In vitro procedures are usually done in test tubes
The Latin phrase in vitro , which can be translated as "in the glass" , is accepted by the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ). The expression is used to refer to what is developed in a laboratory through an experimental method .
in a test tube
What is done in vitro is usually carried out in a test tube . In general, the technique is applied to reproduce in a controlled environment a process that, naturally, takes place inside a living being .
In vitro fertilization
The best known resource of this kind is in vitro fertilization . Thanks to this assisted reproduction technique , a sperm joins an egg outside the woman's body.
Many times in vitro fertilization is a solution to a sterility problem. What is done is to extract oocytes from the ovary and then enable their fertilization in a liquid medium . Once the egg has been fertilized, said zygote is transferred to the uterus so that it continues its development in the mother's womb until the moment of delivery .
To obtain the female gamete, a follicular puncture is used, which is done after ovarian stimulation . In the case of the male gamete, a testicular biopsy or masturbation can be used.
In vitro fertilization can be carried out in two ways. One possibility is that fertilization is carried out by injecting a sperm into the egg. Another alternative is to place many sperm surrounding an egg in a culture dish .
Superovulation
This is the first step of in vitro fertilization, and is also known as stimulation . It consists of administering certain medications to the woman to increase her egg production, the so-called fertility drugs . Generally, women produce only one egg per month, and through superovulation this number increases.
In order to study the status of the ovaries , the patient must attend different transvaginal ultrasound sessions with some regularity. To verify hormonal levels, on the other hand, blood draws must be done.
Removal of the egg
This is the second step, in which a minor surgery known as follicular aspiration is performed with the aim of removing the eggs. To avoid any sensation of discomfort or pain, it is important that the woman receive a dose of analgesic medications.
During the main part of the procedure, the doctor uses a very fine needle to reach the inside of the ovary through the vagina. This tool is connected to a suction device, necessary for the extraction of the eggs and liquid, one by one . It should be repeated for the remaining ovary.
In some cases, cramping may occur after the intervention, although it usually disappears within a day. Even less frequent is the need to perform a pelvic laparoscopy to remove the egg. Given the impossibility of producing eggs, donations exist.
In vitro fertilization is an assisted reproduction technique
Fertilization
Although this term gives its name to the entire treatment , it is actually the third step, and occurs after insemination. To do this, the best eggs are determined and the sperm are placed next to them. Next, storage is carried out in a special chamber, where the sperm is expected to fertilize the egg in a matter of hours.
If there is little chance that this step will be completed successfully, then it is possible to resort to direct injection into the egg . It is worth mentioning that even in apparently favorable situations, this measure as a preventive measure is common.