At Durban Fertility Clinic we recognise that every family is unique. We are at the forefront of in vitro fertilisation treatment, with individualised patient centred care, state-of-the-art technologies, and dedication to your comfort, safety, and peace of mind. Our team of leading fertility specialists can help your family explore and understand the fertility treatment options available and the right choice for you.
What is IVF?
IVF is a form of ART whereby mature eggs are collected from the ovary. The eggs are collected by doing a surgical procedure that can be done under local or general anaesthesia. The mature eggs are then placed in a culture dish with the appropriate ratio of sperm and left to be fertilised via natural selection. Once these fertilised eggs develop into embryos after fertilisation, they are then placed into the uterus. The placement of the embryos is done by a simple procedure without any form of anaesthesia. For those interested in gestational surrogacy, the eggs and sperm can come from a donor, if needed.
The duration of IVF treatment may take 2 weeks or longer depending on the treatment protocol. The success of IVF depends on many factors, such as a patient’s age and the cause of her infertility. As technology rapidly evolves and techniques are refined, the success rate of IVF treatment continues to grow.
Good candidates for IVF
There are many factors that might lead you to seek IVF treatment, both related and unrelated to infertility, the most common of which are:
- Tubal ligation
- Recurrent miscarriage
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Low sperm count
- Damaged fallopian tubes
- Advanced maternal age
- Inability to ovulate
- Endometriosis
- Single parents
- Genetic disorder(s)
- Unexplained infertility
The steps of IVF
In vitro fertilisation is a complex process, but these are the basic steps:
- The formation of eggs within the ovaries is activated, and the best time for retrieval is identified.
- The eggs are removed through a minimally invasive procedure and then placed with the sperm for an incubation period, resulting in the fertilised eggs (embryos).
- After the incubation period, the embryo is transferred into the uterus through a painless procedure.
Embryos are typically transferred after 3 or 5 days of incubation, depending on your individual circumstances.
From your initial consultation through to final treatment, all fertility specialists and staff take great care in every step of the in vitro fertilisation process. Your safety and comfort are a top priority, and you can trust that the latest technologies and best practices are utilised for optimal results.
ICSI treatment
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a form of ART similar to IVF except that a single sperm is injected into the oocyte (egg) rather than the sperm entering the egg on its own. This type of fertility treatment is used mainly for male infertility, especially in low sperm count, poor morphology and testicular aspiration or biopsy. Please contact us to schedule a consultation.