Infertile patients have many questions that create doubt and
misunderstanding when it comes to the embryo transfer procedure. It is especially when good quality embryos fail to implant after a smooth embryo transfer procedure that patients feel cheated; and complain that the IVF doctor did not provide good medical care.
In this review, I will try to simplify the information and dispel some of these misconceptions.
There are two components to successful embryo transfer. One is the mechanical procedure of physically
placing the embryo back into the uterine cavity which is achieved by inserting an
embryo transfer catheter into the uterus through the cervix. The biological process is that of implantation, but this is not something the doctor can control !
The mechanics of the embryo transfer procedure is fairly
straight forward and takes only a few minutes.
The procedure is performed routinely in IVF clinics. A skillful IVF physician is patient and
gentle. Proper procedure and patience is
required to prevent injury to the embryo and the uterus. A steady hand and gentle, deliberate action
is required.
The simplicity of the procedure can be misleading,
however. Pregnancy rates vary greatly
among IVF physicians. There are
documented instances of success rates 3 times higher by some IVF physicians who
perform in the same clinic under the same environment as other, less successful
co-workers. We have no clear understanding
as to why there is such a marked difference in success rates. Successful implantation is a quality
indicator that should be considered when seeking an IVF physician. Take the time to search for an experienced
physician with a high success rate.
Ultrasound guided transfer is a process that assists the
physician with actually visualizing the deposit site of the embryos. Whether using ultrasound improves
implantation with an already successful physician is still controversial and
warrants further study.
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