The Difference Between IVF Cycles And Menstrual Cycles
Lifestyle - News
By BRITT HAWES
IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is the process of harvesting an egg from the ovaries and introducing it to sperm in a petri dish; the embryo is then injected into the mother’s uterus in order to conceive a child. IVF can be a huge help to people who need help conceiving, but there are many complicated stages of the process, one of them being the IVF cycle.
An IVF cycle is similar to a menstrual cycle, since they both involve the possible fertilization of an egg, but IVF is an artificial process, whereas the menstrual cycle begins naturally in the body. Also, while the menstrual cycle involves ovulation, the first step of IVF is to take medication to halt ovulation, since the doctor cannot obtain eggs if they have already left the ovaries.
Additionally, menstruation usually lasts around a week, but the IVF cycle lasts three months on average; this is because the process must be synced to the entire menstrual cycle, so that the embryo can mature at the exact time needed before being implanted into the uterus. If the implantation is a success, the conceiving individual will be on the way to motherhood.