The duration of the IVF stages depends on what preparations are used to carry it out. There are differences in how many days the duration of a short IVF protocol is for pituitary blockade by agonists or antagonists of GnRH.
How long does a short IVF protocol last?
A short protocol with the use of GnRH agonists should last 28-35 days, and an ultrashort with the use of GnRH antagonists takes 25-31 days in duration.
The short and long protocol of IVF uses the same hormonal preparations, but their introduction does not begin in a single menstrual cycle, but captures the previous one, which will provide a large number of quality eggs. To do this, blockade of the pituitary gland begins a week before the cycle, when the main stages of IVF should begin.
Stages of IVF - short protocol
The scheme of the short IVF protocol contains 4 stages of its implementation:
- stimulation of superovulation (the process of stimulation of ovulation in several follicles of a woman's ovaries);
- puncture of the ovaries (carry out extraction from the mature follicles of the ovum for fertilization, an obligatory condition - on the eve of puncture it is necessary to refrain from sex for 3 days);
- incubation of embryos (after a puncture under a microscope, study the material, select and fertilize whole eggs and incubate the embryos to several zygotic fragments, up to 4 to 8 cells);
- Implantation of the embryo into the uterus (with obligatory support of the yellow body function with progesterone and control of pregnancy 2 weeks after implantation).
The scheme of IVF on days
Duration of IVF depends on what protocol is used - long, short or ultra short. At long, in difference from others, the hormonal blockade of the pituitary gland starts from 21 days of the previous cycle, receives a large number of eggs, but the development of a complication, the ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, is possible.
In the short and ultrashort protocol, the pituitary blockade starts from the 2nd-5th day of the menstrual cycle with simultaneous stimulation of superovulation, which lasts 12-17 days in a short protocol, and only 8-12 days in an ultrashort.
Puncture of the ovaries with a short protocol of IVF is carried out on the 14-20 day from the onset of stimulation, with ultrashort for 10-14 days of superstimulation.
Implantation of the embryo for both protocols is performed 3-5 days after ovarian puncture, and pregnancy control - 2 weeks after implantation, while simultaneously supporting the function of the yellow body with progesterone analogs.