Oocyte Retrieval

Fertility drugs, taken through injections, are used to stimulate a woman’s ovaries to develop multiple mature eggs. This improves chances for fertilization and ultimately pregnancy.

When the eggs are mature, they are retrieved by an ultrasound guided procedure. Here a needle is placed through the vaginal opening and into the ovaries. There are no abdominal incisions or suturing. The eggs are then evaluated in our on-site embryology lab. Once there, they are fertilized with sperm from your partner or a donor. Retrieval is performed under light anesthesia as an outpatient procedure. Risks are minimal and recovery takes an hour or two, although post-operative cramping is common.

Oocyte are at present recovered by two main techniques

• Ultrasound Oocyte Retrieval
  
  This is a technique of choice in the majority of cases since it is a less invasive procedure , the post operative period is less uncomfortable and excellent results are achieved with it. A vaginal ultrasound probe with an attached needle guide is passed into the vagina under sterile conditions and a needle passed through the top of the vagina into the ovary, The follicles are then aspirated until oocytes are obtained.
   
• Laparoscopic Oocyte Retrieval
  
  Originally , oocytes were always collected laparoscopic ally , at present on occasions , patients are recommended to have a laparoscopic Oocyte Retrieval only when GIFT was performed.