What is the egg retrieval process like?

In fact, egg retrieval is becoming more and more common in our lives. Because the physical conditions of many couples are not ideal, they need to use in vitro fertilization to obtain fertilized eggs, so the egg retrieval process is also one of the steps. The egg retrieval process generally requires a lot of preparation, including a lot of conditioning for the female friend so that the eggs discharged are healthy and normal.

Preparation before egg retrieval

Normally, there is only one ovulation during natural ovulation. If this egg is used for in vitro fertilization, at most only one embryo can be produced. There is no choice at the time of embryo transfer. The pregnancy rate after transferring one embryo is very low. Sometimes, this egg may not be fertilized or develop, and there is no chance of pregnancy. Therefore, controlled superovulation is needed to enhance and improve ovarian function in order to obtain multiple healthy eggs without being restricted by the natural cycle. In this way, more embryos can be cultured in the laboratory, and high-quality embryos can be selected for transplantation, which can increase the chance of pregnancy.

1. Production of female eggs

Controlled superovulation generally starts with the use of a hormone drug called GnRHA (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist, specifically Dicaprylin and Dicaprylin), which can block the secretion of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone in the body, so that exogenous hormones can play a better role. Follicle growth hormone is then used to stimulate the growth of follicles in the ovaries. In order to make multiple follicles in the ovaries develop simultaneously, follicle-stimulating hormone is generally used starting on the 2nd or 3rd day of the menstrual period. At this time, there are generally no large follicles in the ovaries.

When the follicles grow to a certain size and the eggs inside the follicles grow to a mature size, hormones are given to promote egg maturation. When the eggs are almost mature but before ovulation, they are removed surgically. This course of medication needs to continue for about 10 days, some may be as short as 8 days, and the elderly may reach 15 to 16 days.

2. Egg induction maturation (35-36 hours before egg retrieval)

In most cases, the above-mentioned medications can only make the eggs grow, but cannot obtain mature eggs. In order to evaluate whether the egg in the follicle has the ability to mature, the doctor must use ultrasound to monitor the size of the follicle and check the estrogen level in the blood. When the diameter of 2 or more follicles is greater than 1.8 to 2 cm and the estrogen level matches the number of follicles, the eggs at this time have the ability to mature. The doctor can then inject human chorionic gonadotropin to help the eggs in the follicles mature. The maturation time of human eggs is about 36-40 hours, and they must be retrieved within 35-36 hours after injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Therefore, the doctor will schedule a time for egg retrieval.

3. Egg retrieval (embryo day 0)

Egg retrieval is performed within 35 to 36 hours of human chorionic gonadotropin injection. Retrieving eggs too early or too late will affect the egg retrieval rate and the quality of the retrieved eggs. Doing it too early may cause the eggs to not fully mature, resulting in a large number of immature eggs, while doing it too late may cause some large follicles to ovulate, making it impossible to retrieve eggs.