In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a type of assistive reproductive technology (ART). It involves retrieving eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilizing them with sperm. This fertilized egg is known as an embryo. The embryo can then be frozen for storage or transferred to a woman’s uterus.
Depending on your situation, IVF can use:
Your doctor can also implant embryos in a surrogate, or gestational carrier. This is a woman who carries your baby for you.
The success rate of IVF varies. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the live birth rate for women under age 35 undergoing IVF is 41 to 43 percent. This rate falls to 13 to 18 percent for women over the age of 40.