The first successful in-vitro fertilization treatment occurred in 1981 in the U.S., and over 100,000 babies have been born using the procedure since then. Many couples have found success with this method after long periods of frustrated attempts at becoming parents.

IVF is also the first fertility treatment attempt for some, especially when male fertility is an issue, a sperm donor is involved, or when a blockage prevents eggs from traveling down the woman's Fallopian tubes. A consultation with a specialist will help decide whether IVF is a viable option. After candidacy is determined, both partners will need to go through extensive blood work to screening for a variety of diseases.

Once the treatment cycle has been determined, fertility drug injections will either be administered by medical staff, or by the patient herself after proper training. On the second day of her period, the woman will usually come in for an ultrasound to check for cysts on the ovaries. If there are any present, they can be aspirated or treatment can be delayed. Blood work will also be done to establish a baseline for estrogen and estradiol, or E2 levels.

These levels will be checked frequently to see how the body responds to the medications. The patient will also need to watch for signs of ovarian hyperstimulation, which causes painful, swollen ovaries. If this occurs, the treatment cycle will be canceled, and she can try again later. In fact, women whose treatments have been canceled due to ovarian hyperstimulation often have higher success rates with future attempts.

The man supplies a sperm sample for fertilization, and a sample can also be retained for later use as a backup. The unfertilized eggs, or oocytes, are extracted trans-vaginally using a needle, or via laparoscopy, in which a tube is used. The doctor uses ultrasound to guide him or her through the process.

The oocytes are then placed in a test tube with the sperm. Or, a petri dish may be used instead. After cells divide and fertilization occurs, the fertilized egg, or zygote, is returned to the uterus. If multiple eggs were retrieved, whether fertilized or not, they can be frozen and used for later cycles, in case the current treatment is unsuccessful, or if the couple wishes to have more children later on via IVF.

Doctors will keep the patient updated on the status of embryo development, including the number of viable zygotes. Next, bed rest is the norm, with the continuation of progesterone administration that began two days after the egg transfer. Within twelve days of the IVF procedure, a pregnancy test will be ordered. If the test is positive, the pregnancy will be carefully monitored for any abnormalities, and progesterone treatment will continue for about three months.