IVF Cycle - GCSE Biology Definition

An IVF cycle, or In Vitro Fertilisation cycle, is a process used to help people have a baby. The cycle includes hormone treatments to stimulate the ovaries, egg retrieval, fertilisation, and embryo transfer. In the first stage, doctors collect eggs from a woman's ovaries and fertilise them with sperm in a laboratory. This creates embryos, which are early stages of baby development. One or more embryos are then placed into the woman's uterus in the hope that they will grow into a baby. IVF is used when people have difficulty getting pregnant naturally and can be a long and emotional journey for couples trying to conceive.