In Vitro Fertilization - Stage 3
Insemination (Fertilization)

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It is necessary for the male partner to abstain from ejaculation for two to three days prior to producing a semen specimen for the laboratory, but a longer period of abstinence is NOT advisable. Too long a period of abstinence is detrimental to the quality of the semen specimen. The staff will try to remind the male partner to ejaculate the day before or the day of the hCG injection.

Couples must understand that sperm count and motility fluctuate constantly. Even when we are not expecting any problems, it is possible for a man who has had previously good sperm counts and motility to produce a poor quality sample. If you feel that the male partner may have difficulty collecting a semen sample on the day of the oocyte retrieval, please discuss this with the IVF nursing staff several weeks before your IVF retrieval is planned, so we may arrange for the male partner to freeze a back-up sperm sample.

Following the aspiration, the oocytes and fluid are taken to the laboratory and examined by the embryologist. The degree of maturity for each egg is determined. The eggs are allowed to incubate for a period of time dependent upon their degree of maturation. Your husband is then required to produce a semen specimen, by masturbation, for fertilization (if there is not a frozen sample). The development of an oocyte into an embryo takes about 48-72 hours. As in a natural cycle, however, this transformation may not occur or development may begin and then stop. It is generally anticipated, though, that normal sperm and mature oocytes will successfully produce an embryo (fertilized oocyte) approximately 60-80% of the time (see Figure 4).

Figure 4: Fertilized Egg (Embryo at 2 pn stage)

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