In vitro fertilisation (IVF) Treatment

In vitro Fertilisation is where fertilisation takes place in the laboratory. IVF can be the appropriate form of treatment for many different causes of subfertility. These include tubal blockage, severe male factor infertility, endometriosis or unexplained subfertility.

IVF was first introduced in 1978 and our team have been pioneers in this field. During IVF the ovaries are stimulated to produce several eggs. Monitoring takes place with ultrasound measure how many folliculars are developing. When enough eggs are produced the eggs are collected surgical using ultrasound guidance. Once the eggs have been collected they are mixed with sperm in dishes and cultured over night before being examined to see if normal fertilisation has taken place. The day after their collection all the eggs are examined and all normally fertilised eggs are cultured for at least a further 24 hours before the best embryos are selected for embryo transfer. Our embryologists use a variety of different techniques to select the best quality embryos. No more than two embryos are transferred unless there are exceptional medical circumstances in order to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy. Our team is proud of the fact that our triplet birth rates are amongst the lowest in the world. Elective single embryo transfer to further reduce the risk of twins is also available in our clinic. Excess embryo of good quality can be frozen (see embryo freezing), allowed to perish or donated to our on-site research team. The research team are world leaders in human embryo research and their projects (which are all licensed by the HFEA) produce information which is used directly in our infertility treatment programmes.

At present consultations and monitoring take place at 92 Harley Street. Egg collection and embryo transfer take place in our theatre and laboratories at the Hammersmith Hospital. These laboratories are accredited to ISO 9001 standard and our egg collections are performed with the assistance of consultant anaesthetist.  Follow-up consultations and pregnancies scans are performed again at 92 Harley Street. Please refer to our pregnancy results page for the latest information on our success rates on our IVF Hammersmith website.