is Egg Retrieval?Egg retrieval is the process whereby a woman's eggs are removed from her ovaries. These eggs are later mixed with a man's sperm in order to facilitate fertilization. In order for egg retrieval to occur, a woman must first have follicle production stimulated by particular hormones. Once a number of follicles (potential eggs) are produced, fertility specialists can then remove these eggs from the ovaries in order to attempt fertilization. If fertilization is successful, the embryos will be placed back in to the woman's uterus.
What are Egg Follicles?Egg follicles are fluid-filled sacs that are located inside both of a woman’s ovaries. A woman is born with millions of these eggs follicles, each of which contains an immature egg at its center. Each month, thanks to certain hormones, multiple follicles will begin to develop. The one follicle that is the strongest will attract most of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, causing it to break open and release an egg while the remain follicles die off. This is ovulation.
Stimulating Follicular DevelopmentIn order for IVF to be most effective, more than just one mature egg needs to be retrieved. Your reproductive endocrinologist will attempt to remove all viable follicles that are present in your ovaries, so that multiple eggs can be fertilized. This means that a woman needs to have her follicles stimulated artificially.
There are special medications that you will be required to take in order to help stimulate the development of your follicles. These medications can include:

Clomid FSH hMG

These medications may be given orally or via subcutaneous injections for approximately ten days or so.
Monitoring Follicular DevelopmentTiming is extremely important when it comes to the IVF retrieval process. If your follicles develop too much, then the egg inside will become too mature for efficient fertilization. This can seriously affect the IVF process. For this reason, your ovaries will be monitored in order to keep an eye on your follicular development. This is typically done through ultrasound. When your follicles reach just the right maturity, egg retrieval can begin.
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