In this technique, eggs are removed from the woman and fertilized outside of the body. These fertilized eggs are then replaced in the womb where the woman s body carries on the rest of the pregnancy. The success of all of these methods depends on the age of the woman and the cause of the problem. Special centers offer this complex technology. They often are involved in national studies to assure that women are getting the newest, safest, and most effective therapies available.
Testing is done before any assisted reproduction is started.
The successful pregnancy rate per cycle is about 15 to 20 percent, which is close to a normal rate. Those natural things that may normally cause a pregnancy to be lost can still be troublesome. Multiple babies are common using these techniques. Pregnancies in the wrong places, such as the tube, occur in about 5 percent of in vitro pregnancies. Babies born using these techniques have the same rate of abnormalities as in normal pregnancies.