How In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Works
Set up a Fertility Health Screening to Understand Your Options
If you have been trying to conceive for six months or longer without success, we encourage you to schedule an appointment for a fertility health screening at our clinic. During your visit, an expert reproductive endocrinologist will meet with you to discuss your unique family-building goals, and we will perform diagnostic testing (including bloodwork, ultrasound, and semen analysis, if appropriate) to evaluate your overall reproductive health.
Ovarian Stimulation and Egg Retrieval
During the course of an unmedicated menstrual cycle, hormones produced in your brain stimulate one of your ovaries to release a single mature egg. During an ovarian stimulation cycle, you are prescribed those same hormones, known as fertility medications. These medications tell the ovaries to mature several eggs at once. Once these eggs are matured and successfully retrieved, these eggs are combined with sperm to create embryos.
Fertilization in the Embryology Laboratory
As soon as the eggs are retrieved, our embryology team assesses each egg for maturity, then transfers the mature eggs to an incubator. Typically, sperm are then combined with the eggs in a culture dish and fertilization occurs naturally. If a sperm sample contains low sperm count or low sperm motility, our embryologists can use intracytoplasmic sperm injection ( "ICSI" ) to inject a single sperm directly into each egg. If a sperm sample is considered 'borderline,' some eggs may be injected while others are given the opportunity to fertilize naturally in the dish.
Approximately 18 hours after the egg and sperm are combined in the incubator, our embryology team evaluates each egg to see if it was successfully fertilized. The embryology team will then monitor embryo development for an additional 2-4 days to assess the shape and appearance of cells within the embryo (embryo morphology). Embryos are typically observed in the lab for a total of 5 days.
Embryo Transfer & Next Steps
After your cycle, you will discuss the quantity and quality of your embryos with your care team. There are two types of embryo transfer: fresh or frozen. In a fresh embryo transfer cycle, an embryo is transferred to the uterus after 3-5 days of observation in the embryology laboratory, and any additional embryos are frozen for future use. In a frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycle, all embryos are frozen after 3-5 days of development in the laboratory. If you wish to perform preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), embryos will be biopsied, then frozen while a culture of cells is sent to the genetic testing lab for analysis. Whether you and your care team decide to move forward with a fresh transfer or a FET, the transfer process is very simple and rarely requires sedation or anesthesia.
Financing Fertility Preservation
In Vitro Fertilization Fees
The self-pay fees for an IVF cycle begins at $14,050
Visit our Fertility Financing page to learn more
NYU Langone Reproductive Specialists understands that the financial aspects of fertility treatment can be difficult to navigate. We offer comprehensive, state-of-the-art fertility treatment at competitive rates, and our team works alongside you to evaluate your payment options, including insurance coverage and/or patient financing programs to cover your care.
We have appointments available at our Mineola and Brooklyn locations.
We look forward to developing a plan to help you start or expand your family.